We work through the Wiring of a pine, branch by branch from the lowest upward. The firmness of that first coil, the choice of which direction to wrap, the way the Branch Pads open out — each small decision will determine the tree's silhouette years from now. We also look at how to care for a pine still recovering from the stress of Repotting.
There is a pine that showed some weakness after Repotting. The Bud Cutting and Short Needle Technique it would normally receive have been set aside this year — not skipped, but withheld. We are giving this tree the time it needs to recover on its own.
This year's buds, last year's needles, the needles from two years before — three years of time are present on these branches right now. We assess that condition first, then begin Wiring.
Decide which direction you want to bend. Then decide which way to wrap the wire. Rush in without thinking, and you will have to start over. Stand before the branch and take a moment. That pause is what matters most.
By wrapping the first coil just slightly on the firm side, the entire length of wire that follows can do its work. Put another way, if that first coil is loose, no amount of additional wrapping will help. Support slender branches with your fingers and work gently. True strength lives in knowing how much is enough.
The lowest branch is the longest; each Branch Pad above it grows shorter in turn. The foundation of bonsai form is the scalene triangle. Establish the farthest point first, then spread the remaining branches evenly outward — building the Branch Pads as though opening your hand.
Rather than cutting branches away simply because they are inconvenient, keep as many as you can and put them to use. The number of branches ultimately supports the richness of what you see. The wire placed today will shape the tree's silhouette years from now. Moving your hands while imagining that future — perhaps that is what Wiring truly is.
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