Shohin Crabapple Transformation

[John Ruger]

This is one of my crabapples needing a change. The only part that really has any interest is the base and lower trunk.

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I removed the wire scarred branch on the left and took a look from a bunch of different angles to see if it was worth keeping the R trunk which made the whole thing look like the letter "d".

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I decided to take it off and allow for new shoots to take its place. After the removal and the new shoots began to develop, I played around with shaping the new shoots into some different shapes. I wanted to integrate movement with the branches and new leader with the contortion of the base.

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I left it alone until this spring. I made just a few adjustments and I'll keep developing it from there.

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[catfish chapstick]

i like it. nice roots. it will look really nice once the branches fill in

 

[sfhellwig]

It is an interesting piece, indeed. If you are aiming for Shohin (approx 12") I think it will look very nice by time it gets there. By the size of your thumb this only appears to be 3-4" tall at the stump. Your branches are already thickening in and you have a shoot going straight up. I would be tempted to let that leader grow unchecked, using what you have as the bottom of a nice trunk, still being built. I'm sure you have either considered that or are going a different direction with your intended movement. Wish I had a nice starting place like this one. After the previous removals, this tree looks to be on a good track.

 

[Bill S]

John where are you, I ask because this looks a little too wet, might want to loose the moss, malus in general like water, but the moss might be keeping it too wet.

 

[John Ruger]

Hi Catfish, thank you for the compliment. I agree, the roots are what makes it unique. It's going to be interesting to see the branch development...I'll keep you guys posted on the progress

 

[John Ruger]

Thanks sfhellwig I agree, 100% to let the primary leader grow out. I really want to see how I can continue the branch and leader development in a way that fits into the contortions of the trunk...as opposed to letting it grow straight out.

Hi Bill S. I live in S.E. PA, and the weather has been off and on; we've had some days of near 80 degrees and sun, yet today it's cloudy, rainy and 50-ish. The main reason I used the moss is because I use a fairly fast draining soil and the way the weather has been, and the way my schedule has been it just gives me a bit of peace-of-mind. What I do 2x daily is pull a piece of moss off and with my finger check the soil dampness.