A TREATISE ON WIRING by Dorothy Koreshoff, Australia Why We Wire - Wiring condenses in time the actions or effects that happen to trees in nature. Gail force winds that twist and turn around the mountain tops, or strong winds gusting along the shoreline, are nature's instruments for forming the fantastic shapes we so admire. As well the giant trees with thick buttresses, standing alone on the plains or perhaps the aged tress of the forest are, for the majority of us, the inspiration for desiring to reproduce nature's wonderful works of art. How can we hope to achieve the characteristics that genuine age gives to nature's tree? Well, in our lifetime, we won't have enough time for it to happen naturally, so ... wiring is one of the ways of artificially copying the effects of time. Many bonsaists approach the thought of wiring as tiresome and boring or only as a minor necessity and not worth giving much time and thought to it. A bit of wire shoved on here and there will do. I would like you to reconsider your approach to wiring. don't think of it as a purely mechanical technique, but imagine that in your hands lies the ability to bridge the centuries and hasten the effects of time and environment. Learning to correctly wire is not only more visually pleasing, but to be able to put into practice the effects that you desire, especially on older, stiffer wood, is an advantage. Care When Wiring - Avoid twisting in many directions - make up your mind where the branch is to be positioned before wiring. Even without wire, branches should not be bent from side to side, especially at its thickest point, which is closest to the trunk. As you bend one way, the cells are crushed on one side and, when bent back again, crushed on the other side, thus ringbarking the area. To help decide where the branch would look best, move the outer branch and foliage only. To Help Prevent Breaking - Limber - This is a different movement to the above. Limbering, by applying and releasing pressure to the thick or stiff section of trunk or branch until the cells realign, will often help to set the direction before applying the wire. Bend Whilst Wiring - If you are dramatically changing direction, bending the branch to position whilst applying the wire, allows the spirals to grip and hold the change much better. Apply Pressure to Spirals to Bend - Pressure applied with thumb and index finger along each spiral changes the direction. Pressure applied on the wood in between the spirals can result in cracking as there is no support at that point. If Plant Weak - Don't Wire - Wait until vitality returns. Weak branches become more quickly invigorated, if left growing above the horizontal, i.e., in a more upright position. Worst Time - First Few Weeks After Potting - As the new rootlets are developing, any movement could damage them. WIRING TECHNIQUES Practice Important - To be proficient, one must have practice, yet after wiring your first tree, the results could be dying branches due to awkwardness and uncertainty. Practice on branches cut from deciduous garden trees will help to give you the „feel¾. Evenly Spaced Spirals - The guidelines suggest evenly spaced spiraling. This will be fairly easy to achieve where there is only slight alteration to direction. If, for instance, there is good taper to the branch or trunk, and you need to move the heaviest area, then you will gauge the wire to be effective in that section which means it may be a bit too thick for the other end. By increasing the distance between the spirals, you will be able to use the heavy wire to the end of the branch. No Crossing Wires - To achieve this requires much thought and planning. It is an important feature of exhibition wiring, for the eye is drawn to the points where wires cross. Aescetically, it is as ugly as bar branches and is more noticeable with heavier wire. Technically pressure marks can mar the delicate bark at these points. Even with the best planning, occasions will arrise where it is impossible not to cross wires. If this is the case, crossing at the back of a plant hides the problems, as trees are only viewed from the front. Start Securely - Unless the wire is anchored securely at the start it will not be effective. Trunk wiring (figure 1) is secured by pushing it into the solid between the roots. If this is done at the back, a more pleasing effect at the front is gained. The diagram shows the back of trunk. Wiring one branch only requires at least two spirals to be secured to the trunk for stability, before wiring out along the branch. Look at figure 2 and imagine the left side to be the trunk. For more strength, it is important that the wire comes down the trunk rather than up the trunk before wiring the branch. The only exception would be one heavy bottom branch needing fairly thick wire. Security can also be obtained by pushing wire into the soil at the back, coming up the trunk, and out along the branch. With alternative branching figure 3, the wire is secured by first spiralling up the trunk, out along the top branch, and then wiring the bottom branch. Although opposite branches, especially the lower ones, are unsightly and should not be encouraged, there are situations where it may be necessary to wire such branches, i.e., a side and back branch on the one level or the sub-branches on a branch. To jump from one branch to the other may be difficult to move to the desired position as there is no stability. Notice on Figure 4 how it is obtained. Start at the lower back of trunk, cross the front, behind the back, out along the right branch and finish off the left branch. Reverse the procedure if left handed. How Tight Should The Wire Be - By applying the wire tightly you are shortening the time before it is necessary to remove it. On the other hand, if too loose, a lot of its strength has been lost. If you over-estimate the gauge needed, it can be quite loosely applied. Reversely, finer than necessary would require a tighter pressure. Ideal - 45° Spirals - If you have chosen the right sizes wire, then 45° would exert the maximum pressure to alter the shape. Under-estimating the gauge means the spirals would have to be closer, BUT if they become too close, Figure 10, it creates a spring effect and the holding power is lost. I personally prefer the third choice and that is to use a slightly thicker wire than necessary. This way the spirals are more separated and there is less of a girdling appearance to the tree. How to Choose the Length of Wire - By measuring the length of the branch or trunk and adding about one third will be sufficient to wire an average thickness of wood, however, the thicker the area to be wired, the more wire would be needed. Even doubling the length to reach the end of a branch will often be necessary. If you are wiring alternate branching, as in Figure 3, and the branches are thin but the trunk is thick, then the length plus one third will not be sufficient. Allow double for the trunk section. What Gauge To Use - One could get totally confused by seemingly conflicting guidelines for choosing the right sized wire. For instance, John Naka, in America, advises one third the thickness of the wood to be wired, whereas Toshio Kawamoto in Japan one sixth. A big difference. They are both correct. The thicker wire is necessary for John Naka to style the huge, rugged trees he works on. Kawamoto, on the other hand, prefers a more delicate approach, so the wire he needs to shape the majority of his trees does not need to be as heavy. How to Choose? Well, it's not so complicated, although a few trial runs on a couple of branches (not your bonsai) can be helpful. If the wire you have chosen, is too thick, you will not be able to spiral it on. If too thin, you will find you are having to spiral it too close and too tight. If it's right, you should be able to feel the willingness of the branch to change direction. There is no doubt that novices will find it so much easier to apply the thinner gauges so, by using two slightly thinner wires and running them together, making sure they are parallel and not crossing, is perhaps a safer way to gain experience. If you have to drastically change shape or are attempting to style brittle wood, i.e., maples and azaleas, allow the soil in the pot to reach the slightly dry stage before attempting to wire and you will find there is less risk in snapping the branch. How Long Does the Wire Stay On? Again, the novice can become totally confused by variables such as what time of year it was applied, brittle or pliable wood, long dormant periods or almost continuous year round growth period. It even makes a big difference if the plant is in a large growing-on tub or even in the ground, or whether rather root-bound or in a fairly small container. Irrespective of the above, wire when you want to start or when you feel artistic, and most important, take it off when the wire appears a little tight and before a swelling if noticeable at the sides of the wire, giving the appearance that the wire is cutting into the bark. How to Remove Wire - If very careful the wire can be unwound although the finer the wire the easier it is. The main advantage for unwinding is that it is re-usable. Novices may find it safer to cut each spiral rather than run the risk of breaking or skinning the branch. To cut the spirals and not the branch especially when the the wire is cutting in, needs either the special bonsai wire cutters, or pliers, or electrician's side cutters that have been ground down to the cutting point. Wire Scars - As the plant grows and expands the space decreases between the wire and the branch. As the pressure becomes tighter, the sap flow which is coming down the tree close to the surface becomes trapped as the cells become constricted. Instead of just an indentation there is also a build up of callous tissue that accentuates the problem. Now, on smooth, thin barked trees, this is a disaster, and if the plant is growing slowly in a bonsai pot, it may always remain visible. You might try gently rubbing with fine sand paper over the next years giving adequate resting periods to regenerate between sessions. If it is a deciduous tree, the best thing to do is to get some strong fast growth into the tree either by planting it into the ground in a convenient position for observation, or into a large tub. If shoots develop along the trunk, select one preferably about the middle or a little closer to the ground, and let it grow strongly without trimming until the scars are less noticeable. When it has done its job then it should be entirely removed choosing a shoot towards the top of the plant will result in lose of taper. On the other hand, by systematically using the callousing effects of tight wire, rugged rough barked trees can develop more quickly quite an aged gnarled appearance, thus hastening the effect of time if (or when) the wire has cut in and callousing is occurring remove the wire and re-apply as tightly as you can, but going the opposite way and definitely not in such a regular pattern. Remove when the callousing is becoming prominent, and again re-applying in between previous callouses, being careful that the spiral pattern is not obvious. To hasten the effects of trees that have been twisted and turned by strong winds, irregular re-spiralling in the same direction, even re-callousing over previous callous, can create the characteristics of such a hostile environment. The believability of such technique lies with the imagination, ingenuity, and artistry of the bonsaist and could easily turn out to be most unattractive. Exhibition Wiring - Some people are under the mistaken impression that, for exhibition there should be no wire on the bonsai. Except for trunk wiring, this is not so unless there is a special section for novices. Wire on the trunk usually indicates the first stage of tree design. If intending to exhibit your bonsai, it is more desirable to have well shaped design and tidily arranged foliage, than an unwired mess. It doesn't matter how old your bonsai is, or how long you have had it, rewiring can be as constant as root-pruning. All wire should be continued to the tips of the branches. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DIFFERENT WIRE Copper - Copper wire has become the traditional method of styling bonsai in Japan. Its disadvantage is that it is hard and stiff and has to be heated (called annealing) in a low heat fire, to make it pliable enough to apply to the tree without the risk of damage. We can buy hard or soft wire, the soft has been preannealed, and requires no heating before use. Heating the copper aligns the molecular structure and lessens its rigidity, which makes it very easy to handle. When movement, such as winding around the tree, is applied, the molecules separate, which stiffens it, and the wire holds its new shape very firmly. The disadvantage then, is the difficulty, with the thicker gauges in unwinding the tree. Pliers or bonsai wire benders may be necessary to grip the end of of the wire to give the leverage to start the unwinding. If you succeed, the wire has to be straightened to be re-used. With finer gauges, simply holding both ends with pliers and jerking, or pulling it a few times around a metal pipe, heats it up and straightens it out. The heavier gauges will require re-firing, then jerking or hammering out, and then firing again to soften. When new, all copper wire is bright and shiny but, once exposed to the elements, gradually oxidizes to a dull subtle colour. An advantage with hard wire is that in the process of firing, it instantly changes colour and can be immediately exhibited. To dull the bright shiny appearance of new soft wire, if wiring for exhibition, wipe over with diluted lime sulphur (bought in nurseries and used as a winter spray). The dilution rate will determine the colour. Undiluted turns the wire black. To Anneal Copper - It should not be left in tight coils. Better to loosen and allow the heat to be more evenly distributed. The fire is best contained so the heat is more even. An open fire is hot in the center and cooler outside. A few bricks or besser blocks make a temporary receptacle. An old drum or the barbecue are also suitable. The rolls should not be placed flat on the fire, rather they should be threaded through a metal pipe and suspended, not necessarily too far from the ground or base. Surround with crumpled paper, and remove if the wire starts to brightly glow. Make sure the fire will not be too intense, for a hot flame will make the wire brittle. Usually a blue-green flame around the wire indicates the beginning of sufficient heating. Providing the fire is then dying down, the wire can be left to cool slowly. If the fire is still raging, remove the wire and let it gradually cool. Aluminum Wire - Copper coloured aluminum wire was developed for the Japanese growers of Azalea Bonsai. The advantages for them was its softness and ease of application on those brittle, soft barked plants. Its popularity has grown and many bonsaists use it, not only for its ease of application, but also its removability and re-use. Its disadvantage, some say, is its lack of holding power and the necessity of having to use wire of a thicker gauge than copper. Nevertheless, it can't be argued that the novice will do far less damage to their bonsai, than struggling with copper. Galvanised Wire - Is reasonably priced and available in most hardware stores. It is stiff and hard to apply, but if you can manage it, it is good for training purposes only. If you are in an area where other wire is not available, it will have to do. It would, because of its stiffness, be easier to apply two thinner gauges, or even three, rather than the correct heavier size. Galvanised wire will not rust during the time necessary to shape the plant. The Gauges - With our old sizes, the higher the gauge size, the finer it becomes. Nos. 6, 8, 10, 12 are very heavy and the majority would never need to use them. No. 14 is usually the gauge that the average bonsaist would need for shaping the trunk. Nos. 16 and 18 are average primary branch gauges, whilst 20 and 22 are for fine branchlets. Copper wire is still mainly sold in these old gauges. Copper coated aluminum is imported from Japan in pre-packed rolls which are sold by weight rather than length. The gauge size is in metric, which starts at No. 1 which, in this case, is the finest. It then increases, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5. It then goes to 3.0 and 4.0 which are mainly used for trunks. Nos. 5 and 6 are very thick and are the heaviest available. WIRING TECHNIQUES The Basic Application - If you are right-handed you will find that it is much easier for you to wire to the right. To explain, when you start to wire the lower branches, you will be more comfortable wiring the right hand branch. When it comes to the left branch, you will probably find it much more awkward as, most likely, you will be trying to apply it with the left hand. The answer - turn the tree so that whatever branch you are about to wire will be on the right side. Alternatively, you may find that it is easier to have the branch about to be wired facing you, so that the wire is being applied towards you. If you are left-handed, wire all branches to the left. Figures 1 to 5 show the various situations that will need to be wired on your plants and are considered the basic learning in order to help style your bonsai. Nos. 1-4 have been covered previously, but to re-cap, they are Fig, 1 - the most basic - Trunk Wiring. No 2. shows a fork branch which is commenced by placing the wire across the back a little below the crotch. For maximum stability, it is essential that the wire be brought into the crotch as close as possible. Another spiral secures it whilst you then wire the other side to the end, again making sure the wire is brought into the base of the crotch. It is also a similar situation for wiring one branch only, the only difference being the necessity of wiring the trunk first. The trunk then should be turned to the right and wired first, starting below the crotch, bringing the wire through the base of the crotch and securing further with a few spirals up the trunk. Turn the plant around and wire to the end of the branch. Fig. 3 shows how two branches on different levels are wired. Using one length of wire for two branches is much neater and very stable as long as there are at least 1 1/2 spirals around the trunk. The diagram shows 2 1/2 turns. The opposite branching in Figure 4 has 1 1/2 spirals around the trunk for security. Added strength is gained by bringing the first turn around the branch as vertical to the trunk as possible. By using one length wire Figure 5 shows how the whole of a forked branch can be wired. The more closely you follow the diagram of securing the wire to the trunk, the more stability is gained. Gauge the wire for the thickness of the forked section. The main branch will have double strength by the parallel spiralling. ADVANCED WIRING TECHNIQUES The following techniques apply more to thicker branches or older, stiffer wood that requires heavy wire to dramatically change its shape. The way the spirals approach the branch can make a very big difference in whether or not you achieve that shape. Wiring Branches Downwards - Figure 6 Becomes much easier if the wire comes on to the branch from above. The first spiral must come down parallel to the trunk before proceeding down the branch. If you also apply a downward pressure as you wire, the branch seems to naturally decline. Wiring Branches Upwards - Figure 7 More strength to lift branches is gained by bringing the first branch spiral up onto it from below, making sure it is parallel to the trunk. By doing this, more spirals fit into the base section of the branch giving more strength to the area that needs the most change of direction. Wiring Clockwise - Figure 8 If you are trying to move a heavy branch on the right side of the tree, away from you, and it doesn't want to go in that direction, check to see if the wire has been applied clockwise or anti-clockwise. Yes, even this technique can assist or hinder the placement of branches. Either have the branch facing you or if right-handed, facing to the right, and apply the wire in a clockwise direction, and the branch will automatically move towards the back. The heavier the branch and thicker the wire, the more noticeable it will be. Wiring Anti-Clockwise - Figure 9 The opposite applies. Place the branch on the right side and, if you need its position coming towards you, apply the wire in an anti-clockwise direction. If you find it easier to wire or work out clockwise or anti-clockwise by having the branch pointing towards you, then it will be drawn towards the left. The Spiral Effect - Figure 10 As mentioned before, wire wound too close creates a spring effect. This makes it impossible to alter the shape. If you look at Figure 11, you will see that a similar effect has been created by using 3 separate wires. The advantage of this technique allows brittle wood such as azaleas and maples to be bent without breaking or even pliable wood to drastically change direction. Branches break where there is no support, i.e., between spirals. Another technique which is especially useful for cascades or older wood needing directional 45° alteration, is to bind the trunk or branch with string or the like fairly closely, And the wire over the top of the string as normal. Quite dramatic turns are possible, as the string stops the wood from snapping. To Conclude - For the novice, take the time and effort to learn and practice the techniques of correct wiring. Just as with styling bonsai, you must learn the guidelines before you break them although, with wiring, it may just save you from breaking that important branch. ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ The above article was originally published in Bonsai Clubs International, Volume XXVI No. 1 in 1987. It is reprinted here with permission from Dorothy Koreshoff.