Help with crab apple question?

[darby dude]

Howdy...so I have a crabapple that I got at an estate sale last spring, (feel very fortunate) while blooming. Long story short, what do I do with fruit? Prune off, let fall off? It was well on its way to being root bound and after raking out the roots they were almost 2’ in length. Although long, there wasn’t a lot and were fairly thin and lots of fines. I missed pruning in fall as I read I was supposed to but with cutting some of roots would basic pruning of suckers and undesirables be ok? To sum up, what do I do with fruit? And how much pruning to have good balance with roots to branches ratio, since cutting of some roots Were necessary? Thanks-D
Didn’t have phone when repotting so no pics of that but here’s one last spring and one post repot today,

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Cobbler or some fruit pie?

Just hacking with ya. You can leave it on and enjoy the look, I always like the look of crabapple bonsai when it is leafless and has fruit on it. If you are tired of it, just cut it off with your shears. Do this by cutting the stem of each apple about a mm or two before where it connects to the branch, the mm or two of stem that is left will fall off in a week or two.

 

[sorce]

Before just cutting em off.....

I'd see if you can't get that final image a bit nicer with select removal.
It's a bit heavy on top.

You only get to practice this once a year!

Sorce

 

[darby dude]

with select removal.

I feel as though it could use select pruning in several places but not sure how it will affect flower/fruit-ing. I read that fall was the time to prune crabapples but with amount of roots cut off for repotting, shouldn't I thin the top as well (approximately as much as the roots) for a healthier tree?

 

[sorce]

I feel as though it could use select pruning in several places but not sure how it will affect flower/fruit-ing. I read that fall was the time to prune crabapples but with amount of roots cut off for repotting, shouldn't I thin the top as well (approximately as much as the roots) for a healthier tree?

Not sure!

I was only talking fruit removal!

I think with the thin trunk, the canopy should be narrowed....
With a focus on F and F display.

Sorce

 

[darby dude]

More accurately, will I be affecting its flowering by pruning it down a bit now?

 

[LanceMac10]

Pretty good chance you'll cut your flower buds off if you prune in fall.

 

[sorce]

Google says now is good!

Sorce

 

[darby dude]

great, thanks....
lol, what did you mean by F display? I don't get out much I guess.

 

[LanceMac10]

Put your location in your profile for Christ-sake!!!

 

[LanceMac10]

And don't prune anything besides taking off the spent fruit.

 

[darby dude]

you'll cut your flower buds off if you prune in fall.

ok, well I am fairly new at this and rely on the web and forums for learned information and a website said that fall prune for fruiting in spring. With that (being a little vague to me) I then ask these questions seen....I definitely am on a slow roll learning.

 

[darby dude]

Put your location in your profile for Christ-sake!!!

done

 

[JudyB]

Try reading this thread, good information from @Stan Kengai he knows his stuff about crabapples!
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/crabapple-renovation.6379/

 

[sorce]

F

Fruit and flower!

If Google says cut in dormant......your buds should be good.

Sorce

 

[darby dude]

Try reading this thread, good information from @Stan Kengai he knows his stuff about crabapples!
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/crabapple-renovation.6379/

That was perfect!!! TY Judy!!!, I am forever grateful!!! As much as fruiting is eagerly anticipated, I truly look forward to my flowering trees the most every year, with color change in fall second and fruiting is somewhere after. There are a lot of things to look forward too with bonsai, hard to pic a favorite really.

 

[JudyB]

That was perfect!!! TY Judy!!!, I am forever grateful!!! As much as fruiting is eagerly anticipated, I truly look forward to my flowering trees the most every year, with color change in fall second and fruiting is somewhere after. There are a lot of things to look forward too with bonsai, hard to pic a favorite really.

You are welcome DD. But really you have to thank Stan for these nuggets. He's a wealth of knowledge, there are several people here who really know their stuff!
I love flowering trees the most. Most of my collection is skewing that direction these days. My cherry is blooming currently, they are so sweet.