shimbrypaku
Shohin
Have you ever wired a tree before?
So, my wife ordered me three Kishu seedlings . . .
- Thread starter orangeyeoman
- Start date
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
I'm a newbie, so have mostly tried to buy nursery stock that already had an interesting trunk. So most of my wiring has been the branches. Literally only got my first tree in April, and have wired up the branches of three procumbens since. My fantastic wife kind of thrust me into this by surprising me with these.
shimbrypaku
Shohin
Ok,
That’s what I was going to suggest, experimenting on so local nursery stock.
The kishu look pretty small right now, I would give them a year or so before I wired them, but it’s hard to tell from a picture.
I have given some shimpaku some drastic wiring at that age, not all survive, they were all rooted cuttings I took, so it didn’t cost anything but my time.
That’s what I was going to suggest, experimenting on so local nursery stock.
The kishu look pretty small right now, I would give them a year or so before I wired them, but it’s hard to tell from a picture.
I have given some shimpaku some drastic wiring at that age, not all survive, they were all rooted cuttings I took, so it didn’t cost anything but my time.
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Some of the folks upthread were saying to start wiring now, as they lignify pretty young.
shimbrypaku
Shohin
Your choice, experience in bending a tree is an acquired skill.
shimbrypaku
Shohin
Last year I used branch splitters on a large shimpaku trunk, my first time, pucker moment.
It’s still alive and growing well.
So now I have added confidence that I can successfully use this technique, will it work every time, I doubt it.
In my opinion it all about trial and error.
just my two cents
It’s still alive and growing well.
So now I have added confidence that I can successfully use this technique, will it work every time, I doubt it.
In my opinion it all about trial and error.
just my two cents
Yeah, he does a lot of shohin and mame stuff but if you go through the videos he has some videos on bigger trees as well.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
The main reason I recommended waiting until next year is because these were dug and shipped during the heat of the summer. They are stressed from that and now being repotted so my opinion is that it would be best to give them a full growing season to recover before putting some bends in them.
These are not going to grow so fast to be unbendable in fall 2023.
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Got it. Thanks.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I think @misfit11 is calling me out for some reason, insinuating that I dont have trees.
Most of my trees are in stages of development and I havent felt the need to post pictures and if Im honest, Ive been too lazy to update pictures on most of my trees.
So here is what is left of a group of 10 shimpaku cuttings I took 5 years ago and wired up with some crazy bends. I've given a few away and this is what is left. I had the wire on them for 3 years until it bit in pretty good. I removed it this spring and let them heal and grow some more before wiring them up again this fall
Attachments
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Thanks for posting these. That gives me some idea of how far I can take it. If you remember, roughly how old were the cuttings when you took them, and how long after them rooting did you wire them?
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I struck them in September if I recall correctly. They were from branches pruned off of a tree someone did a demonstration with at one of my clubs. Picked the branches out of the garbage, took them home and took cuttings the next day.
I waited a full year before I wired them up to give them a chance to root and grow
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Nice. Thanks. I did have the thought of getting another one just to cut up and propagate in a year or so, but figured I'd see how they actually looked first.
Good luck with your trees! Kishu is supposed to be a very nice cultivar with it's super-tight foliage. I'm a bit envious as I don't have any yet.
A few things I've heard about them. Their branches do tend to get more brittle with age--more so than a lot of other junipers--which makes them harder to bend safely the thicker they get. So while you certainly do have some time with young cuttings/seedlings, any major/tight bends you wish to do, I'd recommend doing sooner than later while the branches are young and very soft.
I've also heard they can be a little more suspectible to spider mite infestations because of their tight foliage--easier for the bugs to hide in. So just be more vigilant during mite season.
A few things I've heard about them. Their branches do tend to get more brittle with age--more so than a lot of other junipers--which makes them harder to bend safely the thicker they get. So while you certainly do have some time with young cuttings/seedlings, any major/tight bends you wish to do, I'd recommend doing sooner than later while the branches are young and very soft.
I've also heard they can be a little more suspectible to spider mite infestations because of their tight foliage--easier for the bugs to hide in. So just be more vigilant during mite season.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I guess I should be clearer. The cuttings were from 1 or 2 year old shoots off of the branches. The stems were 2 to 3 millimeters thick
Njyamadori
Chumono
Let me know your strategy on getting a wife like that so when it’s time I can pick the right one
I can only speak from my own experience. I ordered mine in January and they were shipped from SF, CA to Maine and arrived in great condition so I was starting with vigorous stock to begin with. 
I gave them a few days to acclimate before wiring and repotting
Please understand I’m not suggesting anyone do this but rather making a point that when these are young and vigorous and you put them in decent substrate they will keep on going.
As you can see by the following photos these little trees not only did not struggle but put on foliage in the 7 or so months since the work was done. I have actually already removed the wire on some of them as the bends have set and am now pondering the next wiring.
If you’re feeling cautious you could be conservative with one and push a little bit on another and go still further with another. That’s the bonus of starting off with several small plants.
I gave them a few days to acclimate before wiring and repotting
Please understand I’m not suggesting anyone do this but rather making a point that when these are young and vigorous and you put them in decent substrate they will keep on going.As you can see by the following photos these little trees not only did not struggle but put on foliage in the 7 or so months since the work was done. I have actually already removed the wire on some of them as the bends have set and am now pondering the next wiring.
If you’re feeling cautious you could be conservative with one and push a little bit on another and go still further with another. That’s the bonus of starting off with several small plants.
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Thanks for that. I think your last sentence is the way I'm heading. They were cheap enough I can take some risks.
orangeyeoman
Yamadori
Simple. I was in boring relationships in my 20s, had an awesome time in my 30s and really pushed myself, combined with not caring too much. And then when I was 40, I met a woman of similar age, with beautiful, curly, black hair, who had gotten even more out of her system. We met the old fashioned way, at the bar, 10 years ago. Have been (mostly) happily married for 9 years.
Njyamadori
Chumono
Good to know that you can actually get a wife these days with all of this social media stuff . It’s just weird being a teen these days but it’s good to know that it’s not a rush !
