Spring project 2: Viburnum Plicatum Tomentosum

[Mike132327]

Hello, this will be my second thread here and it will be for advice as well as progress on my second project from nursery stock. I am new to growing and training trees, also new to buying potential material so all advice is very welcome. I recently picked up a Viburnum Plicatum Tomentosum, or a Japanese snowball. It looks like three separate plants in one pot. They are quite small and thin but I think have nice shape and would look really nice planted together in a forest setting.

They are in a two gallon pot and I am thinking in spring repotting them into their own pots and cut them back a bit. I like that they are all different sizes and have interesting trunks.

Should I cut them back before they bud in the spring and start to encourage the trunks to thicken? Or should I repot and let them grow for the first season or two. I am thinking a shohin forest setting. Anyone have any experience with the species or any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Or should I repot and let them grow for the first season or two

I would do the repot first and see how they behave. Viburnum has hollow stems in most cases, so cutting back can be dangerous.
By repotting first, you would know that at least the roots are OK.
You can then later worry about branching.

If they flower, which they can do throughout the whole year, remove the flowers to preserve some energy.

 

[Mike132327]

I would do the repot first and see how they behave. Viburnum has hollow stems in most cases, so cutting back can be dangerous.
By repotting first, you would know that at least the roots are OK.
You can then later worry about branching.

If they flower, which they can do throughout the whole year, remove the flowers to preserve some energy.

Thanks again for the advice. I think giving them a some time to grow on their own would be good and develop them a little more. I have seen some interesting techniques to reduce node and leaf size. So hopefully after these fill out I can train them down pretty easily. As with the other thread I will keep this projected updated.