Mulberry Branch Thickness Sequence

[Firstflush]

If this was to be a fine mushroom topped broom, is the fact that the first primary is not as thick as the second a problem? Bad form?
Or could this be considered a second trunk within the canopy? No front selected yet. Ground grown for about a year then planted on a tile. I could make the thicker second primary a back branch too….

 

[Lorax7]

If this was to be a fine mushroom topped broom, is the fact that the first primary is not as thick as the second a problem? Bad form?

Yes, it is a problem that the second branch is thicker than the first, but it should be a fixable problem. Keep the second branch pruned to prevent it from getting thicker while letting the first branch grow out long to thicken up.

 

[sorce]

I reckon it's inviting you to go lower.

I'd accept.

Sorce

 

[Firstflush]

I reckon it's inviting you to go lower.

I'd accept.

Sorce

I was thinking on that.
Did you folks understand what I was saying WRT the thicker branch being used as a canopy trunk where virtually all the branches extend into the broom canopy vs. alternating branches all the way up…

 

[sorce]

I think so, but I don't think it matters, I think the goal should change enough so it doesn't matter.

For something so willing to bud lower, I don't think you should accept any segments that don't taper.

We should never accept segments with no taper.

Not sure why we do it, perhaps cuz there is a "height requirement" of some sort in mind? Something Mathy?
Then impatience creeps in because we can cut it down and grow it back to that "height" except with taper throughout and more appropriate ramification.

The difference is great, when it comes to "old age assumed", regardless of height. We should always go for "old age assumed" and that only comes from taper.

All we must do is impart taper, everything else just happens.

So these trees that we accept segments with no taper on will always look like some cut down bush trying to be a "Bonzai".

And even if we don't understand anything else, and do everything wrong, a tree with every segment of noticably different thickness will always give a better feeling of age.

So here you are.....IMO....3 moments behind the design in order to "flip flop" the thicknesses of those branches, so that you may use them in a good design even if we don't know exactly what you mean yet, cuz either way, you'd want that lowest branch to be thickest no matter where it's foliage ends up in the canopy.

The third moment is this, where it has already been pruned and set into a pot.

The second moment was while it was in the ground, becoming top heavy.

The first moment was when it was put in the ground without addressing how it was going into strong growth. Leaving more buds to grow on the lower stuff to begin with, than staying on top of it throughout the season.

So it just doesn't make much sense to me to attempt a flip flop now, especially not with mulberry and it's seeming love to bulge with collar buds.

I reckon I'd ground grow it without much worry about the roots since you can layer it fairly easily later.
Use all the ground root energy to grow a good 2 - four segments that are "unbreakable". Something even a year worth of unnoticed growth can't ruin.

The caper is taper.

Sorce

 

[Firstflush]

I must leave it for a few months. After yanking it, major root work and it just recovering I need to let it build some strength first. Or… screw it and go for broke. If what I did didn’t kill it already nothing will.
It is a morus nigra ever bearing variety and it is already trying to set fruit…may be good to go now.

Leaves reduced big time without even trying so that is good.