My experiment is about an article I read at Zenyr Garden that you can encourage branching without cutting by wiring/training the branches (bonsai like). Since I defoliated "Chickie" when I was trying to revive it, all stems are long and lanky with only few leaves and spent blooms are left on the tips. The branches are too new (growth this year) and if I prune Chickie, the branches will not be viable as cuttings. So here is what Chickie looks like now:


I will update a photo in 2 weeks if new growths will in fact grow from the leaf nodes of the bent branches. This is supposed to be safe process and faster growth of branches than pruning.

Before:

Gigi, Are you referring to the method of bending the branch and expect the branch on top that expose to sunlight will grow new branches ? If so , I tried that before and failed, even though they can succeed in youtube, hope it works for yours..

Yes hope it works! I should have asked first if anyone has tried it. I will know in 2 weeks if it will work or not.

If not, then I will have this odd looking adenium.

I have seen branches bifurcating without pruning like a "v" how does that happen?

Not sure how the V type branching work.

I just realized I might have to revisit my bonsai wiring at some point so it doesn't impede the new growth. I have my wiring to close because my wire was too small and branches won't bed. I need bigger wires.

Aashna said:I have seen branches bifurcating without pruning like a "v" how does that happen?

either you prune it, or sometimes they will naturally create a V branch, and I possibly it is also in the genetic of some plants, I have 1 that have V branch, and later it also develop another V on top of the original V, will try to take some picture tomorrow

This is the one that last time I tried to bend for new branches on top, since it is not working, the. I cut and attached them to make an 8 shape.
Forget to mention, if you saw a video that making a fine cut above the node will promote new branches, also failed for me


When I created this, I aimed for an 8 shaped trunk with 10 to 20 branches around it, but nothing happened

Kaktus said:

either you prune it, or sometimes they will naturally create a V branch, and I possibly it is also in the genetic of some plants, I have 1 that have V branch, and later it also develop another V on top of the original V, will try to take some picture tomorrow

This is the plant , the V shapes are naturally branched

for the heads up, if nothing happens i will keep it as umbrella shaped bonsai.

@GigiPlumeria If you're worried about the wires on the stems impeding growth try this instead. Make a circle of wire larger than the base of the pot but smaller than the rim. Wrap a few wires around the circle (kind of like a big spider) long enough to reach the stem tips. Then just wire the stem ends as low as you feel comfortable. It may end up looking like an umbrella frame with the tips of the ribs tied to a fat umbrella stand.

@Wildbloomers, I did check following day and seems like the wires were skinny so they did not block the leaf nodes. But if this turns out successful, I like your idea better and will use it on my other adeniums that are leggy. I used way too many wires on this and took a lot of time. So far no movements yet. They are supposed to show growth in 2 weeks but I doubt it. Will keep updated picture in 2 weeks.

I used steel wire to bend the sleeping nanny, not the wire for bonsai, it created some scars..

I read aluminum wire is okay. I will continue checking. I have not seen any sign of growth so this could just be another "you tube" make believe.

"But...but.. I've seen a before and after photo....and it worked!"

Original post 8/17/2021:

GigiPlumeria said:My experiment is about an article I read at Zenyr Garden that you can encourage branching without cutting by wiring/training the branches (bonsai like). Since I defoliated "Chickie" when I was trying to revive it, all stems are long and lanky with only few leaves and spent blooms are left on the tips. The branches are too new (growth this year) and if I prune Chickie, the branches will not be viable as cuttings. So here is what Chickie looks like now:


I will update a photo in 2 weeks if new growths will in fact grow from the leaf nodes of the bent branches. This is supposed to be safe process and faster growth of branches than pruning.

Update 9/17/2021: top view
Very slow progress but I think it is because I did not trim the tips to encourage branching. I want this to be "real" no pruning experiment.

Update Nov 25, since I pulled the "weights" and repotted to this pot it grew healthy leaves but there is not much sprouting on the upper branches as I would have expected. I think for the process to really work, I will have to cut the end tip, which I didn't want to do in the first place.

Chickie:

to eliminate the "leggy" look ....cut every stem by half .... plant will bush out ...

the wire that is on there now - may do more harm than good ....bonsai type wire for bending branches is larger diameter and wont cut into "bark" ...if you re-do it - look for aluminum or copper wire - 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5mm diameter

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Se...

deepsouth said:to eliminate the "leggy" look ....cut every stem by half .... plant will bush out ...

the wire that is on there now - may do more harm than good ....bonsai type wire for bending branches is larger diameter and wont cut into "bark" ...if you re-do it - look for aluminum or copper wire - 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5mm diameter

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Se...

@ deepsouth, I think I will remove the wires and redo my set up. I could tell it likes this pot a lot, so that's good. Chickie is getting ready to get dressed up for Christmas!

GigiPlumeria said: Update Nov 25, since I pulled the "weights" and repotted to this pot it grew healthy leaves but there is not much sprouting on the upper branches as I would have expected. I think for the process to really work, I will have to cut the end tip, which I didn't want to do in the first place.

Chickie 11/26/2021

Chickie 2/02/2022

Well, this is a "failed" experiment. My strings rotted and the branches went back up. Without pruning the tips and just bending the stems, will not encourage branching. And my Chickie hasn't bloomed since, except for this tiny clump just starting now.

And so I do not like failed experiments, I am giving it another try using real bonsai wires. But I am thinking instead of bending the middle long branch - to just prune it hoping it will develop multi-branches. I haven't decided yet.



I will still need to balance the branches over time so they will look balanced.