New Fuji Cherry advice

just got hold of this



any suggestions on future stylings etc?
shall i now wait till after spring and its 1st blossom before proceeding?


initially i feel that it needs to be brought down a bit more
and to lose the 1st branch on the trunk

answers on a postcard please to:

blue peter
po box 99


thanks guys

Maybe the joke's on me, 'cause I don't understand. If you can post on ibc, why ask for post card to po box with no other location information?

Assuming you can get my response, I'll give one contribution. You might get rid of the bottom branch or find a use for it later, but I would recommend keeping it for now to help thicken the base of the trunk. Wire it out of the way and let it grow uninhibited for a few years. It's a nice-looking start, hope to see pictures in the future.

Precarious wrote: Maybe (...) in the future.

I second that

answers on a postcard - old childrens tv program blue peter

wouldnt leaving the bottom create a bit of a bulge?

Nice potential there.

I like Fuji Cherry, they seem to work well as bonsai. I have two myself.

Having said that they are still in development and I'm certainly no expert but I would offer the following suggestions.

Regards styling you appear to have two obvious options. Firstly you could develop both trunks and style the tree as a kind of spreading, informal broom. This would no doubt work and would maximise the amount of spring flowers but might not be the most imaginative use of the material. Alternatively you could remove one of the trunks (preferably the rather straight upright one on the left in your photo) and develop the other into a kind of windswept or leaning style. Doubtless this would carry less flowers but they might look good hanging down into the space below the branches.

Regards pruning, the conventional wisdom says prune after flowering but I think that is aimed at maximising the following years blooms on trees that are already pretty developed. Whatever you do you are going to have to cut back the main branches quite hard so I'd forget about the flowers for a year or two (you still always get some anyway) and develop the tree as you would any other deciduous species.

You could probably prune back the branches now (assuming the tree is just out of leaf) but if you are going to make bigger cuts (like removing the second trunk) early summer would seem to be a safer bet. You should get quicker healing/callousing then and more back budding from what is left.

At least that's what I think. As I say I'm certainly no expert but this approach appears to be working with my Fuji Cherry.

Hope that sort of helps (and from a purely selfish perspective I'd be very interested in other peoples experiences myself).

Regards

Richard

Voyage of Adventure!  Well, I learned something new today.  Were you inspired by the BP Garden?

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As to a sacrifice branch, it is purely a matter of what you are after.  A slender trunk depicts youth.  I mentioned growing the lowest branch as a sacrifice b/c so many of us are interested in showing a thick trunk for its depiction of great age.  Would it create a bulge?  If you are growing a Brazilian Rain Tree and have branches close together, a bulge and reverse taper are likely (the voice of experience ).  With most trees though, a branch growing low will create thickening from that point down.  Below is an example.  Others growing this species will know how this tree is likely to heal a large branch being removed a few years down the road.

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Ok cool some good advise so far

So maybe minor wire now and slight trim and then remove the main left branch but keep the smaller or remove both left at start of summer and just work with the right hand side?

Your last representation appears to show the lowest branch on the right, the one that crosses in front of the trunk and grows up the left, as being part of the 'final' composition. I don't find branches pleasing personally when crossing in front of the trunk. I was suggesting wiring that branch out of the way- down low and not seen as part of the whole- and letting it grow wild for a few years before you whack it off at the trunk. As to the rest of the tree, I could go either way- lose one of the main branches where the trunk splits, or keep them both and let one side grow large and dominant whereas the other is pruned more and kept smaller.

Yes my Photoshop skills were not up for moving the branch but yes I'll wire down and let grow for a while

I'll go for the 1st pic i think and make the cut at start of summer

First pic is exactly what I was thinking .

Regarding the "sacrifice branch", there is certainly no harm in letting it grow as suggested.

Cheers

Richard

Thanks all

I'll update In future after some growth