More Almond - Letting a Sacrificial Branch Run?

[Firstflush]

I’m messing around with a few almonds. I have read they make poor bonsai but anyway…

This is about a 5” pot. Tree is in its 3rd year. I let a branch run to see if I can build the trunk up. I have side branching on the sacrificial 3 feet away from the crown. Would you take the terminal tip off and let the new cluster of branches take off or leave it. The tree is nowhere near any final trunk size. I don’t know if prunus dulcis is worth the effort. We will see.

 

[sorce]

You're not supposed to Mounds the soil.

So keep your Almond Joy!

Sorce

 

[Firstflush]

Bump. Sorry if it was a dumb question.
I figured taking the tip off would get the cluster of branches at the end of the sacrificial to explode In growth causing the main trunk to girth up.

 

[Tums]

The tip of the sacrifice branch or the tip of the main tree?

 

[Firstflush]

Sacrifice. Like four side branches just before the tip.

 

[Tums]

I'm not sure how tipping the branch will make a difference in the total growth of the branch (just redirecting it from elongating further to splitting it among the little branchlets), so it doesn't seem like there would be a big difference to me.

 

[dacoontz]

My understanding is you want to direct growth to the apex or the trunk line. If a side branch or future primary branch is taking over and outgrowing the trunk line then it should be stopped by shortening/pruning. Not sure if almonds are apically dominant though, not that it matters completely in this case.

 

[Firstflush]

It became simliar thickness to the main trunk. I shortened it but saw it was zapping strength from the main tree so I removed it. Hopefully, the main branches will take off now. That branch kept the main tree growing slower however did its job of fattening the trunk some.