Harry HarringtonArtist and Author, Bonsai4me · Author, Publisher, Webmaster, Bonsai Artist

Dewiring Your Bonsai The Best Way

6 Jun 2024 · 2 min

Watch on YouTube

1:38

In this instructional segment, the speaker shares practical guidance on dewiring bonsai branches. He emphasizes removing only the individual wire coils that are beginning to cut into the branch, rather than stripping all the wire at once. This targeted approach prevents permanent indentations while allowing the rest of the wire to continue shaping the branch until it fully sets. He warns against removing wire too early, which can necessitate re‑wiring later, and advises growers to monitor wire impact closely and be patient. Following these steps saves time and maintains the intended design of the bonsai.

Chapters

I think many people who've been doing bonsai for any amount of time know how to dewire and remove the wire just as it starts to indent against the branch. You know that the branch is held into position, but what I would really urge people to do is to not then strip the rest of the wire off your tree. Because the wire is cutting in, in one place, doesn't mean it's going to be cutting in already to come off over the rest of the tray. So what I urge people to do working in my garden is to remove individual coils of wire that are starting to cut in and create that little indentation, but not any other wire across the branch. This ensures that you're taking the wire off before it really embeds and cuts in and leaves a permanent mark. But you're not taking off the wire where the branch hasn't completely set. Taking the wire off too early just means that you're required to rewire again in the future to make sure that that design is absolutely 100%. So just be careful, keep monitoring how the wire is working on the branches, and just sit on your hands. Don't take it off too early. It'll save you a lot of time in the long run.