Wiring Tips and Techniques to Shape your Bonsai Tree

The wiring technique consists in wrapping aluminum or copper wires around the trunk and branches of the bonsai tree to give it the desired shape.

Wiring can be done all year round but should be done preferably in winter when the tree growth is at its slowest, to avoid damaging the branches when the tree is growing.

Wiring is a very difficult technique, and the more you train the better you will get. Pines and conifers are easier to work with and you should first train on these species.

You should start training with aluminum wire as it is easier to work with than copper wire. Choose a wire diameter that is at least ⅓ of the thickness of the branch, so the wire will have enough strength to apply to the branch to bend it.
Always start from the bottom to the top, and from the inside to the outside when wiring a bonsai tree. If you want to pull a branch down, you will need to attach the wire on the bottom part of the trunk. On the opposite, if you want to pull a branch up, you will need to attach the wire on the top part of the trunk.

When wiring the tree, make sure to have the correct space in between each wire loop: it should be close enough to maintain the branch in the desired position, but it should not be too close in which case it might suffocate the tree. Always keep an eye on a wired tree and release the wire a bit from time to time to avoid ugly scars on the bark and branches.

When you need to pull a low branch down, you can also use what is called anchorage. It consists in applying a hook onto the branch that we want to pull down, and tie it to a root or to the bonsai pot to pull it down.

If you are applying extreme constraints to the branches, like when doing anchorage for example, you should protect the branch by applying protective material, like raffia for example. 

You should remove wires when the tree starts growing out of it in order to avoid any damage. Never unwind bonsai wires as it will lead to damages. Instead use a wire cutter and cut the wire out at each loop to remove it from the tree.