That's my leaning as well!I like the second set of pictures best.
Side b covered set of photos.
More movement and taper.
A little branch manipulation and it would look good I think.
I want to make some stylistic decisions this summer on it, meaning that I want to pick a trunk line to build off of..
Good point...This seems tidy (knuckle free) enough to make decisions without cutting anything, as nothing but the new growth seems to be, "getting away from you".
So in that you "must" cut some of the apical new growth, I'd be wary of lopping full branches that aren't ruining anything.
It seems any "trunkline" doesn't yet have useable buds or branches to do the "building off of"...
So I'd keep as much as possible to really get the sap moving before lopping, so you GET those buds to work with on that trunkline.
Less you grafting.
Sorce
Good point...
And yes, the knuckle is not bad, because it splits into 2 "subtrunks" before the knuckling begins...and I cut most of the knuckle makers away when I first got the tree.
Some clever bending could be in order, but, you're right, I need back budding!
Hopefully some buds will appear this year, as it is it's second year in the colander, and I'm gonna be feeding very strong.
It is possible to get deep scarring down the trunk if lopped off.Can you help understand leaving the stubs? Is it a potential die-back issue or something else?
It is a potential dieback issue.Can you help understand leaving the stubs? Is it a potential die-back issue or something else?
Fortunately I've never had this occur. Vance always mentions it, I thought the die back or scarring would go South rather than North up the tree.It is a potential dieback issue.
Some trees,Mugo pines being one,need the stub left on into fooling the tree the branch is still there. If not it's possible that if you cut a branch off flush the tree above the branch will die off.
I have a Mugo where this happened. From Vance. Maybe the one where he found out the hard way to leave stubs.
You can cut them off later or jin them.