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I find heavy pruning (cutting back to 1-2 sets of leaves) gives better results. You can get nice back-budding on the branch, just remember to seal the wounds.
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Thanks for the info - that's what I've been doing so far, and I think I'm making progress on its ramification. I really should take some top and side pics of this guy, the 2-D image just doesn't do its depth justice.
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Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Did I mess up! All the while I am thinking Crab Apple
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No worries, this thread has gotten much farther in depth that the initial query - and I think the first post is the only one that said it was a natal plum (carris
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The question only you can answer is which one is most important at this time? No one knows better than you what needs to be done to this tree. The 2 year potting cycle provides bottom one year, followed by a recuperation period of basically slight maintenance, whilst the following year is concentrated on the top (more drastic) allowed to grow unimpeded and root work the follwoing year during repotting.
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The repotting done last July was almost a slip-pot. I did very little to the roots, partly to be safe and partly since it was mid-summer. It grows so fast all through the summer that I felt I could repot then, as long as I didn't do too much root work. And it did keep growing, enough that I trimmed a good bit off before the August show and it was leggy again in Oct.
Even though it wasn't drastic, I think I'm still going to wait another year before repotting it, and do some branch work this year. I'm happy with the primary branches where they are, though there's some secondary branches that I want to work on, especially in the apex. I also want to get a little more definition/direction in the apex, hence the one branch that's sticking up in the first shot. My main goal is the tertiary branch developement - the secondary branches on the first two primary branches are very straight, and I am working on clip and growing them into more ramification. Right now I don't see anything that I would be doing that was 'drastic' to the tree, there is only one more small branch that I am planning on removing. Now I am working on ramification and defining foliage pads.
That feeling that the tree was working its way towards is final image was what had prompted me to start thinking of the way to 'officially' display it. I've been casual with its display so far, partly since it was not a finished tree, and partly since it was being shown in very informal shows. But I would like to submit it for judging eventually at the Chicago show - that is the goal that I'm working towards now. I've attached the photo again with some notes on the main areas where I think I still need to do work, and I'll try to take some top and side pics this weekend.
-Centaura