Bonsai Wiring TIps

Mentioned below are some of the points to be kept in mind, when wiring a bonsai.
- Aluminum Wire: It is easy to bend, cheaper & does not chemically react with plants. Only professionals use Copper wire so learners are advised to use Aluminum wire when training their Bonsai.
- Shave: Remove the leaves such that the Trunk, Branch, Sub Branch is clearly visible & Bonsai desired position can be visualized before wiring.
- Sequence: Go in a sequence. First Wire Trunk, than Branch & than sub branches
- Aesthetics: Post wiring the plant, the wiring should add to the beauty of the plant, and hence do it in a symmetrical manner rather than doing it in a haphazard manner
- Maintain Distance: Keep distance between two twist common throughout the length of the bonsai plant, do not keep it too near & not too far
- Proper Guage: When wiring thicker branch/trunk use medium gauge wire twice rather than using thicker wire which are difficult to twist Select proper gauge/thickness of wire for Trunk, Branch, Sub Branch, etc.
- Wiring Angle: Wire at an Angle of 45 degrees. \
- Wire Position: When bringing the branch down, start wiring from top of the branch. When lifting the branch, start wiring from bottom of the branch
- Ancoring: Always anchor the wire for best wiring results. When wiring trunk, anchor at base of the trunk. To anchor branches, wire 2 branches using the same wire, cross anchoring
- Keep Check: When you see wiring sinking in the bark, it is time to remove the wire. Ideally a wire should be left for 8 weeks, for plant to be shaped in desired position. In young branches, it should be left for no more than 2/4 weeks
- Positioning: Do not twist the branch often, once or twice in a month is max allowed Bend the tip of wire inwards to support the leaf bud.
- Wire Length: The wire length should be twice the length of branch that needs to be wired because of wastage in twist & anchorage

- Ramesh Sinha, Ahmedabad Bonsai Club.Blogspot.com
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. 9924332267