Someone recently asked about the use of guy wires in Bonsai. I find that guy wires are particularly useful when used on older Maple trees.

The branches are very brittle and not flexible at all (the older ones). The tree in the photos is a prime examples of this. Two branches were lost over the last few years trying to set the branches with wire directly applied to the branches. The first photo below has a little stump just under the wire (middle) where one of these branches, which just happened to be critical in filling the back of the tree, broke while bending.

I apply a guy wire if I need to pull a branch down or sideways on these brittle branches. A screw is placed at the bottom of the trunk, preferably under soil level or as close as possible to it. The hole left once removed will close quickly.

The important thing is to set or twist the wire over time. The tree in the photos had two turns per day over five days to get the branch where it is suppose to be.

It is important to use some sort of protection on Maple branches as a naked wire will cut in. There is an article at http://www.bonsaiplace.net that has more details on the use of guy wires.