Canistel pruning

[spaugh]

Do you guys prune the leader or just let it go?  My tree is going straight up like a christmas tree.  Is it ok to let it grow how it wants and not prune or better to remove the leader?  I prefer to have a column shape tree unless theres a reason not to.

This one is in the ground and never been pruned.



This one is a ross I just got, same thing, growing straight up.  Will probably flop over once the stake is removed.  Should I prune it in half or just let it go?

[sahai1]

Mine hasn't needed any pruning, in 3rd year and is very bushy and short, grown from seed., no noticeable leaders.  Perhaps just wait on the one in the ground, the one in nursery go plant already!  Stake it and see if full sun fixes it.  I have found canistel leaves to be long lived, and branches slow growing, so I wouldn't prune it unless necessary.

[Vernmented]

I prune them like most of the other stuff (avo, mango, longan, lychee). I keep 3 - 5 spaced wide crotched scaffolding branches and prune out larger diameter wood from inside the canopy after fruiting to keep the trees bushier and manageable.

[spaugh]

This one has lots of branches close together.  Maybe I should remove 3 of them?  I should have taken care of this a year ago.

[Vernmented]

Maybe something like this. It is hard to tell without being there.

[K-Rimes]

I have a Ross just like that one... Straight as an arrow with very little on the sides. I am soooo tempted to lop the top off. Mine had some flowers already on it when I bought it from Champa (the only one there that was flowering) so I hope it does well.

[pineislander]

These flower on branch tips so it makes sense to have as many tips as possible for fruiting unless you want a large shade tree. Possibly pruning out strong dominant branches might speed up maturity on a seedling. The only ones I have are grafted Trompo and have borne a few fruit in 3 years. Mine are very slow growing and with young fairly slender branches which bend with just two fruit. It blooms a lot, maybe 20 or more flowers on each branch tip, but most don't set.

[OCchris1]

I topped my ross at about 4 ft. The tree threw out some nice branches and currently loaded with fruit. Time will tell if it sends up a new leader to regain its pyramidal shape.

[sahai1]

lucky mine, never pruned

[spaugh]

I topped my ross at about 4 ft. The tree threw out some nice branches and currently loaded with fruit. Time will tell if it sends up a new leader to regain its pyramidal shape.

Sounds nice chris, post some pics.  Im thinking mine needs to be topped but hate to do it.  I really want to keep it a column shape.  Mainly because its going to be crowded with the tree spacing in that area. 

[spaugh]

lucky mine, never pruned

Yeah yours looks awesome.  Seedling trees are the best growers. 

[OCchris1]

For some reason this pic is the only one available in my photo album at the moment. I took some of the overall shape but alas, no can do. The tree is maybe (now) 4-5 ft. with a pretty thick trunk, and holding 20+ fruits (I will thin).

[gnappi]

My Fairchild #2 has been in ground since Feb. 2011 and I've never topped it and it is approximately 13' tall and reasonably bushy likely by virtue of my tip pruning lower branches after the fruiting season.

This year I will top it just to shape it and keep fruit within reach of my picker.

[spaugh]

For some reason this pic is the only one available in my photo album at the moment. I took some of the overall shape but alas, no can do. The tree is maybe (now) 4-5 ft. with a pretty thick trunk, and holding 20+ fruits (I will thin).

Nice chris.  This forum needs a like button 

I planted my ross last weekend in full sun then we got hit with the dry weather and wind.  I sprayed it with clay but havent gone to see if its still alive yet. 

[spaugh]

My Fairchild #2 has been in ground since Feb. 2011 and I've never topped it and it is approximately 13' tall and reasonably bushy likely by virtue of my tip pruning lower branches after the fruiting season.

This year I will top it just to shape it and keep fruit within reach of my picker.

Nice, I decided to just let mine go and not prune it.

[OCchris1]

Thanks Brad! I had it in a pot in full sun after I purchased it but it never had that nice deep green color that it has now. I have it next to a lychee and under a 25ft avocado and now its healthy and fruiting. We will see how it turns out. Good luck Brad, sorry to hear about your troubles.

[spaugh]

Thanks Brad! I had it in a pot in full sun after I purchased it but it never had that nice deep green color that it has now. I have it next to a lychee and under a 25ft avocado and now its healthy and fruiting. We will see how it turns out. Good luck Brad, sorry to hear about your troubles.

The canistels looked ok when I looked yesterday.  Not too much damage out there.  Amazingly my lychees did a big flush through last weeks dry heat without any damage.  Ive got a big avocado tree starting to tip over and a few other trees snapped clean off but 99% looks ok.