how long does it take for branches to set in place?

[artisanoo]

I have a ficus microcarpa retusa that I recently wired up. Just wondering, how long should I expect it to take until the branches are set?

the branches are mostly smallish - maybe 1/5"-1/7" to maybe 1/8" or less at the tips.

The wires have been on for a few weeks so far (its fall now, so they are not growing super fast.) and not cut in yet.
I plan on waiting until the wire is starting to cut, and remove them then - but if I can remove it before then it would great.

[Rosaelyn]

It can take a while, especially on immature branches. I've had my ficus wired since the end of August and it is not set in many places.

[artisanoo]

how do you tell if it has set - do you just remove the wire? or is there a technique to tell without removing it

[Gnome]

artisanoo,

how do you tell if it has set - do you just remove the wire?

You can leave the wire on until you begin to see evidence that it is getting tight. It then must be removed whether the branches have set or not. You may have to repeat the process if they spring back too much.

BTW, cut your wire off in small pieces rather than trying to unwrap it, which is difficult and potentially damaging to your tree.

Norm

[artisanoo]

thanks for the advice.
I actually did have to remove it already, as it was biting in some places. I will definitely have to wire again for some of the thinner branches to keep the shape I want, as a few of them are springing back slowly. I'm going to leave it alone for now ( I also removed some of the largest leaves in this process, so I am waiting for it to recover and hopefully grow some more nice shoots in the process ) and wire again later on, maybe in the spring

(and yes, I did remove the wire in little bitty pieces )