Kinda like a guy wire. People generally use some sort of padding between the tree bark and wire to prevent the wire from damaging the tree.

Yes, I use bonsai wire on several of my citrus and other trees to help direct growth.

Josh

Thank you! Do you have any pictures to show the wire on your trees greenman? Do you all know of any good websites that show how to do this sort of work or is it more or less making it up on the fly? I know there is a lot of info out there for bonsai, but couldn’t find anything using the wire for non bonsai plants.

Bonsai just translates to 'planted in a container.' So it doesn't really matter if the plant has been trained into a form or not.

I tend to use parachute cord to hold plants in the pot since you can tighten it up easily with a midshipman knot and it is less likely to dig in to the trunk.

I use rocks or bricks around the trunk on the soil surface, to secure a newly potted/repotted plant. Putting this kind of pot near or within other, taller plants that can help prevent falling sideways can also help, and usually offers the added bonus of shading the pot but not the plant.

I have 4 seed grown Meiwa kumquat trees with 'Can't Stand Up' syndrome. I use a wire stake to tie the tree to. I have to stake it like my grape and kiwi vines.

Unless they are seedlings almost all my plants are tied to the pot. Primarily, I tie the root ball to the pot and usually two pairs of opposing wires tied to the pot and twisted over the root ball. Pictures are easier:

The four wires tied to the side of the pot. The opposing pairs will be used to tie the root ball.

I used one pair to tie the trunk since it was a air-layer and the roots were a bit too fragile to put too much pressure on them. Have to watch out as it grows since wire can bite into the trunk as it thickens.

For tall top heavy plants I use a guy wire to tie the trunk to sides of the pot. Here is a fig that was dug out of the garden and put in a pot.

I just used twine but any rope/wire can be used. The guy wire can damage the trunk and in that case I will slip a plastic/rubber tube over the wire of sufficient length. The tube part will rest against the trunk to prevent damage. I cannot seem to find a picture of that. The root ball of the fig is also tied to the pot if you look closely. You can also see the tie point near the bottom of the pot sides.

Bonsai pots have feet and so in those cases you can run the wire through a pair of bottom holes. Without feet the wires underneath will cause the pot to wobble sitting on the ground.

Hope this helps.

All of my seed grown Meiwa kumquat trees require vertical support or they fall over.

poncirusguy when your seedling kumquats were about 2 inches tall you should havee put them in the wind, or a rotating fan to strengthen the trunk.

Silica You may be very correct on that. I put them outside in wind at about 8 inches. After about 2 months they stood up on their own. Everytime they grow they fall over while outside. They never quit catch up with strength before they grow again. My 2 seed grown fukushu kumquat trees alway stand stong even after growing all winter inside. All other seed grown citrus trees stand strong without support.

Whose to say that seed grown meiwa kumquat vines shouldn't be trellised for life.

Steve R

That is interesting; I have a handful of meiwa seedlings and they all have no prob. standing up. With your high light levels (bucket lights) I would have thought they'd be quite sturdy.

As far as the original question, why don't you use twine? I drill holes in my pot and then use at least two points to tie the trunk. This does mean you are tieing off near the soil line.

Or, I drill holes and lash a stake to the pot. Then tie the trunk to the stake, this way I can get stability higher up.

You want your tree to be immobile in the pot. The hanging pot you pictured is already well-prepared to allow you to do that, The ideal angle of the guy wires is 45* to horizon.

Some images:

Jute twine ^^^^The thin wires are wrapped around deadwoodPot also tipped to facilitate drainage ^^^

Al