Pomegranate pruning advice

[aarnii]

Hello Nuts!

Wanted to ask about this one. It's a pomegranate I got from an old man last summer, it came in clay and now it's established and growing. It looks like a slingshot, and has 3 heavy branches from the same spot creating swell.

My question: Is there any alternative to cutting the thinest slingshot branch (red line) and one or two of the others (blue lines)? Ideally some branches will grow from both spots and I can use these as branches, but movement will still be absent. I don't see any other path.

Thanks a ton!

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[HorseloverFat]

There is a few good options here...

And asking for THIS particular advice... SHOULD be more of a personal decision... made by you, about a green friend.

You wouldn't ask Leo Zornow (that's me) to paint a picture for/cut your dog's hair/sculpt a sculpture..ect.. then present it as your work, right?

I'm trying to be funny.. and help.

Like I said, there are several options here... I recommend drawing "stick figure bonsai sketches" ... first sketch the lines you have (your existing tree) in simple form... then, next to it.. sketch a design, in simple form, by eliminating branches, then try again, using a different approach this time... you will find the one that "feels right".

Because what "feels right" for ME... may not be what "feels right" for YOU.

I WILL, however let you know that backbudding (when healthy) will NEVER... ever ever ever ever E---VER!.... be a problem.



Excited to see what you do.

 

[Apex37]

Agreed with @HorseloverFat. I chopped mine up beginning of summer and it’s back budded so much it almost looks like I never cut anything off. These things are prolific growers.

Ultimately styling is always your decision. If it were mine, I’d keep the red branch as the new leader for better taper and remove the blue branch down to the trunk.

Whatever you decide to do, you can’t go wrong with these guys. I can almost assure you will have endless options with whatever cut you decide to make.

 

[aarnii]

Thanks a ton! Totally true that I will need to decide, I don't expect you to come and make the cuts, but there were some options I didn't consider (Like keeping the thinest first branch). It also sounds great that these backbud so well, for now what I saw is that they develop roots easily, as I planted it low in the pot and started pushing roots upwards of the ugly nebari.

Will give it a last thought and update when I chop! Would you wait till spring or do it now? I have a good 2 months of growth ahead so maybe I can save some time as it already starts healing...