Prunus mume stock from Evergreen Gardenworks

[Brian Van Fleet]

How does 6’ translate to enitial trunk size vs optimal long term vs this present time of year in tandem?

In other words, why cut now? This caught me off guard. For instance, I’ve an American hornbeam that has a leader much as yours, 4-5’ growth this spring, collected late winter season before last, healthy...

I thought I’d just let it go till next year. There are certain very low branches on this leader/branch to take the mantle. With that limited info, would you recommend the same sort of cut now?
diff spp sure, but othwise it’s been just let loose... wonder if I’m missing something essential in best development time-wise. Why your cut now!?

Any thoughts appreciated and much thanks for your work and art.

I cut this one back now because I am working on developing the upper sections of trunk, more than the overall thickness. I want that section to slow thickening, identified the next bud to continue the trunk line, and have time for the cut to start healing.

Each trunk section needs to be shorter and thinner than the one below it, and should provide a change in movement in most styles. Here is a close-up shot showing the upper 3 sections and the next direction growth can be expected as a result of the cut. Doing it now means I can expect a little more growth this year, and some healing of the cut before winter.

Your collected Hornbeam sounds like it’s in a different stage than this tree, so letting it grow to recover is a good plan.

 

[TN_Jim]

I cut this one back now because I am working on developing the upper sections of trunk, more than the overall thickness. I want that section to slow thickening, identified the next bud to continue the trunk line, and have time for the cut to start healing.

Each trunk section needs to be shorter and thinner than the one below it, and should provide a change in movement in most styles. Here is a close-up shot showing the upper 3 sections and the next direction growth can be expected as a result of the cut. Doing it now means I can expect a little more growth this year, and some healing of the cut before winter.
View attachment 247876
Your collected Hornbeam sounds like it’s in a different stage than this tree, so letting it grow to recover is a good plan.

Awesome, makes too much sense. Thanks again Brian.
I don’t know why, I had just automatically associated such a cut in late winter rather than late spring.

It’s botanical speculation, but it also seems like a late spring leader cut could also encourage a response of growth push beyond standard annual growth throughout the tree otherwise not observed in a dormant cutback in the reallocation of resources etc. Not sure on that, but seems more the reason to do so.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Trees are starting to move a little here, so I did some pruning and wired some potential future primary branches, which I have been keeping short for use later. The sacrifice branch is around 5 feet tall still. I haven’t quite decided how big I want this tree to finish, but the movement and taper is pretty good, and could handle being bigger. So far, the finished height would be around 12”.

 

[Lars Grimm]

Trees are starting to move a little here, so I did some pruning and wired some potential future primary branches, which I have been keeping short for use later. The sacrifice branch is around 5 feet tall still. I haven’t quite decided how big I want this tree to finish, but the movement and taper is pretty good, and could handle being bigger. So far, the finished height would be around 12”.
View attachment 283823
View attachment 283825
View attachment 283824

How tall is that apex shoot!!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Update from today. it’s growing well this year, and I removed the sacrifice branch, anticipating one more small trunk section moving left.

Removed:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Wires were digging in, and I think I can get one more good flush of growth this year if I remove them, and prune it back. While I am trying to heal scars, my main goal is to start to develop primary branching, with some movement that will compliment the trunk.

So, first I pruned it back, shortening internodes, selecting some branches as well.

In addition, I try to directionally prune so the next flush of growth is headed the direction I want it to go:




The result after pruning back:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

With it pruned back, it was much easier to remove wires.

Unwired:

I am hopeful this pruning will cause a bud to grow at this node:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Before and After:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

6 weeks later. A new leader has grown 25” long, and not only did it produce a shoot at one of the blue-circled nodes above, one actually grew very close to the cut site.


Since I’m growing the tree to move to the left, the new bud that emerged close to the cut will work for the next trunk section, so everything else was pruned back, and the new leader was left long.
Before:

After:


The first chop looks a bit extreme from the angle I have to shoot to get the base in the frame, but when it’s in a proper bonsai pot, and maybe with just a little craving, it should look quite natural.

It may produce one more flush this year, which will get to stay, and then I’ll prune and wire it again in the spring. Who knows, maybe it will end up in a bonsai pot too...

 

[roberthu]

This is an awesome progress. Thank you for sharing.
Off the topic question: can these be airlayered? Is seeds the only way to propagate?

 

[Trueblackpercula]

your tree has come a long way in a short time wishing you all the best. What do you feed it ? I have been giving my prunus incisa 0-10-10 and it seems to be helping tremendously.
Michael

 

[leatherback]

Is this the year? Flowers this winter for you on this one?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

your tree has come a long way in a short time wishing you all the best. What do you feed it ? I have been giving my prunus incisa 0-10-10 and it seems to be helping tremendously.
Michael

Cake: Feeding the trees

I feed organic; let them eat cake…and fish. For the last 6-7 years, my recipe has become simple and the results have become predictable. I check the forecast to look for a few sunny days&#823…

nebaribonsai.wordpress.com

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Is this the year? Flowers this winter for you on this one?

Nope. I actually checked a few days ago, and the leaves are still rough and flat...no flowers yet. I’m probably going to move it to a bonsai pot in the spring and suspect if it slows down just a little, it may flower in a couple years. The leaves on this one are really small, so I am hoping to develop some dense ramification.

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Cake: Feeding the trees

I feed organic; let them eat cake…and fish. For the last 6-7 years, my recipe has become simple and the results have become predictable. I check the forecast to look for a few sunny days&#823…

nebaribonsai.wordpress.com

Wow thank you very much for the information. Seeing I have only one tree I may want to hold off on this as it would be a 10 year supply. Lol

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Wow thank you very much for the information. Seeing I have only one tree I may want to hold off on this as it would be a 10 year supply. Lol

Hey @Brian Van Fleet , you still use this recipe or has been tweaked over the years?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hey @Brian Van Fleet , you still use this recipe or has been tweaked over the years?

The only change is micronutrients. I have used Eco-Vie for years, and tried MaxiCrop when I wrote that post. I think Eco-Vie is out of business so I might be back to MaxiCrop when my Eco-Vie runs out. And honestly, I have been so busy these last couple years that I swap back and forth between these cakes and BioGold...but I like my cakes better.

 

[Trueblackpercula]

@Brian Van Fleet any updates on your tree? I have read so many of your post that I feel I learned so much. I hope to someday have a tree that turns out to be as nice as your. I didn't realize that keeping this type of tree would require so much technique. I can't thank you and others for so much guidance. I personal hope I get flowers this year as the suspense is killing me. I was told white flowers with pink centers from the nursery, but who knows.

Once again thank you
Michael

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

@Brian Van Fleet any updates on your tree? I have read so many of your post that I feel I learned so much. I hope to someday have a tree that turns out to be as nice as your. I didn't realize that keeping this type of tree would require so much technique. I can't thank you and others for so much guidance. I personal hope I get flowers this year as the suspense is killing me. I was told white flowers with pink centers from the nursery, but who knows.

Once again thank you
Michael

Thanks for the kind words, these progressions are satisfying to write and look back on, and it’s great when someone can glean a little from them too. The best part is having the ability to see cause-effect of training over years in just a few minutes.

No real update on the tree now. It looks pretty much like the July pix above, but the sacrifice leader has grown to about 6’ tall again. When leaves fall, I’ll do a little pruning and wiring, and will be sure to share an update.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

The sacrifice shoot grew to over 60” tall.