Lots of helpful information.
Here’s an example of how I use pruned branches and suckers from around the yard to spread the limbs on my apple trees.
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What are you using? Other sticks to bend the branches down with?
I have a couple of non-fruit trees around the yard that send up suckers which work great. I just cut the suckers at an angle on both ends, kinda of like a whip and tongue graft, and wedge them where needed.
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Thank you! That’s really helpful to see.
Was your goal to get a strong crotch angle, or to bend to horizontal?
To answer your question I think they go hand in hand so I get both benefits from training this way.
So far in my cherry and apple tree training, I’ve learned that clothespins are evil.
I have a 4-graft cherry tree, and clothespins killed at least one graft. They gouged the bark and killed that section.
The apples survived the clothespin menace and are doing ok, just need a bit more bending. I’m looking at string or pipecleaner + bolt this time.
Replying to dimitri_7a:
I have used Ann Ralph’s “Grow a Little Fruit Tree” methods with success.
I agree that basic pruning is not included in the book, but if it had been, it would be a different and much longer book.
The author assumes the user already knows how to prune a fruit tree, and wants to learn a more advanced technique.
I recommend the book to my fruit-growing friends.
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is there a good companion book to read along with it that does cover those basics?
Any good pruning book.
what type of soft ties are those?
That is the white wire… from your standard 12/2 romex electrical wire … which is used to wire up 20 amp circuit in home.
I use the bare wire (ground) for attaching tags to trees.
I had a roll of it left over from our home build and use it for misc stuff like that.
The white and black wires in the romex have a somewhat soft rubbery/plastic insulating coating.
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ah! pretty INGENIUS!
I was thinking something like pipe cleaner but they would not be strong or long enough.
Great idea for some type wire repurposed…
.with a gauge enough to shape the tree limb, bonsai style.
My concern about staking is that perhaps the limb would not thicken the same at the crotch because you wouldn’t get that motion from the wind that the tree responds with by thickening the flex point of the branch.
Just wonder if the temperature of the metal in the sun would burn the branch.
Weights I’m sure work, but when I tried I was surprised how many it took to bend the branch. At least they move in the wind.
Perhaps overthinking, but it is true trees grow differently in wind.
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