wiring questions

Wondering if I'm doing something wrong. Wired a hornbeam about ten months ago. Took the wire off last week and it's bounced back pretty much to what it was before, despite having been placed fine with the wire on. I was worried abiout scarring in spring so I removed it now.

Also - what are hawthorns like for wiring? I bought a raft which is a bit sh*t really, but there's two trunks which might make a nice pair, but I need to do some fiddling about.

Hello Bobby. Some trees take less wiring time than others. Apart from the species, good growth or vigour is another factor. Because Hornbeam is such a stiff species, the bigger branches may need several wirings to achieve the required effect. Smaller branches with good vigour, should respond within a growing season.

thanks Will

No need to remove the wire until you can see that it is starting to score the bark. Faint indentations go away fairly quickly. With hornbeams (not called "ironwood" for nothing) you need to re-wire immediately; just be sure the wire follows another track -- though the advice you sometimes see about wiring in the other direction sometimes isn't the best, depending on how you want to bend the branch.

Sorry Bobby I missed the bit about Hawthorns. They are relatively easy to wire but are stiffer than they appear so both Hornbeam and Hawthorn should need larger wire sizes. Hawhtorn can be a bit brittle but snapping usually heals. Cut the ends of the thorns off before starting but dont remove completely as they sometimes shoot.

cheers Will. You never let me down

Hello Bobby

In my eyes a lot of wiring (...and later rewiring) can be "avoided" by bracing/stretching the branches.
Well surely not always but simple downbends or upbends and sidebends are easy. If you can find a counter-fixing-point a lot off things are possible.
A pic from a few years back....sorry no better pic .... too much snow.

Kind regards
Martin

thanks martin. I've tried that on another hornbeam but the damned wire keep snapping. I'll give it another go. Do you put anything on the branches to prevent them from being cut by the wires?

Hello Bobby

Happy Birthday first !!!!

I'm using old garden-watertube or aquarium-tube for it.
In the picture its the yellow one....not very nice....but by seeing it time by time I have a look and control it...and could not forget it.
With heavy branches I try to "pre-bend" it first...with a longer pole fixed to the branch or a clamp....and than fix it with wire.

Kind regards
Martin