I did it again. I ordered a new tree with absolutely no vacant space. I am going to sacrifice a couple small garden beds for it. They together can give me 6’X8’ spot.
-----------------------------1) Is it possible to maintain ichi tree to that size(6X8)?
I need to build a structure for winter protection and prefer to do it once for maximum size it will be maintained. If 6X8 is not enough,
------------------------------ 2) what is the minimum lot size I need?
I can do it a 8X8 if sacrifice a pathway between future tree and my cucumbers enclosure, that I will have to make smaller as tree grows, and it is not something I really want to do. Anything bigger then 8X8 will make my movement around upper garden a crawling under my beloved persimmon tree .
----------------------------- 3) What kind of pruning is used for that tree?
I found that it could be central leader or open vase, but what is better, and what type will keep the tree more narrow?
----------------------------- 4) How long it takes for the tree to start producing?
------------------------------5) When does it flower(month) in colder zones, it there risk of spring frost for it??(5B)
------------------------------6) What time of the year is best for pruning?
------------------------------7) Anything else I need to know before I did fatal mistakes? (I already know about winter protection)
Thanks in advance!
yes, already did, it is mostly about winter protection, he is the one who I can blame for unexpected persimmon tree . He showed that it is possible in zone 5.
Galina,
A structure of 6’X8’ would be sufficient. You can just prune the top off at 8 feet in late March. You don’t have to worry about late frost if you have a structure to cover it. Just keep an eye on the weather for your last date of frost and remove the cover. It will fruit in about 2 to 3 years. Don’t fertilize too much because that will cause fruits to drop.
Tony
Thanks, Tony, and how do you shape your trees - central leader or vase?
More like a vase.
Tony
Hi, one more question to persimmon experts. My persimmon came in is a 3’ whip. It started to wake up and I noticed two nice sets of opposite buds around one foot above the graft. My goal is to have the tree under 8’ tall as it will be growing in the winter enclosure 8’ tall. Would it make sense to prune the whip above that two sets of buds to encourage low grows, or should I let it grow as is and decide on the shape later? Stark’s, where I got it from, claims it is “professionally pruned”, so may be I shouldn’t mess with it?
I personally would’ve passed on buying that persimmon. I’d hate to have to pronounce that name when someone asked me what tree it was. Lol. Just kidding
I like to keep my persimmon trees at ~8’ ft tall and wide, and I find that branching about 3’ above ground level works well for this. You could let it branch lower, but I with a heavy fruit load, low branches can hang really close to the ground and get in the way of a weed wacker or mower, as well as give ants and other bugs easy access to the fruit. It’s probably not a big deal either way, but definitely don’t feel forced to let those two buds form your scaffold branches if you’d rather have a different form.
Mine started fruiting in its 4th year. I got good production on that tree, kept at under 8 feet for about another 4 years before I lost it to winter.
I protected it only the first year.
It was grafted over to Nikita’s Gift last summer.
Scott
Tony my fuyu got a good bit of frost damage in 7a this year. A bunch of the leaves and buds froze though there is new growth coming in on a couple of the remaining branches. Are the damaged buds permanently gone? Any tips for brininging it back to life? its been in the ground for 3 years and this really sucks.
In your experience, is it possible to keep it under 8’ tall and under 6’ wide also at least one direction? I have very limited space, just 6X8.
I would let it grows out and in a few.months just prune off all the dead branches.
Tony
I would let the tree grow and shape it later.
Tony
Yes, Asian persimmons are not very vigorous growers so they are fairly easy to train. Some people in borderline zones will even train them as espaliers along a south facing fence/wall for winter protection and added summer heat to hasten ripening.
Thanks all!
Stark Brothers Nursery is telling me my Ichi Ki Kei Jiro is to be “helped” breaking its dormancy by pruning the tip-top at a 45° angle.
Is this normal for this tree? Will this tree not break dormancy without this step?
There’s no need to prune it. Obviously it will break dormancy on its own. A (sub)species that couldn’t break dormancy without human intervention would quickly go extinct.
One of the attractions of IKKJ for a grower in a marginal zone like me (Z7A) is that it breaks dormancy a little later than other Kaki’s so it is less liable to be damaged by late frost. So it is a little slow – maybe a week or so behind Saijo or Giboshi. But you’ll barely notice the difference and may end up appreciating it.
never did that to mine(I had two) and it had no problem to break dormancy.
Oh, I appreciate it, all right–this early blooming Apricot helped me appreciate late blooms in this Zone (6b-7a–we’re in the “Banana Belt” of this area, next to a mountain, so, as temperatures drop into the low 20s and 10s, we start staying 10°F wamer)!