How to Wire & Shape Bonsai Plants
Bonsai trees are specially raised trees that, with careful pruning, wiring and shaping, will grow in miniature. Raising a bonsai tree successfully can be a challenge even for experienced gardeners. Bonsai trees require a particular level of care and attention that most garden plants do not need. However, for a gardener who wants to grow a bonsai plant, wiring and shaping the tree are two of the most important parts of successfully raising a miniature tree. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Shaping Bonsai Plants
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1
Shape the bonsai tree before wiring it. Use branch cutters to remove large branches at the base of your bonsai plant.
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2
Trim or remove small upper branches with a branch cutter or trimming shears to shape the top portion of the tree. Cut out branches according to the shape you want for your bonsai plant.
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3
Shape the top of the plant by cutting off leaves and straggling branches at the top of the tree.
Wiring Bonsai Plants
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4
Cut a length of wire that is one third longer than the branch you are attaching it to.
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5
Choose an anchor point for your wire. The anchor for wiring branches should be the trunk, a root or a larger branch.
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6
Hold one end of the wire at the anchor point you chose while wrapping the branch with the other end of the wire. Begin wrapping from the outside of the branch to move it into the desired position.
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7
Wrap the wire counterclockwise and at an angle that will force the branch to grow in the direction you choose. Stop bending the branch if you hear the tree begin to crack. Do not wrap branches at an angle sharper than 45 degrees.
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8
Bend the wire back and secure the tip under an overlapping twist. Make any adjustments to the shape of the branch.
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9
Repeat Steps 1 to 5 with all branches that need wired into place.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use wire that is one-third as thick as each branch you are wrapping.
