I picked up this Pinus contorta subsp. murrayana last fall. So far I have just repotted it into a (large) pond basket. The trunk is 2" (5 cm) at the base, and the tree is currently 40" (1 m) tall. The picture is the likely front, based on the nebari and bends in the lower trunk. I still have not completly settled on how I plan to style it, but it do know that I want to enhance the current curves in the trunk, and carry them further up the tree.
Based on my experience with my contest tree, I believe that my best bet would be to use copper wire. As I have not used copper before, I was wondering if anyone could offer some suggestions on what size I should use. Before anyone is feeling smart, please don't say "big enough to hold the shape"
. I just need some idea where to start.
Also, I don't plan to put any radical bends in, but I do think the wire will have to be on the tree for some time before it "takes". Should I wrap the trunk?
Lastly, if anyone wants to create an awsome virt, I would like to see it. Right now, I'm thinking that I would remove about 1/4 to 1/3 of the current trunk and start a new leader, thin out the branches, add some movement to them, and shorten them (not all at once, of course).