Can you cut a crabapple back???

[shohin kid]

If I bought a crabapple from a local gardening nursery, I mean like a 5 foot tall real tree, and cut it where there was no foliage, would it die? I was reading Morten Albek's book and he did what I described to a cherry, Prunus, and new branches grew making a nice shohin. I do not know if you can cut a crabapple to where there is no foliage and still live. I understand you cant do that to all conifers except yew because they will die if no foliage is left on the tree. By the way, for those of you who do not have Morten Albek's book, Majesty in Minature: Shohin Bonsai, it is a really good book to have in one's library.

 

[cquinn]

You can cut away, but I would recommend early Spring. If you buy one now, you can start making cuttings while you wait to cut.

 

[TheSteve]

I did it last year in mid summer and came out ok. I wanted a broom and that's about all I could get out of it so I guess it depends on what you're looking for.

 

[grizzlywon]

I would try and get some air layer off it if you are going to cut it down. I have a Japanese maple that I wanted to cut down. I waited two seasons and now have 10 successful air layers I got off it. Not it is about 6" tall but I have a lot of others that look a lot better than it does. They will also have a lot better roots than it has! Don't overlook what you have in front of you!@

 

[shohin kid]

thanks everyone

 

[Marc S]

I did it last year in mid summer and came out ok. I wanted a broom and that's about all I could get out of it so I guess it depends on what you're looking for.

You can read everywhere that crabapples can be trained in almost every style, but NOT as a broom.
Hmm, I wonder why.

 

[TheSteve]

I've seen that Marc but, you know, I really dont care. Unless the bonsai police are going to burn my entire collection over it, I'm not paying much attention. it might be because of their habit to grow longer branches with little ramification but it is what it is and unless I get some hardcore lower branching on my straight boring trunk, it'll stay a broom.