Nanking cherry, when & where to chop?

[JoeWilson]

This is from a clump I dug out a few weeks ago that was languishing under a thick hedge of other cherries. It seems to be back budding nicely, so I pruned off what didn't make it (most of the smaller branches). It's about a foot tall, and I don't have a specific style in mind for it yet. Two questions:

1. Should I let it grow out for another year, or should I chop it now?
2. Where would you chop it?

Nanking cherries volunteer like mad on my property (along with choke cherries and about 5 other types of cherries), and they're pretty tough, so I'm not too worried about killing it.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Above the bend at a shorter distance than the lower section.

When - we cut ours either early in the spring or after the first leaves harden off…

However there are a number of Nan king cherry bonsai that were first created by repeated cuts of the lawnmower. Maybe that’s why they call this tree the Tormented Cherry!

Best,
DSD sends

 

[JoeWilson]

Above the bend at a shorter distance than the lower section.

When - we cut ours either early in the spring or after the first leaves harden off…

However there are a number of Nan king cherry bonsai that were first created by repeated cuts of the lawnmower. Maybe that’s why they call this tree the Tormented Cherry!

Best,
DSD sends

Thanks, I went for it! Maybe a little higher than you were suggesting, but I figure I can always take it back more if I need to. I've got a bud coming out just below the cut line, so let's see if that one wants to be the new leader. It's sending out tons of healthy suckers, so I think it's doing okay.




I have a couple of cherries near the edge of the lawn that have been weed-whacked a few times. I will probably throw them in a pot if they continue to cling to life. My wife is sick of tripping over them, and they go into the compost if she gets to them before me.