When is too late to leader-prune columnar arbs?
aquinod
11 years ago
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Comments (33)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years agoaquinod
11 years agoRelated Discussions
Two new trees/too late for full repot & 1 year pot options
Comments (23)A couple of full tree shots. The more I look at this Fireglow the more the ultimate shape solidifies in my mind. I'm very glad that Al (tapla) encouraged me to remove the main trunk on this tree. The lower limb is going to turn into a beautiful 2-3' tall tree. The basic shape of this tree is there. There are multiple plains (vertically) and multiple clusters (in the round). Now, over the next couple of years, I need to put into practice what I've been reading about judicious pruning, bud pinching (to reduce internode length and finish each limb), and partial defoliation (to reduce leaf size). Probably my favorite tree at this point. The Corallinum (due mostly to Al's help in pruning) is developing its top on on side. This tree certainly has shown resilience after loosing alot of it's root mass when dug out of the ground this spring. Now to keep the top in check so the bottom back buds and begins to fill in. Some back budding is already beginning low on this tree. Yay! Thanks for the encouragement and guidance Al. Blake...See MoreWhen/how to start pruning a japanese maple sapling
Comments (16)take both the lower ones ... to get over the mailbox.. we are talking 4 feet MIN ... and we are going after that now ... why wait until you are cutting off one inch branches.. making big wounds??? and i would still reduce the dominance of the second leader.. to favor what i might call the third ... and finally.. keep in mind.. almost NOTHING there now.. will be there.. when the canopy is to your preferred height ... and.. again ... if you look at the first pic ... all that will be there is the leader that looks like it goes in the garage ... crikey... WHY DO YOU WANT/NEED TO DEVELOP MULTIPLE LEADERS DOWN BELOW ???? ALL THE LEAVES ARE FOOD MAKING MACHINES.. TO GROW THE ROOT MASS.. TO MAKE A FUTURE TREE .. carp.. darn caps lock ... so we never want to remove too much at once .....but if your goal is height.. why do you want multiple leaders down low now ... again.. trees heal wounds .. but its easier to heal a 1/4 wound .... than a inch or two wound ... one trick.. as you drive around town.. just look at other specimens.. if you cant find JM's to look at.. you arent trying very hard .... just study how others have done it.. and when you start 'seeing' what they did wrong.. you will be well taught ... [you usually find the bad ones.. in front of businesses .. lol micky d's.. etc.. when they prune them 3 times of year.. to our horror ...] ken...See MoreToo many Leaders.
Comments (5)its a conifer .. there is that forum... but no need to duplicate as most of those peeps hang out here ... i am not aware of pine rooting ... yes.. you have two leaders ... cut one off... just about at the place of the date in your pic.. your choice as to which ... and yes.. it will leak resin.. ignore it ... bending it down... would not be pleasing to my eye ... and frankly.... with the thickness of the trunk.. at height.. i dont know how you would bend it and hold it .... many of my conifers.. that do this.. it is caused by the darn birds.. perching on the top most bud.. until they ruin it.. and then cause two to trigger.. to releader ... the stake is useless to that above.. get rid of it ... i NEVER fertilize my conifers.. in MI sand ... see link for PROPER WATER ... i think.. on some level.. you are guessing... insert finger.. or use a hand trowel .. to FIND OUT,... how much moisture in the soil ... 3 to 6 inches down.. and water when it is drying at say.. 3 inches... trees.. of which conifers are.. like a good drink.. and then near drying... and that is usually addressed as a drainage issue... for most everyone but us sand folks ... but you have to train it.. to look after itself.. and no tree in nature.. gets watered every 3 days.. of course.. at this point.. you are also dealing with the transplant but it should become free range by late this fall... but perhaps a good soak in heavy drought next year ... get rid of the stake.. it was probably a shipping stake.. and is now useless due to the growth above.. as to wind.. well.. you either picked a tree proper from your area.. or you didnt it... i cant fathom.. trying to rig up some sail cloth.. to protect for the rest of its life ... and i do understand.. that your place.. wherever it might be... may as well be mars to my MI ... so though i list the variables... you might want to research how to apply it to your place ... NEVER leave a stub on a pine ... they have no dormant buds... and if you remove all the green from a limb ... that limb will die back to the next part that has a live bud on it ... just cut one off ... in a few years.. when you have mastered all this stuff .. you can try other things .. but on some level i think you are a newb.. and need to understand elementary things.. such as pruning.. before you go jumping to master thesis theory in pruning ... finally.. its a tree.. a conifer.. but it is not a child.. it doesnt NEED to be fed ... ever ... nor educated.. nor clothed.. etc ... if you think something is lacking in your soil.. have a soil test done thru your county extension office... and act accordingly ... but dont just willy nilly start doing things that may or may not be necessary ... i see a lot of things growing in your pic.. that i presume have never been FED in their lives.. and that means your soil is not so sterile as to not be able to support plant life ... all that said.. you did no harm with such... my point it.. it probably wasnt necessary ... enough for now.. good luck.. dont overthink it all.. and dont try to love it to death ... ken Here is a link that might be useful: link...See MoreRiver Birch with 5 Leaders - Should I Prune Any?
Comments (9)I would have called this 5 trunks as I tend to think of leaders as starting part way up a trunk where damage has eliminated the top of the main growth stem. Regardless, often river birch grow as multi-trunked trees. You could cut back to the three healthiest or leave it as is if the trunks and branches aren't too thick and crossing/rubbing, but I think that if you take it to one trunk from 5 you will end up with lots of suckers since you have removed so much of the canopy at once. I think generally that the number of trunks is largely an aesthetic choice for this species. I live next to what used to be a wholesale nursery, and they deliberately grew multi-trunked birches. Where I work there is a bed of several multi-trunked river birch that is lovely, with a broad canopy of dappled shade....See Moreken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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aquinodOriginal Author