Q:Jap. Quince pruning. (large images)

joakimlinden

I bought this at the end of last summer. I began my interest in bonsai last summer... So, not knowing exactly why and what to do I chopped off most of the long branches and kept the pot covered with bark chips over winter. It pulled through and is now thriving... Or so it seems.

My question now is brach selection and genaral advice. I've noticed that the quince doesn't behave like "regular" decidious trees in that it doesn't produce branches in a way that I'm familiar with... The trunk divides directly into 3 big branches - of which one or two have a barky texture and the last one has a young feel.

I would very much appreciate your input on where to cut - especially which one(s) of the three branches I should keep... I'm thinking that the middle one will cause a less visible scar, also since I don't have any real bonsai tools yet.

Should I perhaps cut down everything except parts of the branch(es) that comes off the trunk and try to rebuild a tree structure from scratch? Is that even possible with Quince? Many questions... Hope someone takes time to load the images and provide some nice input!

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Best regards, Joakim

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Bart Thomas(deceased)

Joakim:

Please resize your images. They are simply too big to work with.

See Resizing thread for some ideas on free software that can help.

joakimlinden

Oh, I have no problem with software... I just had to go to work and was in a real rush. I'll replace the images later today.

I DID however warn about their size in the subject...just to be clear

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Best regards, Joakim

jguyett

For what it is worth here is the advise I received about my pseudcydonia sinesis: Put it in the ground for a couple of years and feed heavily, they are fast growing up to 8 feet a year. They also grow easily from cuttings, but you will have to research when to take the cuttings, i.e. spring or fall.

jg

cbobgo

I would say, if you are wanting to have a smallish tree you need to remove 2 of those 3 branches. Alternatively, you could leave them on as sacrifice branches to thicken the lower trunk, with the plan of removing them in a year or two. Growing in the ground, as mentioned, would help as well. Although, if it was me, I would probably remove at least one of them. I think if you left both, you might have a big bulge to deal with later on.

- bob

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joakimlinden

No other suggestions? I guess two of them should go, but which one has the best future?

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Best regards, Joakim

cbobgo

Well, you have to imagine the tree with each branch as the new leader. Take 2 pieces of paper and block out 2 of the 3 branches, and look at it from all angles. Whichever one gives you a look that is most pleasing - that's the one to go with. You want to look for things like width at the base, position of the nebari and visual flow up the trunk to the new leader. Hopefully, within all the various combinations, you will find one that speaks to you more than the others.

- bob

__________________
"As a twig is bent the tree inclines" - Virgil (70BC-19BC)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Check out my blog: bonsaiapprentice

joakimlinden

Thanks bob.
The problem I have is the growth pattern of the quince. Since that picture set it has sprouted green leaves up and down all branches and I have no idea which ones are going to form branches or how that whole process works with this particular plant. Ficus for instance are much more predictable...

Also... I'm not aiming for a perfectly designed bonsai at this stage in my learning - I'm just happy if I get a close enough look without killing the trees.

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Best regards, Joakim

jeremy_norbury

If it was mine - famous last words - I would take off ALL the branches because I don't see anything useful.

Put it in the ground (might be tricky for you depending on climate) or a box for a few years and see what else develops. This plant clearly back-buds.

Does it flower at all?

Here in Holland all the quince are flowering right now - and they are used all over the city as hedging plants. Mental note - I have to take some cuttings this year.

Jerry
Amsterdam

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