Do I cut the top buds before the chop?

[oKANGAROUXo]

Hello again y'all!

Chopping 1.5 feet from my 5' Chinese pistache as soon as the buds start to swell. I'm not wanting to shape it, just make it more manageable size wise. Where I'll be cutting it has growth points above and below.

My question: knowing I'm going to cut off the top portion, do I allow the upper buds to continue growing? Or should I give it a snip before the tree starts sending essentially meaningless energy there as we enter spring?

Thanks!

 

[dbonsaiw]

Not sure I understand the question. I assume from the question that you will allow the tree to open and chop later in the spring. If that is the case, just allow the tree to open and chop back at the right time. It's not energy wasted and the new leaves will more than replenish the used energy by the time of the chop.

 

[oKANGAROUXo]

Not sure I understand the question. I assume from the question that you will allow the tree to open and chop later in the spring. If that is the case, just allow the tree to open and chop back at the right time. It's not energy wasted and the new leaves will more than replenish the used energy by the time of the chop.

Thank you for the response! I'm sorry my post wasn't very detailed. I'm more of a carnivorous plant person and a big no-no is to cut a bloom off a VPT, for example. I'll update y'all in a few months after the chop!

 

[Tums]

If you just want to lop off the top, you could do it now. Waiting until the buds swell is for repotting and not necessarily pruning.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

If tree has buds swelling now, I would wait to prune til after the first flush of growth hardens but you may want to check for specifics on that plant species.