NURSERY, GARDEN CENTER, GREENHOUSE & PATIO
5150 Garrison St.   Arvada, CO  80002    303-424-7979
www.echters.com

HOW TO WIRE YOUR BONSAI

Should you wish to alter the direction in which your Bonsai’s branches are growing or to re-shape its trunk, you will need to try your hand at the art of wiring.  Care should be taken to wire your Bonsai carefully and at the appropriate time of year. As a general rule, conifers can be wired most any time of year, but deciduous trees should be done in spring when the tree is full of sap. Remove your wire after six to eight months on leafy materials and eight to twelve months on evergreens. It is extremely important to watch for any signs of the wire cutting into the bark; this can not only leave unsightly marks but can also cut off the slow of sap and eventually strange the tree. 

Always with a wire a Bonsai in the direction of growth, that is, by coiling the wire around in a spiral, working from the bottom upward or from the interior of the tree to the tip of the branch.

It is important that you carefully choose the gauge of wire you will use on your Bonsai. The most frequently used sizes of wire are 1.0 (smallest branches), 1.5 (most branches on a 4-6” starter Bonsai, and 2.0 (used for larger branches or small caliper trunk work). The wire should be large enough to support the branch while you are reshaping, as well as then holding the branch once you have placed it in the position which you desire. 

1)	Take one end of the wire and push it at an angle down to the bottom of the pot, starting at the back of tree and base of trunk.

2)	Even if you only wish to wire a single branch, the branch opposite should also be wired to give the wire added support. Start in the middle and anchor the wire, then work your way out each branch using a gentle but firm spiral.

3)	The distance between each coil should remain constant and done at a 45 degree angle to properly support the branch as you bend it carefully into the desired position. This should be done slowly, supporting the branch in your left hand as you bend it gently with your right hand.

4)	Be sure to not trap any leaves under the wire.