Chaenomeles pruning

[AJL]

I dug one from the garden in March this year and planted in a pond basket for training
It is single flowered red type and its put on good growth from the branch tips but I think I need to prune it hard to promote back-budding in the right places
When is the best time to hard prune these?I will try to post photos

 

[0soyoung]

After flowering, which is the first thing most varieties of chaenomeles do in spring. Of course, you can cut them back through the remainder of the season --> the standard cut-and-grow routine: let it grow, cut back, let it grow, cut back, ...

Don't forget that you can also wire young shoots to point them where you want them to go. They set fairly quickly - I can do this 2 or 3 times a year, as well as cut back (but obviously not simultaneously).

AND, they are fairly easy to graft during the growing season, so some of that stuff you cut off can immediately become scions (I never thought of doing this until @thumblessprimate1 posted some examples).

 

[parhamr]

Japanese quince clump

Parhamr, Find me at the next BSOP meeting and we can talk about how to develop this into a bonsai. You're looking at restarting what you have, and adding probably 7-1o years of work, but it should start looking like something respectable with the right care. Quince are very satisfying to...

www.bonsainut.com

I did a hard prune on Dec 31 of a mild year where I had decent winter protection. It’s going well. This is a Chaenomeles japonica.

The timing of the chop was based on buds swelling while flowering was not ongoing.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

You are in the UK, depending on where, you have a fairly long growing season. My growing season is shorter, at most 100 to 120 days. I only prune once, or twice a year. Usually only once. Either right after flowering, or about a month before the autumnal equinox. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles, usually have a spring growth period, then a pause during the heat of summer, then a second growth spurt which for me is about a month before the autumn equinox, starting around August 22 or so. August 15 to September 1 is my normal time period for repotting Chaenomeles.

With your longer growing season you could probably prune more often, maybe 3 times a year. But if you are trying to increase caliper of your trunk I would let it grow out and prune no more than once a year, or even every other year, until you had the trunk diameter you needed.

 

[AJL]

Thanks-I didnt intend to hijack this thread!
Here is my Chaenomeles - Im undecided where to chop it back to -Any suggestions please?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Thanks-I didnt intend to hijack this thread!
Here is my Chaenomeles - Im undecided where to chop it back to -Any suggestions please?

Without trying to be snarky, ironic or otherwise mean, if you are not sure where you should chop, the correct answer is to NOT chop. More correct term is prune, or severe pruning or radical pruning.

Confusion about what needs to go is a strong signal that nothing should be pruned. "Chopping" is not always the right thing to do. Sometimes letting a tree grow out more is the exact correct course of action.

The first 2 branches on your trunk are both on the same side and are about the same position on the trunk. One should go. If you want a simple informal upright, take off the thick branch, keep the smaller one.

. If you want more of an informal broom style, take off the lowest, slender branch.

If you are not sure about either option, let it grow another year or two. Each year of letting it grow, will give you more options for when you do style the tree.

 

[AJL]

Thanks Leo I will let it grow on another year then review!

 

[Silentrunning]

I have some Willow Oaks on my property. Quercus phellas. They look to have very nice trunks and bases. Does anyone know if they grow faster than other Oak species?

 

[Silentrunning]

Sorry guys - the above post was supposed to go on another thread. Please disregard.