Japanese Maple Question

Aaron_K

Hi Shifty,

That's a good question. One to which I should imagine there are dozens of replies for, as people who use the technique will probably have a variation on how they perform it. I used a heavy gauge wire that shifted as I was trying to secure it and the bark on the softwood was torn away. I suppose you could use anything that ever so slightly crushes the bark or bruises it. Ideally you aren't looking to cut it, but if you can imagine a peach that you press your thumb into. Obviously, what I did above was an accident, as I didn't intentionally mean to sever the bark and wouldn't recommend doing it this way.

I also achieved the same by leaving wire (again quite a thick gauge) on the branch and allowing it to bite in slightly. The injured limb will then repair itself, creating scar tissue which is the woody bark. This is probably the safest way to do it, just don't let the wire bit too deep, otherwise you will end up with deep scars or a depressions in the limb, which can take ages to correct. Using as heavy gauge wire as you can, makes the biting in less noticeable and "damages" a wider area.

Try experimenting with wire by wrapping as if to set a limb into position, but wrap tighter than you normally would. Then leave the wire on the branch for maybe 3-4 weeks during the growing season. Pay close attention to the areas wrapped. Remember you only want to leave the wire on long enough to bruise the bark - you don't want the limb swelling too much around the wire, as you can end up with deep depressions. This is possibly best done in late summer, as the tree will soon begin to harden off new growth anyway.

All the best,

Aaron

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