Crabapple

dtreesj

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Taylor, Michigan
USDA Zone
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I pulled this out of my back yard last year. Any advice? Guides on how they grow? What to cut?

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Juanmi

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Hello there!
I'm no expert, but I can tell you some little things:
- they heal wounds very badly, so think twice when you're about to cut.
- they tend to grow the apical buds of their branches, so you will have to persevere to get it to get good ramification
- they can grow new branches from the trunk
- it depends on the climate, but during the summer put it in a shadowy place

If you want the trunk to get thicker, just let it grow, if you're alredy happy with it, you could cut a lot. It depends on what style you want to shape it.

What else, what else ...

I don't know. I you have more questions don't hesitate to ask.

If you're unexperienced I would suggest to buy a bonsai manual. A really good one are the books of John Naka.
 
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Cypress187

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Let it grow fat? Unrestricted. Unless they really don't back-bud. Btw, that soil doesn't look very "drainy".
 
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dtreesj

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Thanks, I think the soil is ok. It's been in that kind of soil for a year and when I repotted it last week, the roots were extremely vigorous and white. It doesn't stay soggy.
 

Deep Sea Diver

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We have a number of small Crabs from forest to singles. These do heal ok while young. I have all in Boon mix now. I feed them lots, osmocote and every two weeks fullbore + miracle gro with humic acid etc, water when drying out and give them at least 1/2 to more sun as long as it isn’t blazing hot. Where I live it rarely gets above 85 so mine get full sun.

They grow fast, so watch them if you wire a branch and expect to keep it, as they scar easy.

As far as cutting goes, if it were me, I‘d chop to leave a stub above the first branch myself at 45 degrees to start some directionality and let her run from there.

Also, it would’ve been good to work it’s roots before the repot, but no worries, do it next spring. That will give you time to study the threads here on the Ebihara method and read up on styling progressions for crabapples and their ilk. Remember roots first!

cheers
DSD sends
 

HorseloverFat

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Thanks, I think the soil is ok. It's been in that kind of soil for a year and when I repotted it last week, the roots were extremely vigorous and white. It doesn't stay soggy.
Agreed, any Malus can/will thrive in most soils.. i have NO doubts that, once established, it may stay healthy in that soil..
But what was said about apical buds is true of “crab”malus.. so you will want much ramification from the branches, and consistently short internodes... THIS is “able to happen” MUCH more freely once the ROOT system is ramified....and that soil will foster quick growth, perhaps, but poor ramification beneath the “soil mirror” and bad/uneven bifurcation ABOVE said “mirror”

So it IS up to you.. crabs DO backbud ALRIGHT.. if the tree is HEALTHY...

I would, personally, get it into a large amount of better soil.. like a box... “prune back” to where I wanted to start growing shorter internodes from.. and develop from there...

Use cut paste.

🤓
 

HorseloverFat

Squarepants with Conkers
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We have a number of small Crabs from forest to singles. These do heal ok while young. I have all in Boon mix now. I feed them lots, osmocote and every two weeks fullbore + miracle gro with humic acid etc, water when drying out and give them at least 1/2 to more sun as long as it isn’t blazing hot. Where I live it rarely gets above 85 so mine get full sun.

They grow fast, so watch them if you wire a branch and expect to keep it, as they scar easy.

As far as cutting goes, if it were me, I‘d chop to leave a stub above the first branch myself at 45 degrees to start some directionality and let her run from there.

Also, it would’ve been good to work it’s roots before the repot, but no worries, do it next spring. That will give you time to study the threads here on the Ebihara method and read up on styling progressions for crabapples and their ilk. Remember roots first!

cheers
DSD sends
Just gotta say, I ALSO use/love Osmocote. 🤣🤣
 
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