Wiring?

MattB

Yamadori
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Should I wire this?

I've been told barberry should be wired fairly early in the progression to train the new shoots in the right direction. I have yet to wire anything, so it would be my first attempt and I want to make sure I don't butcher a recovering tree in the process. I've also heard alot of people do not even worry about wiring with barberries.

Any opinions?

Also, I'm starting to think about next spring and what pot I will put this into (assuming it fills out a bit more and stays alive!). I know its one of the most subjective issues in bonsai, but since this is a flowering plant with year round bright colored foliage and a rigid mature looking trunk I figure just about anything would work.

Ideas for the pot?
 

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bonsai barry

Omono
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Your trunk has a nice shape to it, and, in my opinion, the branches are way too small to start wiring. It's true that barberry can become brittle, but these little branches will grow out quite a bit before they start to harden off (turn from green to brown). I like to wire just as soon as they have hardened off. I've only wired about five or six barberry, but in my mild climate, I would probably wire in late summer or early fall if the branches have not yet hardened.
 

MattB

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That's just the kind of info I was wanting. I'll hold off til later this summer or into the fall when the plant stops growing. I would assume I can leave the wiring on until spring that way too. Thanks for the info.

How about pot selection? I'd love to see some examples of shohin barberry pots. This is a crimson pigmy about 8 inches tall btw.
 

jk_lewis

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Nothing to wire yet. Wait until the branches get woody. Otherwise, you're likely to just pull the tender branchlets off the trunk.
 

Bill S

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Nothing to wire yet. Wait until the branches get woody. Otherwise, you're likely to just pull the tender branchlets off the trunk.

DITTO

Something with a little of the matching red. or check a color whell and go contrasting.
 
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