Fall cutback on Japanese plum

When the leaves of my Japanese plums (Prunus salicina) change colour and fall off, it’s time for fall pruning. The objective is to take away branches which have reached the specified thickness and wire branches which can be tender sufficient to bend.

Right here’s an instance.

Tree #1 earlier than pruning

Tree #1 after pruning and wiring

These plums are roughly eight years previous and are within the center levels of improvement. I would like the trunks to get greater however I don’t know precisely how massive I would like them to develop.

Having watched the trunks take form over time, I’ve had time to consider the model or form these timber might develop into. My present method is to focus much less on making the trunks match right into a primary model and as an alternative create motion the place the branches would in any other case develop straight.

Each straight and curvy development may be discovered on plums rising within the panorama, however I’m erring on the facet of curvy motion. It’s a cultivated look, however one which jogs my memory of a number of the first plum bonsai I noticed years in the past.

Right here’s one other instance.

Tree #2 earlier than

Tree #2 after pruning

Tree #2 after wiring

These timber have been totally container grown and at the moment are in three gallon containers. I’d get sooner outcomes have been they rising within the floor, but it surely’s simpler to work on them in containers.

Tree #3 earlier than

Tree #3 after

The present plan is to let the trunks develop for at the least just a few extra years earlier than turning the main focus to department improvement. Within the meantime, I’ll let the timber develop freely till summer season once I’ll test to see in the event that they want pruning and wiring once more.

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