The best method for developing trunk movement in small broad trees.

I have quite a few small broadleaf tress growing at the moment, and I intend to plant almost all of them in the ground, to mature and thicken. A lot of people will wire a small tree and bend some shape into them before planting them. I'd rather not put any extreme bends into these trees, but I would prefer some movement. However, I'm wondering if it's a better to technique to wire them before ground growing them, or to simply develop shape with directional pruning methods while in the ground. What do you think?

MY idea of a "seedling" is a tiny, non-woody stem with a couple of leaves but others think otherwise. A picture would help. I would not wire until the stem is completely lignified (woody). It's always more difficult to keep track of wiring when plants are in the ground.

JimLewis wrote:MY idea of a "seedling" is a tiny, non-woody stem with a couple of leaves but others think otherwise. A picture would help. I would not wire until the stem is completely lignified (woody). It's always more difficult to keep track of wiring when plants are in the ground.

That's a good point. I suppose I mean a young tree, maybe under 8-20 inches and woody rather than soft and green. Mine aren't quite at the point where wiring them would seem safe, so I'm not sure a picture really helps in this situation.

I feel like I did a bad job of asking my intended question. I edited my original post to better reflect what I would like to know.

Hi P

Grow up, and cut back is a very nice teqnik, to create taper and shape. also easy to do, when plants are planted in the ground.

kind regards Yvonne

The thing you have to take into consideration when growing out plants in the ground is the following: Subtle movement will be lost in about a season, slight movement can be lost in 2-3 seasons, and even extreme movement can be softened in 3-5 seasons. Most plants want to grow straight stems, and they will fill the insides of curves with new wood because it is the shortest path to transport sap.

Hi stan

Some people just abandon a tree for some years, after they planted it in the soil...or if they are told to leave a tree to grow bigger for some years....this is bonsai, and you are allowed to do some preparations on the tree, while you wait for it, to be ready for the bonsaipot..

If you plant the small tree in the soil in an wished angle, and leave it for 3 years, dig it up, and repot, in a new angle...leave it for 2 years..dig it up, and find a new angle and leave it for 1 year, will you have created a taper.

I do this in pots, after the tree is repotted the first time, will i already begin the work on the lowest branches.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:. . . If you plant the small tree in the soil in an wished angle, and leave it for 3 years, dig it up, and repot, in a new angle...leave it for 2 years..dig it up, and find a new angle and leave it for 1 year, will you have created a taper. . . .

Yvonne, this is very similar to what I do, except I grow in the ground.

What I was trying to get across earlier, but didn't have the time is this. Any movement you wire into a sapling, other than extreme contortions, will likely be lost after several years of ground growing, and even extreme movement will be softened substantially. When you're wiring young plants or young branches even, it's always a good idea to put more movement into them than you think is necessary.

Hi Stan

Now we are talking again ...you did not mention vire in the first reply, this was why i reacted.

Kind regards Yvonne