Ume is tricky. I let my Ume grow long extensions over the summer to build energy. Trying to “pinch them back” or cutting back to a Silohette will often suppress their flower production.
I have a friend who has a beautiful Ume. In the summer. I asked him, “what color are the flowers?”. He said, “I don’t know, it’s never bloomed”.
Well, it’s because he kept it trimmed back, never letting the stems grow out and get strong.
My technique is to let it grow in the spring, and fertilize heavily. Around the middle of May, once the new shoots have grown out 18 inches or so, cut back to half the new growth. Remove the first two leaves on each stem. And wire, paying particular attention to the first couple inches. The timing is important. Do it while the branch still is flexible enough to bend. (So, mid-May for me, your mileage may vary). Continue to fertilize. Over the summer the leaves will curl. They’ll look like they’re drying up, and are in need of water. They’re not, that’s just what they do if the tree is making flower buds. If the leaves stay flat and pretty, no flowers. The tree is rather unattractive. It gets hidden in the back of the garden, lol. In fall, remove the leaves. At that time, I can see the flower buds, and I might cut back some more. (I know I’m removing flowers when I do this! Ugh! So, I usually keep it leggy because I like the flowers.). In the dead of winter, it blooms! For two weeks, it’s the most beautiful thing in my garden! After it blooms, I cut back. Hard. Back to where I pulled off those leaves. The buds there are vegetative buds, and will grow shoots. And the cycle repeats.
My tree is pretty ugly during the spring, summer, and fall. But when it blooms in winter, OMG!
So, I told my friend my routine. He said, “I can’t do that”. “Why, not?” “Because I want my tree to look good in summer.” I told him, ”Dude, that’s what maples are for!”
Everyone’s different. LOL!!!
