Bonsai Oasis

When You Should Wire a Bonsai

There are many different species of trees used in bonsai which people of all climates enjoy, so it is difficult to know exactly when to wire your bonsai tree. With any bonsai, no matter the time of year, there are advantages and disadvantages to wiring. Ideally, you should be able to wire most trees any time of year, although you may need to protect any trees wired in the winter against frost in some climates. Generally, wiring will only threaten the health of your tree significantly in the winter if you live in an area where the temperature often falls below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Any unhealed fractures in your bonsai that are exposed to this level of cold could cause the branch to experience dieback in the future.

If you live in a warm climate you should wire deciduous trees in the autumn, just after the leaves begin to fall. It is easier to adjust and wire the branches when they are bare and you can see the tree clearly. Any branches except for large cracks and severe bends should be healed before the tree enters its dormant phase in winter.

It is possible to wire deciduous trees before any leaves open up in the spring, but it is very important to avoid harming any new leaf or flower buds. With broad leaf and deciduous trees, wiring can be done during the growing season, however it is more difficult to wire around leaves and see the form of the tree clearly. Any branches that are wired during this time will heal quickly, especially new shoots. You should check fast growing trees often to make sure the wire is not starting to dig in. Right after defoliating a tree in midsummer, is another great time to wire deciduous bonsai trees. It should be easy to wire branches at this time, because they are clear and by the end of autumn your branches should have established their new shape.

With coniferous trees, wiring can be done from spring to autumn. Coniferous trees are able to heal during the winter, making it safe to wire them in the autumn season. Wires must stay on a coniferous tree longer than other species, usually throughout the winter months, and need to be protected against frost if the temperature dips below fifteen degrees Fahrenheit. To establish a successful design, coniferous trees should be wired every year, in addition to wiring the entire tree at least once. Especially when making heavy bends, wiring should be done in late midsummer to early fall.

New growth will need wiring by late midsummer, healing is faster at this time of the year as well. By August, most species of trees, like pines, have finished much of their branch thickness growth, and wiring done after this time can remain on the tree throughout the year, without any scarring or cutting into the bark. Wiring for coniferous species can be done in the spring, and the position will set fairly quick, however it will be necessary to reapply this wiring as the new growth appears through the year. You should check any wiring left on the tree by midsummer, especially in pines that can swell, to prevent the wire from scarring the bark. As long as tropical species have frost protection, they can be wired nearly any time of year, because they experience very little, if any dormant phase. Tropical species usually grow very quickly and any wiring must be checked often to prevent scarring.

After six months, any wiring should be removed from the tree. At this point the branch should stay in position without the aid of wires. Be very careful cutting wire from the branches. Avoid unwinding wires, to prevent branch breakage. Wire cutters are the best method for this process. You may accidentally break a branch if you unwind the wire. If the branch does break, as long as it is not broken completely, you can rejoin the ends. Hold the break together and wrap it with garden tape. If the branch breaks completely, you should prune back to the first side branch.