[JRSC]

I might not be the only one to do this, but I have several small, straight trees growing in my backyard. Roughly about as thick as my thumbs together (give or take.) I'm going to see if I can take some rods and spin them around them to make spirals and different shapes. Tie them up and let them grow and hopefully take the adjustments and eventually become interesting walking sticks.

If any of you have tried this, lend some advice from your experiences.

 

[MJC4]

JRSC I have heard of guys going into the woods and wrapping wire around a small sapling to mimic the vine wrapped growth found in nature.

 

[dww2]

I did that very thing several years ago; took some wire into an area which had a lot of young ash saplings growing and wrapped 5 or 6 of them. I went back a couple of years later and, of course, couldn't find any of them. (Should have drawn a map)

Last year I was out collecting and happened to find 2 of them. One had died, so was of no use. The other had a short section of spiraling on it. The wire I'd used was too flexible and hadn't grabbed the tree like I'd hoped.

I decided to try it again and brought some stiffer wire and wrapped a few (With detailed locations in a notebook this time.) I'll give them a couple of years and check them again.

Picture is the harvested stick blank

 

[LilysDad]

Last year I was out collecting and happened to find 2 of them. One had died, so was of no use. The other had a short section of spiraling on it.

A couple of notes;

Copper wire, if used will kill a tree.

A natural vine always grows in the same direction around the sapling. Check a photo for reference.

 

[dww2]

The wire was copper but it was insulated, too, so it didn't actually come into contact with the tree. Did you have a source for this somewhere? I ask because I have seen bonsai growers who use copper wire to shape the branches of their trees with no ill effects. Just curious.

I don't think the one that died did so from the wire, I think it was just in an area which was too shady and thick with other trees.

The new wire I used was just a heavy gauge fence wire.

The few I have seen seem to go the same way I went. As luck would have it, I think I went the right way when wrapping because I'm left-handed. The end of the wire held in my right hand and wrapped upwards counter clock wise with my left. The pic is the tree with the wire still in place. I turned the pic upside down on purpose to show the orientation when growing.

 

[Rodney]

That should make a really nice stick. Great root on it to go with your twist.

I don't have the space here to try it and am hesitant to wrap any saplings on public land where I get most of my sticks.

Rodney

 

[dww2]

Yeah I was happy to find it again. It's got three choices for a handle; two are really nice and the third is so-so.

 

[LilysDad]

I was going on what was told to me, that the copper would be toxic. After searching on line, apparently that is not so. The real problem is if the wire is attached too tightly and then grows into the bark cutting off the flow of sap. A spiraling wire would not do that. As for the direction of spiral, check out stixman's latest photo. Another thought; I wonder if the vines south of the equator wrap the other way.

 

[dww2]

:lol: LOL!!!

Actually, I did some googling too and found the same thing. Old wives' tale, apparently. I saw the photo you mean, but I'm too green with envy to have noticed the direction of the spiral. What a SWEET pile of sticks.

Edit: just checked the photo again, they go the opposite way. Oops. I guess that's a sure sign mine are fakes. There is a vine going up a small tree next to my mailbox and it goes the same way I went. Left-handed vine, I guess.

 

[LilysDad]

:lol: LOL!!!

There is a vine going up a small tree next to my mailbox and it goes the same way I went. Left-handed vine, I guess.

Really? I'm sure going to be watching for them, now.

 

[JRSC]

It's never crossed my mind...

 

[JRSC]

I'm giving it a try. If it works I'm good.if not, I won't be ashamed for trying.