Wiring a JBP sapling that's already planted in nursery pot?

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
Hello bonsai buddies. BonsaiNut told me to shape my JBP saplings or else I'll be growing telephone poles... Firstly I understand the concept of wiring when potting/repotting. What I don't understand is how to wire my saplings that are already situated in nursery pots. I really hope there's a way to do this. Thank you so much.
 

petegreg

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
4,079
Location
Slovakia
USDA Zone
6a
Just anchor (stick) the wire deep into the soil close to the trunk if you want to wire the trunk. Use a wire pliers to hold the wire approx. one coil lower when wiring if you need.
 

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
Thank you Petegreg. What do you mean by "one coil lower"?

Also, my tiny wire cutter is NOT gonna cut this wire, I searched around this site and heard of the Kaneshen 511. Way too expensive for me right now. Is there a cheaper tool to cut this wire, in gonna buy on eBay tonight. Thank you!
 

mrt1

Yamadori
Messages
58
Reaction score
40
Location
NE Ohio
USDA Zone
6A
Nice pots there! Be sure to post pic of the wire job. ;)
 

petegreg

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
4,079
Location
Slovakia
USDA Zone
6a
Oh, not correct expression. When you make a spiral when you're wiring, you can hold the wire one turn back.
Kaneshin is a very good brand. But for cutting wire you can use a standard priers/ cutters.
 

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?
 

CasAH

Chumono
Messages
780
Reaction score
1,270
Location
Arlington Heights, IL
USDA Zone
5
Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?
You can shape it any way you like as long as you do not damage the trunk or branches, or bark. Also do not wire any of the needles down.
 

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,855
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
The younger the tree, the more aggressive you should be in your styling because:
(1) Older trees are hard / impossible to style the trunk
(2) As a tree ages, hard curves in the trunk will naturally soften

That's not to say - don't style an informal soft curvy tree or a slant - but understand that what you think might look like a slant today looks like a very soft bend later on.
 

Tieball

Masterpiece
Messages
3,098
Reaction score
3,173
Location
Michigan. 6a
USDA Zone
6a
Thank you. One more thing so sorry, probably the most important. Regarding the shape I choose. Do u just shape them all to be a generic S shape, or can I be creative. Like have one slanting sideways?
Be creative....but first explore nature and Pine photos. Those extreme S shapes, those generic S shapes, aren't really natural, interesting or exciting....to me.....that is just my opinion. Nature demonstrates and provides a multitude of highly creative directions for tree shapes....best creative album of shapes.

Bending a tree early is good. Bend it with your vision and objective in mind for the future....so you achieve your goals.
 

M. Frary

Bonsai Godzilla
Messages
14,307
Reaction score
22,116
Location
Mio Michigan
USDA Zone
4
Start the bends low as you can too.
 

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
This wasn't as easy as I thought it would be! I poked through the soil a lot to find my anchor hole(I hope I didnt kill the tree). The wiring at the base is REALY tight(again I hope I didn't hurt the tree). I tried not to wire over the little nubs(future branches??). I watered after, and I'm gonna keep him in the shade for next couple days. Please critique, did I do this correctly. I have 4 more bigger ones to do... thanks
I know, a lot Of I's sorry I have bad grammar.
 

Ironbeaver

Chumono
Messages
636
Reaction score
1,006
Location
Toronto
USDA Zone
6a
Someone once posted some photos (here I think) of an exercise where you take a piece of wire and bend it as if it were a sapling, then add layers of clay/plastiscene/play-doh to build it up and it will give an idea of how the tree might look when it's at different trunk thicknesses.
 

Tieball

Masterpiece
Messages
3,098
Reaction score
3,173
Location
Michigan. 6a
USDA Zone
6a
Examining the photos close-up......There's a lot of nice new buds on your tree. You'll have some nice opportunities as it grows.
 

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
Thanks for the feedback. My biggest concern is that I wired the base really tight. Will that hurt the tree, or is this proper procedure. I had to wire him tight, is was the only way I figured I could get those tight angles. This was complicated, maaan!
 

OrganicSeasonal

Sapling
Messages
29
Reaction score
18
Location
Gilroy, Ca
USDA Zone
9a
Hello, I was just wondering if anyone could critique my 1st wiring, so I don't mess up the other saplings I have. Thanks to any criticism!:oops:
 

ConorDash

Masterpiece
Messages
2,699
Reaction score
3,154
Location
Essex, UK
USDA Zone
8b
Seems good to me. I imagine it'll grow and bite in to the wire fast though so keep an eye on it and replace wire as and when needed.
 

petegreg

Masterpiece
Messages
2,781
Reaction score
4,079
Location
Slovakia
USDA Zone
6a
Good enough for the first wiring. Almost under 45°, wire going almost outside of bends. As Conor stated, watch the wires for biting in.
Your wire anchoring is more than necessary.
 
Top Bottom