Trunk Chop on Younger Trees? (if so, when?)

[Trebor]

Hello,
I wanted to see if anyone had any advice as to if and when to do a trunk chop on a younger tree. I have an oak tree and arbequina olive tree, both in pots that I would like to develop into bonsai trees. The oak is no more than a quarter of an inch thick and the olive tree about an inch thick. This could be (and likely is) completely wrong, but my impulse was to chop the trunk back to encourage lower branches and increase the trunk diameter. If this isn't a giant mistake, at what time of year is it best to do this? Any info is much appreciated. I am in Cincinnati, Ohio and the trees are growing pots on my rooftop.
Thanks,
Rob

 

[Trebor]

Perhaps to clarify a bit. Does it ever make sense to chop the tree back when it is growing (and the trunk naturally getting larger)? I guess what i have in mind I got from looking at Peter Adams book on Japanese Maples, where you cut the trunk back almost to the soil each year and allow shoots to grow, cut those back after a year, and repeat, and you end up with a really wide gnarly looking trunk.

 

[_#1_]

looking at Peter Adams book on Japanese Maples, where you cut the trunk back almost to the soil each year and allow shoots to grow, cut those back after a year, and repeat, and you end up with a really wide gnarly looking trunk.

Well there you go!

 

[sorce]

Yeah, cuz I think trunk chopping young trees is an oxymoron.

Sorce

 

[Trebor]

Yeah, cuz I think trunk chopping young trees is an oxymoron.

Sorce

Yeah I suspected that wasn't the right terminology.

 

[sorce]

Yeah I suspected that wasn't the right terminology.

You can call it whatever you want I'm just messin!

So long as you do it!

I am not a fan of "trunk chops".

It's too cliche and no one knows what they're doing, and all the trees show it!

Clip em Small!

I really think this mentality was pounded in by what used to be the internet cry of, "put it in the ground", "it's not big enough" , and if you read enough, soon you begin to see that even that is really just a penis thing, no one ever thought about the actual trees and art.

Sorce

 

[MrWunderful]

Perhaps to clarify a bit. Does it ever make sense to chop the tree back when it is growing (and the trunk naturally getting larger)? I guess what i have in mind I got from looking at Peter Adams book on Japanese Maples, where you cut the trunk back almost to the soil each year and allow shoots to grow, cut those back after a year, and repeat, and you end up with a really wide gnarly looking trunk.

That technique is possible with high water moving deciduous trees. It definitely works, but is actually an advanced technique and time consuming and looks easy in practice.

But he isnt chopping tiny immature trees. Hes talking 5-6 year field grown material which is closer to 2” diameter. They then probably take another 5-10 years to get to refinement in a pot.

You chop to get taper. If the trunk is 2” and you chop to a new 1/4” leader, the tree has to grow out that 1 3/4” as the tree grows. Thats what develops taper.

Chopping a 1/2” whip to an 1/8” whip is still just a tiny little stick.

It all depends on what size and style you want for the tree.

 

[Shibui]

I still prefer to chop smaller seedlings. That gets several new shoots started. The more shoots I have the greater choice I have for chopping when the trunks thicken. having several leaders will give my trunk taper as well as changes of direction when it is pruned after thickening. Several leaders will add the same bulk to a trunk as a single thick leader but pruning will leave several smaller scars that will usually heal quicker than a single large cut.

Just need to make sure the species you intend to chop can bud after the cut.
Trees have adapted to accidental pruning in nature well before we came along with cutters. Deer and storms do not only happen at a specific time of year so trees have evolved to grow back after damage at any time of year. you can cut any time and expect the trees to bud again.