Wiring an young acacia

Paul F.

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Are these too young to wire? They are about 8 months old. I can easily scratch the "bark" off. Maybe a better question is how does one know when to wire a new young tree?

THanks!

acacia-1.jpg

acacia-2.jpg
 

0soyoung

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Nope, not too young. Green stems are sometimes too soft and/or the stem joint (to another stem) are too fragile when they are new.

Otherwise, the deal is that the bark sometimes separates easily from the wood. This is during spring to a bit (say 6 weeks) after the summer solstice. Don't wire/un-wire during this period and you'll be fine with just about any species.

btw, watch out for those thorns!!
 

Paul F.

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Nope, not too young. Green stems are sometimes too soft and/or the stem joint (to another stem) are too fragile when they are new.

Otherwise, the deal is that the bark sometimes separates easily from the wood. This is during spring to a bit (say 6 weeks) after the summer solstice. Don't wire/un-wire during this period and you'll be fine with just about any species.

Btw, watch out for those thorns!!

Thanks.. Ill wire this baby up..

Does anyone think I need to cut these branches? They are getting a bit long..


acacia-cut.jpg
 

John P.

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I’d let them keep growing to thicken the trunk. Maybe also place a tourniquet under the soil line to get some trunk flare going.
 

John P.

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If you have some larger-gauge bonsai wire, you can wrap it around the trunk and twist it tight. As the tree grows it will swell above the wire and give taper to the trunk. It will also likely shoot roots above the wire, too.
 

Potawatomi13

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If you have some larger-gauge bonsai wire, you can wrap it around the trunk and twist it tight. As the tree grows it will swell above the wire and give taper to the trunk. It will also likely shoot roots above the wire, too.

And since not mentioned kill tree if not removed soon enough and leave constriction at place above roots:rolleyes:.
 

John P.

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And since not mentioned kill tree if not removed soon enough and leave constriction at place above roots:rolleyes:.

Not in my experience, but anything’s possible. Always creates a ground layer with new roots above the tourniquet.
 

Paul F.

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With my luck.. Ill kill it.. LOL... 100% for sure, no doubt. I guess I'll just pray to God each day that the trunk gets a good taper. :) OT maybe try it one one of my trees. I have 5 of these Umbrella Thorns. I could try it on a younger one. Home many wraps of wire? Just a few I assume?
 

John P.

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With my luck.. Ill kill it.. LOL... 100% for sure, no doubt. I guess I'll just pray to God each day that the trunk gets a good taper. :) OT maybe try it one one of my trees. I have 5 of these Umbrella Thorns. I could try it on a younger one. Home many wraps of wire? Just a few I assume?

Wrap a thick wire and twist the ends around like a twist tie to snug it up tight. Make sure there is enough soil above the tourniquet so it will push roots just above the wire. After this happens it won’t need the roots below the tourniquet.

Here are the results after a couple months with a Coast Live Oak seedling:
E8D64D63-2CB2-4425-AD2B-0362F05A00C7.jpeg
You can see the light wood flare that it’s putting on. And roots.

And another the same age that did not get a tourniquet:
f428e390-9c93-4052-ac67-a811c3d460ea-jpeg.215950
 

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Paul F.

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Oh I see what you mean now.. That's awesome. Ill think Ill try it on one of the smaller ones. Thanks for the tip!
 
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