Revenantwing
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 11:46 pm
Location: NYC

Wiring Bonsai.

Can the wire for bonsai be too small? ive heard too big can damage the tree but can small do the same?

kdodds
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Yes. Wire that is too small will not hold shape. However, there are plenty of ways to use wire. Simple bends can be made on most secondary branches by bending and securing to another portion of the tree, or to the pot. Depending on what you want to do, you might not even need wire. I would caution against buying wire in Home Depot or someplace like that. You want an aluminum alloy wire, not galvanized, for its flexibility but strength.

Revenantwing
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 11:46 pm
Location: NYC

I bought copper wire that is not annealed. At a hardware store. Does that mean its not good?

kdodds
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Actually, copper wire is perfectly fine. Most people use aluminum because it's cheaper and doesn't oxidize.

Revenantwing
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 11:46 pm
Location: NYC

1mm good for trunks of most ficus?

kdodds
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Trunks? No way. Depending on the size of the bonsai, you *might* be able to do secondary branches, larger bonsai (large shohin on up) and you may only be able to do tertiary branches and smaller. For any trunk of any appreciable girth, benders are more what you'd use. For secondary branches on Shohin Ficus you'll probably need 2.5mm - 3.5mm

Revenantwing
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 11:46 pm
Location: NYC

So how MM would be appropriate for most trunks of the ficus?

kdodds
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Again, depends on the size of the trunk. For a trunk about as wide as your pnky, you're going to need some pretty thick wire, I'd say 5mm or better. Most bonsai shops I've seen only go up to 6mm in regular stock. If you're wanting to bend something bigger than that, as your first tree, I'd say you're getting WAY ahead of yourself. Have you purchased any books on styling, growing, anything yet?

User avatar
froggy
Senior Member
Posts: 269
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2010 4:54 pm
Location: Toronto, ON, zone 5a

I'm not t the wiring stage yet with mine, but I am sourcing out what I can get where... I don't know of any bonsai shops near me, but there is a lee valley... Does this wire look about the same as I'd get at a specialty shop:
https://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=66977&cat=2,50560,66997

Thanks

kdodds
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Looks just fine to me. Keep in mind, you'll also need wire cutters, and, if working with thicker wire, you may also need pliers. I do it by hand, with aluminum wire, up to 6 mm.

User avatar
froggy
Senior Member
Posts: 269
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2010 4:54 pm
Location: Toronto, ON, zone 5a

No worries DH has plenty of cutters and pliers, some he even stole from me :p revenge is at hand :D



Return to “Indoor Bonsai Forum”