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Bonsai nare-do-well
Join Date: Jan-2003
Location: Summerville SC
Country: USA
Posts: 4,653
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Tough Question, Easy Answer Department
Funny but the most often asked question I get when doing a class has nothing to do with care, watering or even the dreaded "can I keep a juniper inside". It is about that little piece of wire that we use to bend branches.
Just how big should that wire be in order to do the job.
At one time I patiently explained the standard response.
1. Aluminum wire = about 1/2 the thickness of the branch to be bent
2. Copper = about 1/3 the thickness of the branch to be bent
But it seems even armed with this information people still use too small a wire and it will simply not hold that branch.
A while back I came up with what I think is a better answer to that question.
Grab a piece of wire as shown in the picture below. Leave about 2 inches sticking out. Push the wire down on the branch. If the branch moves then the wire will hold it. If the wire bends, guess what, It wont.
An easy solution and it will work no matter what kind of wire you use.
But even after they do the test they still ask. Is this wire ................
So how many of you will now run to the wire rack to see if it works or not ;o)
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