Emla7 stool bed

I planted an EMLA 7 this past spring with the intention of making a stool bed. It grew pretty well and is 5 1/2 feet tall now. So now what do I do? Does it need to grow another summer? Should I cut it off short below the bottom branch so it can bush out? Here is a couple of photos, I marked one where I was thinking of cutting it off

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You can whack it this season, I’d do a few inches lower. Give it nitrogen in the spring to encourage vegetative growth, and start piling up sawdust early.

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Thank you for the information!

Neat project! If you aren’t rushed for time, consider giving it another season before decapitation, which should be just a couple inches above soil line. Allowing the tree to establish itself for another year will let the roots develop quicker and stronger, they are the engine that will drive production of more plentiful and vigorous regrowth sprouts in the years to come.

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