{"id":2442,"date":"2022-08-16T13:01:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T13:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/?p=2442"},"modified":"2023-03-10T10:50:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T10:50:05","slug":"repairing-snapped-bonsai-branches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/repairing-snapped-bonsai-branches\/","title":{"rendered":"Repairing Snapped Bonsai Branches"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2442\" class=\"elementor elementor-2442\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-266ad51b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"266ad51b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-22db0d6b\" data-id=\"22db0d6b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-23ee67ea elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"23ee67ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p align=\"left\">A favourite bonsai is blown off a bench during strong winds and several important branches get broken. Or, when wiring a tree, a branch is bent a little too far and the branch snaps.<\/p><p align=\"left\">Judging by the number of questions raised on the bonsai forums over the years, these are events that have happened to all of us at least once. Very often an enthusiast has tried to repair the branch themselves and though the cambium layer repairs itself, the wound keeps reopening and is a weak point in the branch.<\/p><p align=\"left\">So how do you successfully repair a snapped branch? Or does it just need to be removed and regrown? Though I have seen many repairs and remedies offered by fellow enthusiasts (ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime) the best way of repairing a snapped branch is extraordinarily simple.<\/p><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5276 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/snapped-privet-branch.jpg\" alt=\"snapped privet branch\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/snapped-privet-branch.jpg 400w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/snapped-privet-branch-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/snapped-privet-branch-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p><p align=\"center\">I&#8217;ve snapped this thin Privet branch and it shows a pretty typical scenario. As a two-year old shoot, the wood is quite brittle so it has snapped on one side while being bent into position.<\/p><p align=\"center\">If the branch is completely separated into two pieces, it cannot be repaired and should be pruned away and the wound cleaned up. However, if one side of the cambium layer (branch) is still attached naturally, it can literally be glued back together.<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5274 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repair-snapped-branch-with-superglue.jpg\" alt=\"repair snapped branch with superglue\" width=\"400\" height=\"435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repair-snapped-branch-with-superglue.jpg 400w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repair-snapped-branch-with-superglue-276x300.jpg 276w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/>\u00a0<\/p><p align=\"center\">A spot of superglue (<em>any<\/em>\u00a0brand) is put onto the surface of the wood&#8230;&#8230;<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5275 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repaired-branch.jpg\" alt=\"repaired branch\" width=\"400\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repaired-branch.jpg 400w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/repaired-branch-211x300.jpg 211w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p><p align=\"center\">&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;. and the branch is glued back together. It really is as simple as that!<\/p><p align=\"left\">The superglue glues the woody parts of the branch together very tightly and supports the branch while the wound (and cambium layer) heals. Eventually both sides of the snapped branch grow together; this can take as little as 3 or 4 weeks on vigorous branches during the growing season.<\/p><p align=\"left\">I find that the repair is so strong that the branch can be manipulated (wired into position) within 5 minutes of the repair being made. The repair site will have lost its elasticity though, so don&#8217;t not try to create a bend at that point.<\/p><p align=\"left\">Any excess superglue will dry a white colour on the surrounding bark. It is unsightly so try to avoid using too much superglue when making your repair but any excess will fall away naturally after a few months.<\/p><p align=\"left\">Finally, always keep some superglue to hand. If you do a lot of wiring you will find it becomes a valuable tool!<\/p><ul><li><p>I find that as thicker branches are stronger and more robust they tend to splinter rather than snap and so this article focuses on branches up to around 1\/2&#8243; thick. However, repairs can be made using this technique with thicker branches.<\/p><\/li><li><p>Superglue is not poisonous to a tree and will not harm the tree or the branch, nor will spilt superglue damage any leaves (it just looks awful).<\/p><\/li><li><p>Superglue can be used on woody or tender shoots.<\/p><\/li><li><p>There is no need to wrap or protect the glued area on branches of less than 1\/2&#8243;, above this diameter, a thin spread of vaseline over the damaged bark\/cambium is more than sufficient.<\/p><\/li><li><p>There is no need to wire the branch or for the branch to be wired for the repair to be successful<\/p><\/li><li><p>Though superglue is not necessarily the strongest glue on the market, it is the fact that it dries very rapidly and will tolerate moisture (in the wood) that makes it so effective for repairing branches.<\/p><\/li><li><p>This technique can be used on all tree species; coniferous, deciduous or broadleaf tree during active growth or during dormanc<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-32d86868 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"32d86868\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4f39d554\" data-id=\"4f39d554\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-730cdac7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"730cdac7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/store\/B4MePublishing-Bonsai-Books-for-Sale-c21664350\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"974\" src=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-768x974.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-5244\" alt=\"Bonsai book\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-768x974.jpg 768w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-237x300.jpg 237w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-808x1024.jpg 808w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-1211x1536.jpg 1211w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-1615x2048.jpg 1615w, https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B4MeFoB2ndEd-CoverFrontOnly-scaled.jpg 2019w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-62d5722c\" data-id=\"62d5722c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7302200 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7302200\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-28d5f08\" data-id=\"28d5f08\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f85ea93 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f85ea93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 26-03-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><span class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/store\/B4MePublishing-Bonsai-Books-for-Sale-c21664350\">The foundations of bonsai<\/a><\/span>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b887cf5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2b887cf5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>By the author of Bonsai4me.com, Harry Harrington.<\/em><br \/>The widely acclaimed beginners bonsai book and your introduction to the Art of Bonsai!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4393ae93 elementor-align-left elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4393ae93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/store\/B4MePublishing-Bonsai-Books-for-Sale-c21664350\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">BUY NOW<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to repair the snapped branch of a bonsai.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5274,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[29,132,79,80],"master_filter":[15],"type_of_content":[19],"season":[39],"acf":[],"views":965,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2442"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5283,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2442\/revisions\/5283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2442"},{"taxonomy":"master_filter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/master_filter?post=2442"},{"taxonomy":"type_of_content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_of_content?post=2442"},{"taxonomy":"season","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonsai4me.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/season?post=2442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}