Hello,

I am switching gears now from pots to trees. Does anyone have any experience or advice training / styling fuchsia bonsai?
Recently my neighbors decided to redesign their gardens / lanscape and trash a 25+ year old fuchsia bush (more the size of a samll tree). That said, I could not see it ending up in the recycle bin, so I retrieved it. After cleaning up the roots and pruning it back to the wood, I now have what I hope is the beginning of an interesting flowering bonsai.

I have read several different opinions regarding how fuchsia bonsai should be trained from pinching and cutting to wiring. The new growth is very green and soft, but still brittle, so I am a bit afraid that wiring at this stage would result in the branches breaking. What is the best approach? Wait until the branches harden off and wire it, or train the branches via directional pruning?

Thank you.

If you have pruned it back to the wood then i would let it grow, a picture would be good.

Depending on the country you are in you will need to protect from frost. You must keep it growing all year, this is very difficult. You will not do well with it in a house, there is nowhere near enough light.

Rudy wrote:

The new growth is very green and soft, but still brittle, so I am a bit afraid that wiring at this stage would result in the branches breaking. What is the best approach? Wait until the branches harden off and wire it, or train the branches via directional pruning?

Also, as an alternative to direct wiring you could use guy-wires. The good thing about this technique is that you can actually control the amount of pressure you place on a brach, that way you take less chances on breaking those brittle branches. Besides, this technique is less prone to cut into the bark with the only exception of the direct contact point between the branch and the wire, there you could use raffia or any other material that can effectively protect the bark.

Anyways, for more detailed information I think you could read this article paying special attention to the section called: "Guy-wiring Bonsai branches"

Alain

alainleon1983 wrote:

Also, as an alternative to direct wiring you could use guy-wires. The good thing about this technique is that you can actually control the amount of pressure

Not sure why you think you cannot control the pressure on a branch with normal wiring ?

you place on a brach, that way you take less chances on breaking those brittle branches.

I'd say the chance of breaking brittle branches is higher. You put force on one place only, the branch will snap off at the weakest part. Using normal wiring, when properly done, you evenly distribute the entire force over the whole branch.

What you probably were referring to is:
"When using a guy-wire, pressure can be increased slowly, giving the tree time to adept"

In other words, you do not place the branch in the position you eventually want it in rightaway - it takes months to gradually tighten the guy-wire.

It has been growing for three months, flowers were pinched off and it was grown it in a shaded area to promote more lush foliage. I cut it back again to a manageable height and it is beginning to send out healthy new growth on the cut branches. Pictures will follow later. It's raining here today. Good for the trees, but not photography. Thank you.

I live in San Francisco, and as you probably know we have many micro-climates here. In the particular area where I am located is pretty mild and protected from the wind. My garden faces east, so I get the benefit of the morning sun that lasts until about 2:00pm in the summer. I do not plan to bring it indoors for the winter. The fuchsia has been growing well outdoors for at least 25 years, and remains in a protected area. Thank you.

I have not tried guy-wiring, although I am familiar with the technique. I wire all my trees, but the fuchsia has me a bit concerned becasuse I have not worked with one before, anf the branches that are so soft, yet brittle. I will take another look, but may wait awhile longer to see if the growth becomes more manageable. Thank you.

At this point I am not sure what to do. I am used to wiring, and therefore more apt to take that direction. Although I understand what Alain is saying, the growth is new and looks like it would respond well to wiring. They are not tough woody branches. Maybe using raffia to protect the soft tissue from the wire is the way to go. Thanks again.

I would think a picture tomorrow or later on would be good. There is nothing to refer to.