Thanks @Brian Van Fleet, I guess I’m now seeing what I’ve seen documented online (including on your blog) regarding branches getting longer as the tree progress due to growth only occurring on the tips of branches. I’ll report back in spring.
Please be aware that vegetative buds can and often form beneath to the side of floral buds even after the flower bud opens. When the flower drops they often begin to become apparent. At least that is my experience. I have seen this happen after frost has affected the early bloom.
Apologies for leaving you out of my initial “experienced Ume growers” list 
No worries, Sean. You definitely tagged the right people aboveThank you @River's Edge, appreciate your insights. I’ve had very good ramification building progress over the past 2 seasons with these plants using partial defoliation. I’ll share some updates once the trees are leafless. This is the first season they’d produced many flower buds though so hadn't had any bud confusion until now.
@Dav4 I see you
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You are far too kind! I don’t see them as being amazing just yet but I have some high hopes!
I know what you mean. I put mine in the ground, middle of last year grow season and it grew moderately. However, this year it really beefed up. I would love for it to go another year but I'm following the every other year dig up, work nebari, place back in ground regimen2 years in the ground, look at the amount of wood it put on this past season!
@Adamski77 I’ve only worked with young nursery stock which have all responded really well to the initial hard cutback/chops like rice seen. The single approach graft I was successful with was to add a back branch to one of my trees, which is growing beautifully now. I have seen thread grafting being successful too with Umes online so it can be done. Ume grow nice long canes/shoots so you should be able to grow some useable whips for grafting within a season.
thank you @SeanS ... whips is something I really can't complain about... very long@Adamski77 I’ve only worked with young nursery stock which have all responded really well to the initial hard cutback/chops like rice seen. The single approach graft I was successful with was to add a back branch to one of my trees, which is growing beautifully now. I have seen thread grafting being successful too with Umes online so it can be done. Ume grow nice long canes/shoots so you should be able to grow some useable whips for grafting within a season.
If your trees have already been in pots for a while I’d be hesitant with very drastic cuts to try induce back budding, although I’m sure if they’re still fairly young and vigorous they should still respond as well as my nursery stock has
. My trees are probably similar age to the one you have in the ground though bark looks more mature so maybe slightly older. Appreciate your advise... I'll try some thread grafts in spring and let's see what happens.
Both had really good roots, a big spreading base met me under the soil and by sawing straight across the bottom of the root ball I needed up with nice flat bases that will fit into bonsai pots perfectly in the future. 
