Styling help

[Spdyracer]

This is a honey suckle I dug up last year. I'm trying to decide the best way to handle the two large chops in the trunk. All the top growth is all new from last year and each trunk has two new strong leaders.

The two ideas I have is pull a graham potter and do a lot of carving to the trunk on the backside of the main trunk behind the leaders. The other is letting the leaders get bigger and try to blend the chops. My worry about blending the chops is the large cuts and how they'll heal on a honey suckle. Kind of thinking I may get a better result with carving the trunk as long as the carving is well done. Any help or ideas is appreciated.

 

[GGB]

I like the first pic as a front. that's all i got....

 

[sorce]

Yup...

And make Your slant cuts down the back.

Nice!

I'd cut that crotch branch off....
More hurt than help.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Further...

Keep this small green branch on the small trunk, since it needs to remain smaller than the next yellow leader on the big trunk.


Once those are to size...
And you nub em out....

Well....

I don't know....
But I'm looking forward to seeing it!

Sorce

 

[Tieball]

I like it. The stump. I would let it just grow for a season or two and see what begins to happen with those branches reaching to be a leader. Thickening those branches will be a good start to your design thoughts....and tree health. This is good material. Lots of nice potential. I'd look for growth development rather than jumping into carving right away. I think that the carving can be addressed later.

I'd probably chop back that left thicker trunk to about a half inch above that branch growing and then let the tree grow out. The right side....I'd leave that alone for now.

Does Honeysuckle back bud well after branch pruning?

 

[Spdyracer]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I knew going in, as large as the trunk was that it would take a little time to get the leaders large enough before I could cut them back. Was very happy with the amount of growth last year though.

Sorce I was planning on cutting the crotch branch off thanks for the suggestion. Also thanks for the suggestions about clipping the larger branch on the smaller side. Wasn't really sure what I should do with the two of them.

Tieball not sure about the back budding but I'm hoping it will since it grows like the weed it is. I have a ton of these around me maybe I'll cut one back this year just to see what happens.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Balance the growth with what your design choices have given you. The secondary is is pulling too much energy.

 

[Spdyracer]

Balance the growth with what your design choices have given you. The secondary is is pulling too much energy.

I know it's my inexperience but not exactly sure what you mean by the secondary is pulling too much energy. Are you talking about the smaller trunk?

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Yeah, the smaller trunk.