Most of the new spring growth has already started to harden off and deepen in color. I feel like maybe I could have waited a
bit longer to work on it, but I gotta take advantage of the days when I have time. It exploded with growth again this spring and needed a lot of cutting back.
I really don't have any experience with this phase of development -- some branches I want to really thicken to help the transition from the thick trunks I cut 2 seasons ago, and in other areas it almost looks like the thickness is where I want it and need to start working on secondary and tertiary branches. I noticed some areas that were getting really shaded out and starting to die, so I tried to cut back harder on top, and cut off every other leaf to let more air and light in to the interior.
These are the areas where I need to really thicken the new leader to help the transition.
In that spot, it's almost like a secondary trunk I'm trying to develop, I don't like the single trunk style on deciduous, and am trying really hard to have another thick trunk here too.
This is on the back side. That thick new leader I let run and is about 4' tall probably. I'm just propping it up and trying to get it as thick as possible to help smooth out that transition.
This is a little branch, but I think important because of its location on the back. It was getting shaded out because of all the foliage above it.
This section here up near the top, I originally was thinking of cutting that knob off to help transition to the new leader on the front.
But then I was looking at this on the back and wondering if I should cut above these 2 medium branches here as the start of the new apex. It would shorten the tree a bit and provide a nice split into 2 leaders, which may improve the transition into the apex? I really have no clue as I have never done this before.
It's hard to imagine what cuts now will develop into 2 or 3 years down the road.
This is the current front nebari, where I'd like to perform maybe 2 root grafts here?
And then on the back side, possibly 3 root grafts here.