Apple sapling stump

About 5 or more years ago I found an apple seed sprouting inside a Cripp's Pink apple, and planted it in a pot.
Later I planted it out thinking Ill have a crab apple for the birds, or possibly a bonsai.
Much later it got quite large, but still no flowers.

Come October we moved house and had to leave quick as we had no help. Towards the end I went back for the apple tree, only to find it snapped low down. Someone had got into the garden and had a go at it.
Well I dug it up, brought it to the new house and put it in a big pot hoping it would survive.
It survived the winter and is putting out shoots. Thing is, this being a housing association house, and a new build, I'm not allowed to plant anything for at least a year.

So here it is, and I'm thinking I could let it grow in this pot for a season and then maybe chopping it low down for a shohin or even a sumo bonsai but I've never tried apple.

Sure, let it grow but do not prune the low shoots. The low shoots may help thicken the base.

Best regards,

Augustine,

augustine wrote:Sure, let it grow but do not prune the low shoots. The low shoots may help thicken the base.

Best regards,

Augustine,

No I maybe wasnt clear. I would want to chop it leaving a low shoot. Maybe leave just that bottom shoot to form the leader, chop the rest. It doesnt need thickening, not for Shohin size

Neat long term project. I don't think apple leaves reduce very much so you may need to settle on a medium sized trunk.

I like the idea of chopping it and growing it out. You have also proven that it will bug back from old wood so that is the first major battle. I would let all of the buds grow for a couple of weeks to strengthen the roots. Then I would pinch out the upper ones so that the lowest one grows even stronger for a couple of weeks. The start cutting the upper ones back to further strengthen the lower one. Finally make a chop an inch or two above the lowest branch. I would not cut back to the complete tapered chop until next year to insure that the low branch does not dry out either late in the year or over the winter.

You will probably need to let it run wild for another year and then repeat the process one or two more times. Cut it back long, get bud break, strengthen the lower bud, and thicken to smooth out the transition.

Thanks marty. So you suggest I allow the shoots to grow then pinch back the upper shoots encouraging the lower shoot to grow stronger?

I was just going to leave it to grow out for a year. I cant plant it out, it has to stay in a pot.

I would cut it down to the point you want to now. It will take it. It's an apple. One tough tree. The leaves will reduce. Walter Pall has one in his gallery. One picture has an apple on it.

You understood the the fairly conservative approach I suggested. It sounds M. Frary may have more experience with apples - mine is limited.

If you cut it down to where you want to now it doesn't have those upper shoots that you don't want any way to try to grow. All of the roots will push their energy into what's left. That is the reason for hard cut backs in the spring.

M. Frary wrote:  If you cut it down to where you want to now it doesn't have those upper shoots that you don't want any way to try to grow. All of the roots will push their energy into what's left. That is the reason for hard cut backs in the spring.

The only thing is Im worried that it doesnt have a strong rootball yet. It was dug up in a hurry in october and forced into a pot. I thought it might be better to leave it for a season then chop?

That's what I would do.