Thursday, April 15th, 2010 at
6:25 PM
Once you have your indoor bonsai plant you will want to shape the trunk and new branches as it grows. To some this may seem like a difficult task, but it should not be overwhelming if you keep in mind a few important points. Also, if you find it difficult at first don’t get discouraged. Like any skill, shaping bonsai trees takes some practice and you will get better and better the more you try.
Shaping the indoor bonsai tree is accomplished by shaping the branches with copper or aluminum wire, around 2.0 – 3.5 mm. You should be able to find the wiring at your local hardware store. Copper is sturdier and more difficult to bend, but takes less wire to do the job than aluminum. But personally I prefer aluminum because it’s easier to work with, and another advantage is the aluminum wire can easily be cut off when you’re ready to remove it from your bonsai plant.
Now that you have your wire you are ready to start training the branches! To start with, you should insert the wire into the soil near the trunk and then begin wrapping it around the trunk up to the branch you want to shape. It’s important to start at the base of the trunk because it provides an anchor for when you begin wrapping it around the branches.
The key thing to remember here is that you need to apply just the right amount of pressure to the wiring in order for it to work. If you twist the wiring too tight, you could cut off the circulation and cause damage to your tree. For this reason you should never wrap the wire around it by holding the end and twisting it around, which causes the wire to tighten around the lower trunk and branches. Instead, use your thumbs to push the wire into place around each section as you go. The wire should be firmly in place, but not so tight that it pushes into the bark. If it’s too loose, it will not provide enough support to train the branch into the shape you want.
Once you have the wiring in place, you will need to keep a close eye on your bonsai tree. During this time you will want to keep the bonsai plant away from full sunlight and extreme temperatures. Watch the bark carefully. When you see that the wire is beginning to cut into the bark, it’s time to remove the wiring.
You can do this by cutting away the wiring in pieces. That is probably the easiest and safest way of removing it. You can also unwind the wire, but if you do be extremely careful. The branches can easily be broken this way, so that’s why I recommend cutting the wire instead.
One last word of advice on shaping branches – never attempt this during the spring and summer when the growth of your bonsai is more rapid. Wiring should always take place in the fall or winter. When spring rolls around, it’s time to remove your wiring job if you haven’t already. Good luck!