Branch development- preferred method

[Neli]

There are so many methods for branch development, I hope I know them all, but since it is such important part of tree development, I feel everyone can learn something new.
Some people use clip and grow...but again clip and grow can be used in different ways...
Some people thicken and cut back...some people cut back after growing only several internodes...
Some grow branch and start ramifying, and use sacrifice branches to thicken.
Some people use the hedge method of WP.
Probably the same method can not be used for different trees...
What is your preferred method of branch development?
What factors in a tree influence your choice of use of a particular method?
How do you employ that method?
Do some trees have specific for the variety method of branch development?

 

[nathanbs]

The method that is best for me to develop branches that have taper and movement is to grow out and cut back grow out and cut back grow out and cut back. Build the branch 1-2 nodes at a time. To me the only disadvantage to this method is it takes a long time to build a branch. This is the 10 year method that is so commonly referred to when discussing how long it takes to make a tree. The other method I use when I'm being impatient is to wire movement into young shoots and voila your primary branch is done in one year but you have little to no taper. If it's a species like olive that constantly sends out shoots at odd internodes you can use those shoots as sacrifices to build taper. This would be about a 3-5 year method but ultimately leads to future cutbacks to build nicer taper and more believable movement as the movement you made with the wire is not as nice as the movement you get with clip and grow

 

[Neli]

The method that is best for me to develop branches that have taper and movement is to grow out and cut back grow out and cut back grow out and cut back. Build the branch 1-2 nodes at a time. To me the only disadvantage to this method is it takes a long time to build a branch. This is the 10 year method that is so commonly referred to when discussing how long it takes to make a tree. The other method I use when I'm being impatient is to wire movement into young shoots and voila your primary branch is done in one year but you have little to no taper. If it's a species like olive that constantly sends out shoots at odd internodes you can use those shoots as sacrifices to build taper. This would be about a 3-5 year method but ultimately leads to future cutbacks to build nicer taper and more believable movement as the movement you made with the wire is not as nice as the movement you get with clip and grow

Some trees have naturally long internodes...and those we need to cut to 0 some time, and loose whole growing season. Doyou try to shorten the internodes first on those by pinching, to create a short internodes, before growing it.
I have noticed (after a friend pointed that to me) that if the leaves on the growing shoot are removed early, the internodes become shorter.

 

[nathanbs]

Some trees have naturally long internodes...and those we need to cut to 0 some time, and loose whole growing season. Doyou try to shorten the internodes first on those by pinching, to create a short internodes, before growing it.
I have noticed (after a friend pointed that to me) that if the leaves on the growing shoot are removed early, the internodes become shorter.

Yeah if you have a species that no matter what you try ie. withholding fertilizer, not using chemical fertilizer still has too long internodes you must pinch first growth before internodes elongate fully. Watch it and pinch the terminal when your first internode is where you want it. Then let the two secondaries run for the season or two depending on branch thickness you are after

 

[Neli]

To what % of the final diameter do you thicken your branch?

 

[nathanbs]

I'm only growing out for 1 or two years and then cutting my branches back I haven't really figured out exactly what diameter to cut at. I figure I can always add but I cannot subtract later

 

[Poink88]

I am a pincher and clip & grow guy.

I like to build branches to have ramification early with short internodes and avoid straight branches. Some think it is the wrong way but they react w/o knowing the big picture or my plan.

I plan on letting some of the branches near the trunk run later to help thicken the branches...I also will remove a lot of the inner branches (thin it down) as the silhouette becomes bigger. Initially the tree usually looks like topiary just because the branches/foliage are too dense. The branches get thinned down at least yearly on top of the pinching.

I wire minimally but know it is necessary...more for some variety than others.

My approach may change if it fails but so far, I am happy with my results.

BTW, some of my approach was chosen because of my tight backyard (lack of space). I would love to let them run more if I have the space.

 

[Neli]

I'm only growing out for 1 or two years and then cutting my branches back I haven't really figured out exactly what diameter to cut at. I figure I can always add but I cannot subtract later

I guess it will depends on how fast branches thicken...and how much you need to thicken them.

 

[Neli]

I am a pincher and clip & grow guy.

I like to build branches to have ramification early with short internodes and avoid straight branches. Some think it is the wrong way but they react w/o knowing the big picture or my plan.

I plan on letting some of the branches near the trunk run later to help thicken the branches...I also will remove a lot of the inner branches (thin it down) as the silhouette becomes bigger. Initially the tree usually looks like topiary just because the branches/foliage are too dense. The branches get thinned down at least yearly on top of the pinching.

I wire minimally but know it is necessary...more for some variety than others.

My approach may change if it fails but so far, I am happy with my results.

BTW, some of my approach was chose because of my tight backyard (lack of space). I would love to let them run more if I have the space.

Dont you fear knobs later on during maintenance stage? And dont you think your tree might get exhausted?

 

[Poink88]

Dont you fear knobs later on during maintenance stage? And dont you think your tree might get exhausted?

Knobs form if you do not know how to address them early (or prepare for them) and or when to cut back further in.

 

[nathanbs]

Dont you fear knobs later on during maintenance stage? And dont you think your tree might get exhausted?

As he mentions the pinching is done very early in the branch development same as I said about vigorous growers with long internodes but then he will let the lower branches and I'm guessing the apical leader run once internode length is established. Then later in the trees career closer to final refinement pinching and/or defoliating begin again.

 

[Neli]

Thanks Nathan. I find that if I want to make a small ficus bonsai. the lower branches fatten so fast, beyond proportions, so I try to keep them from growing too much especially If I want to develop a leader, and keep them. So probably I do it like Dario.
Junipers I let grow long...and try not to shade the part near the trunk...so I wire them early, and then chop them half the required length and regrow for taper.
Branches that I want to jin I bend crazy, and let them fatten before I cut them.
Some deciduous like pyracantha I almost grow the branch to the required length and use escape branches to fatten. They back but all over so there is easy selection of shoots.
Maples I remove the first leaves so the internode does not extend much, and later grow and cut back. I have a feeling the removal of the leaves helps reduce the internode length.
That I do on big maples...on small ones I take turns of pinch and grow.
Melaleucas and similar I use the hedge method on the pads and later fin tune them.
I was hoping more people will chip in and share their different approaches.

 

[nathanbs]

I didn't really specify but everything I mentioned was for deciduous and broadleaf evergreen not conifers although JBP have a lot in common with these techniques

 

[markyscott]

I'm with Nathan on this one. When I have trees on which I'm developing branches whether it's tropicals, deciduous trees, junipers, or pines, I let the whips grow long and strong. I'm unconcerned with leaf size or the length of the internodes. Long whips and big leaves are the sign of a strong tree. I then cut back hard to the first node on deciduous trees or the first strong back branch on junipers or pines. For the conifers, I ensure the back branch is growing strongly before I cut back to it by first weakening the branch I wish to remove, diverting energy to the replacement. Pinching, decandlnng, pulling needles, thinning all work well for this.

Scott

 

[cmeg1]

The method that is best for me to develop branches that have taper and movement is to grow out and cut back grow out and cut back grow out and cut back. Build the branch 1-2 nodes at a time. To me the only disadvantage to this method is it takes a long time to build a branch. This is the 10 year method that is so commonly referred to when discussing how long it takes to make a tree. The other method I use when I'm being impatient is to wire movement into young shoots and voila your primary branch is done in one year but you have little to no taper. If it's a species like olive that constantly sends out shoots at odd internodes you can use those shoots as sacrifices to build taper. This would be about a 3-5 year method but ultimately leads to future cutbacks to build nicer taper and more believable movement as the movement you made with the wire is not as nice as the movement you get with clip and grow

I like your 10 year method.I often consider this approach on some maple air layers I struck,if they make it through the winter.They have such small internodes that this approach is just delightful to me.I don't plan on wiring them.I am going to have a bunch of them.

 

[cmeg1]

A nice method for sacrifice growth to thicken a branch is to let it grow and then you remove the leaves in the middle of the long shoot while maintaining the important leaves of the base and tip of the sacrifice.I used that on zelkova and yatsubusa elm and then cut back to short internodes when the branch was right thickness.It is a controlled thickening of the branch.

 

[Neli]

A nice method for sacrifice growth to thicken a branch is to let it grow and then you remove the leaves in the middle of the long shoot while maintaining the important leaves of the base and tip of the sacrifice.I used that on zelkova and yatsubusa elm and then cut back to short internodes when the branch was right thickness.It is a controlled thickening of the branch.

Thank you. I can understand that leaves are important near the trunk on junipers, but I dont understand why they need to be kept on this two varieties, and on a sacrifice branch.
If the branch is grown for over a year, which sacrifice branch normally is, if it is not cut back and started over yearly, I suspect the leaves will fall of anyway during winter.
Can you explain a bit better what are the advantages of removing the leaves in the middle? Sounds interesting but I dont understand it.

 

[cmeg1]

Thank you. I can understand that leaves are important near the trunk on junipers, but I dont understand why they need to be kept on this two varieties, and on a sacrifice branch.
If the branch is grown for over a year, which sacrifice branch normally is, if it is not cut back and started over yearly, I suspect the leaves will fall of anyway during winter.
Can you explain a bit better what are the advantages of removing the leaves in the middle? Sounds interesting but I dont understand it.

On smaller trees for which I used the method,I made a branchlet of equal thickness to the surrounding branchlets in the developing silhouette.On small zelkova I was concerned with taking to much energy from the small silhouette when I was using the sacrifice growth to thicken the branchlet.And also it slows down the thickening process so you can take a bit of a breather with the small tree and consider the options.On these small trees it was all about getting equal thickness of the branches.You can see the removed leaves on the sacrifice poking out the left of the tree.I let them go quite long before removing.I still have to get better at it.

 

[Neli]

I think I am beginning to get it. On casuarina and some other trees, the sacrifice branch takes over and the original branch stops growing all together. So by removing some of the leaves you are trying to avoid the sacrifice branch taking over?
Is that it?

 

[cmeg1]

I think I am beginning to get it. On casuarina and some other trees, the sacrifice branch takes over and the original branch stops growing all together. So by removing some of the leaves you are trying to avoid the sacrifice branch taking over?
Is that it?

Correct,that is the reason I like this on my small zelkova's.