Prunus Mume

[Brian Van Fleet]

Did a little maintenance work on this Ume today. I think it’s been described somewhere on this thread before, that removing a interior few leaves per shoot now helps encourage vegetative buds at those petioles for next year. It helps combat the Ume tendency to grow leggy, and to have not-viable leaf buds in the interior branches.
From this:

To this:

Close-up:

Here is one branch as an example of what the Ume will do. This branch is still alive for now, but has no buds, and will be dead by next year.

By removing the leaves last year, it increases the chances of getting multiple shoots on the same branch this year:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Not too many leaves were removed. Here is a before and after comparison, though the light is different and may not show it very well.

And it’s still actively growing. It will be allowed to grow all summer, and then be pruned back for shape in fall, in anticipation of blooming.

 

[leatherback]

Looking good.
I just realized.. You created this thread in the year I was starting to get serious about bonsai. Really must focus on the journey and not the long term end result or else go crazy considering the time it takes to develop good trees!

I flipped through the thread again but did not spot it.. What is the size now? I guess a 4 inch trunk? 2-3ft tall?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I flipped through the thread again but did not spot it.. What is the size now? I guess a 4 inch trunk? 2-3ft tall?

Long-term thinking is always a good idea in Bonsai. It is just under 24” high and 4” wide.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice shot from this AM...

 

[JudyB]

So do you remove more than 2 leaves ? I suppose it depends on branch length too.
Nice measuring stick, great idea!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So do you remove more than 2 leaves ? I suppose it depends on branch length too.
Nice measuring stick, great idea!

Not usually, just the first 2 seems to be enough, and then I’ll shorten this year’s extension growth a little when the leaves drop and the flower buds start to swell. I marked and photographed a couple branches to share a multi-year progression of the results of this technique, which I should be able to share next spring.

And the measuring stick was robbed straight from @Smoke

 

[Deleted member 21616]

I marked and photographed a couple branches to share a multi-year progression of the results of this technique, which I should be able to share next spring

Thank you!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nekked shot...need time to prune and wire...

 

[Warpig]

Nekked shot...need time to prune and wire...
View attachment 269325

Vary nice! Would love a pic after you wire too please.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Almost that time again. Wiring will have to wait until after blooming to avoid knocking off all the flower buds.

 

[AndyJ]

Brilliant image BVF! Really nice.

Do you mind me asking a quick question? How long does it take to get the nice thick trunk? I’ve got three mumes - an “omoi no mama”, a “beni chidori” and another unmanned. The omoi and the beni both flower but the other doesn’t yet. They grow real vigourous, putting out lots of long growth but the trunks aren’t getting thicker. Do I need to cut off the long side shoots and just leave the leader to grow to get some height to them? While the flowers are lovely, am happy to sacrifice these for the sake of the long term aim.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Brilliant image BVF! Really nice.

Do you mind me asking a quick question? How long does it take to get the nice thick trunk? I’ve got three mumes - an “omoi no mama”, a “beni chidori” and another unmanned. The omoi and the beni both flower but the other doesn’t yet. They grow real vigourous, putting out lots of long growth but the trunks aren’t getting thicker. Do I need to cut off the long side shoots and just leave the leader to grow to get some height to them? While the flowers are lovely, am happy to sacrifice these for the sake of the long term aim.

It depends. In the ground, they can fatten up relatively quickly, but you really need to let them grow. Check out this other Ume thread on one I’ve been growing out for 10 years or so; in the ground and in an Anderson Flat. I let it grow to 8-10’ tall regularly before cutting it back. I also keep adventitious shoots on the trunk, but trimmed short for use later. It has yet to flower, but I’m developing the trunk now, and branches later, followed by blooms at some point.

I bought this one with the trunk pretty much how you see it.

 

[AndyJ]

Thanks Brian- I’ll have a read

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

New ”tokonoma” build underway, had to stop and test it out with the Ume blooming.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Close up:

 

[cmeg1]

Enjoy,man.That’s great

 

[namnhi]

Just in time for the new year! Beautiful.

 

[Hartinez]

Gorgeous image Brian. The black with a border of wood trim is stunning. It may have been cut off in the photo you posted, but one more line of neatly trimmed wood along the top of the black back drop would be really nice. Either way, it’s very striking what you’ve got so far.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Gorgeous image Brian. The black with a border of wood trim is stunning. It may have been cut off in the photo you posted, but one more line of neatly trimmed wood along the top of the black back drop would be really nice. Either way, it’s very striking what you’ve got so far.

Thanks, stay tuned...