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RE: The Curly Willow in Spring 2024

in Team Bonsai • 23 days ago

Lovely little willow. I have a willow in my yard that is the first with leaves this year 🙂 so exciting to see spring emerging. I am always learning from your posts. I don't practice bonsai but appreciate the art. I also am interested in learning about pruning and shaping trees because I have some young apple trees. Once they are well established, I will want work on shaping them.

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My best advice for fruit trees is to try your best to discourage suckers and water sprouts from taking over and shading productive branches.

Prune in Summer the useless whips, and new buds will form in better locations. It is the short side spurs you want to encourage. Be careful not to prune heavy in Winter or Spring, because it encourages more non-fruiting shoots to quickly replace whatever was removed.

Winter wood actually heals poorly. Pruning along the diagonal to let rain slide off is a false myth that doesn't help, so instead always make the least wide cut wound possible. Never cut off the branch collar.

Old apple trees sometimes need supports added. Watch out for a leaning trunk or sagging branches holding too many fruits. A piece of lumber or a guy wire can really help a tree stay in shape.