Joanie

The line of movement that you chose is lovely.

Try to wire the lower part of the trunk in the way that you illustrate, and don't worry about the top. When the tree has taken on the wired shape, then work on backbudding so that you can get some lower branches. Then make a cut about a third of the way up the trunk, using one of the lower branches as a new leader. Wire that, and work from there.

This is only my opinion, I haven't worked on a birch yet, but it may be useful to you.

I would have tried to encourage lower branches earlier, by pinching the new growth before it got too tall. The hope is to keep the lower branches from dropping. Does this make sense with this particular species?

Joanie

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