Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Grubbypaws on September 13, 2018, 13:38
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I bought a winter greening as a maiden whip and followed instructions from the RHS pruning and training book.
I cut back the whip and nicked below the 2 topmost buds to help develop wide angled laterals. Last winter I selected 4 of the best placed shoots which I pruned to create the main framework. Three of these laterals have behaved themselves and have stayed wide angled but the fourth which is the uppermost shoot is heading for the sky and is attempting to become a new leading shoot.
This winter should I take this shoot out entirely leaving me with just 3 well spaced branches or should I shorten it drastically to an outward facing bud? Part of the problem is the vigour of this new leader but also maybe that I am wanting it to grow in a northerly direction.
Any help appreciated :)
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I wanted my young tree to be an open goblet shape, so I had to tie one of the 4 main branches down (rope and tent peg in lawn) - to make the branch go where I wanted it to. After a couple of years it hardened up and stayed there by itself :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSDy21iwVFc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSDy21iwVFc)
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I wanted my young tree to be an open goblet shape, so I had to tie one of the 4 main branches down (rope and tent peg in lawn) - to make the branch go where I wanted it to. After a couple of years it hardened up and stayed there by itself :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSDy21iwVFc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSDy21iwVFc)
The portion near the trunk is older wood and I dont think will bend any longer. Last winter I pruned to a downward bud hoping to correct the direction of growth but it completely ignored the book and started growing from the upward facing bud next to it :mad: This is a branch with attitude. I think that I might try cutting back to a few inches from the trunk and then keep a beady eye on what grows and as you did mumofstig, Tie it down!
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:D Tried tying it down as M of S suggested and it has worked wonderfully well. Thank you!
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Last winter I pruned to a downward bud hoping to correct the direction of growth but it completely ignored the book and started growing from the upward facing bud next to it :mad: This is a branch with attitude.
There's a simple solution for branches with attitude ;) Wish my winter greening had some though, it just sits there even on mm106. Pulling it down should reduce it's vigour but if it's a scaffold don't take it too far and make it wimpy, It may pay to shorten it in winter by 1/3 to thicken it up.