Question about pruning new growth (Jaboticaba)

[SharonP]

Two years ago, I got a shohin Jaboticaba that had some problematic crossing branches:



So around July last year, I lopped off the offending branches. I assumed it would back-bud and I could choose new side "branch-lets" to replace the ones I removed. From July to February, only the tips grew and I got no back-budding. Here it is in December, with leaves only at the branch ends.



Suddenly, starting this month (March), it started a big growth spurt. Not only are the tips growing, but I have some internal growth with new "branch-lets" coming off the trunk.



My goal is to get this tree back to shohin size while encouraging the new growth in the interior.

Which pruning option would be best?

1) Don't prune at all right now. (But the growth on the tips could shade out the new interior branches).

2) Prune off all the NEW growth at the top, or even defoliate most of the tree to allow light to hit the new interior growth.

3) Take advantage of the growth spurt and trim the ESTABLISHED (woody) branches back to a shohin silhouette. (This is the one I'm tempted to do)

Which option would you choose?

 

[Eckhoffw]

Great questions I have a small jabotacaba myself and will stay tuned for answers more educated than mine.

The first question usually is; are you happy with the size of the trunk?
If yes, cutting back the crown to encourage denser/lower growth may be more advisable

If you’re looking to size up the trunk, allow this one to extend some sacrificial shoots where able. You can bend/wire these shoots out of the way if they shade the rest of the plant.

 

[SharonP]

Great questions I have a small jabotacaba myself and will stay tuned for answers more educated than mine.

The first question usually is; are you happy with the size of the trunk?
If yes, cutting back the crown to encourage denser/lower growth may be more advisable

If you’re looking to size up the trunk, allow this one to extend some sacrificial shoots where able. You can bend/wire these shoots out of the way if they shade the rest of the plant.

I never thought about leaving the growth but bunching it out of the way of light hitting the inside growth. Great idea!