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If you remove the terminal bud of any branch, you will create a slight bend in the branch: The buds closer to the trunk will start to develop, typically, the first bud encountered from the removed one will display the strongest growth. But as the bud is at the side of the branch, it will grow at a slight angle to the direct line. (Naturally, you can sort-of overcome this by bending the branch; see met trunk thickening article).

Just remember: In nature branches often grow very irregularly. Certainly not in a direct path. So there is nothing wrong with a few light twists and turns.

Have a look at this tree:





Look very carefully at the branches. You notice how none of them are actually straight? The art is in deciding where to keep side-branches, and in which direction you want the plant to develop te next branch. Also, same as for the trunk; Try to keep a nice taper to all the branches. All side-branches are smaller than the main branch.

When clipping the branches, there are several options, depending on the species: Some species have their leaves in pairs (Both sides of the branch a leave sits, exactly opposite to eachother. Here you can expect both buds to develop; Clip the branch where you want to; naturally this is done close to the bud you would like to start growing, but not so close that the bud gets damaged. Experience will tell you how close you can get. Decide which one you would like to develop. The shoot will grow at a slight angle away from the old branch.

Other species have only one leave at a given location. Here you will have to select the spot where you clip the branch based on the direction you want to branch to take.

The more terminal buds / growing tips you remove, the stronger the back-budding will take place. Growing plants may not backbud all that strongly, but will have explosive growth on growing tips that have not been removed. Get to know your plant, to decide what response you can expect when trimming.

Note that very strong trimming may result in very extensive back-budding on some species. (See my profile picture: This ficus was trimmed back by 2 meters and left to sprout before being root-trimmed & taken as a cutting).

Be carefull trimming narrow-leaved species (Pine, juniper etc) as the may not back-bud at all!

Hi Jelle,

Wow! Thank you for the image and explaination. What a stunning tree! I can see the effects of the directional pruning which is so natural looking; the branch structure of the apex alone is amazing. I am so looking forward to practicing this method with my young, rooted cuttings.

Thanks a tonne very helpful! :silly:

:ohmy: That is a GORGEOUS tree

Thnx for sharing. Extremely inspirational

It is always easier to understand the explanation with a visual example.

aklister71 wrote: :ohmy: That is a GORGEOUS tree

Thnx for sharing. Extremely inspirational

It is always easier to understand the explanation with a visual example.

Just note that it is not MY tree!

Jelle...don't you wish, huh? I think we would all luv to be able to take the credit for growing such a magnificent tree! :lol:

Hey! How come you've got 11 karmas and mine has been sitting at 5 since forever? :ohmy: ...sigh...I must be losing my touch...

It was the pic of the tree - I'm sure .. :lol:
.. it was the cherry on top of the explanation.

Leslie,
The branch will stop growing if you pinch the end leaf. where you leave a leaf is more important. That leaf will turn in to a branch. If you pinch off all the end leaves, the tree will back bud from dormant nodes further down on the branch. It's pretty interesting to watch it progress.

Leslie wrote: Jelle...don't you wish, huh? I think we would all luv to be able to take the credit for growing such a magnificent tree! :lol:

Hey! How come you've got 11 karmas and mine has been sitting at 5 since forever? :ohmy: ...sigh...I must be losing my touch...

Hmm.. time., In time we will all be able to have such a tree.

As for the karma.. I dunno. I have asked Oscar to put a tally by posts that get karma. THat way you can actually see which posts people liked. I am actually surprised how little the karma's are used, considering the number of helpfull postspeople place/