Adam...I remember you going into a lengthy explanation on yahoo as to why you prune your jabs in this manner. Would you please share those explanations here? Again...I'm sure more folks are interested in jabs but are scared off by the length of time it takes to begin fruiting. Thanks.
Yes Jay,
the reason to prune them good and early (especially certain varieties with fruits on wood thicker than 2 inches or so), to establish the wood you have selected to fruit at an early period in the trees life, thereby forcing the tree to grow thicker on the branches you've chosen to keep, and fruit.
Don't let suckers (little branches that will make your jabo turn into a bush with no light penetrating old branches) over run your branches you've selected to fruit!
So that little Red Jaboticaba will fruit sooner, with less energy being devoted to vegetative growth in branches, and more to old wood and flower formation on the caulis.
I also keep tips pruned to encourage branching, instead of long shoots, like in before picture of Sabara in ground.
PLEASE NOTE! the wood is hard as hell, and you'll need a saw for best pruning method of old large branches (bigger than 2inches), they can easily bend the best and largest loppers, and also grow in crazy angles that can make loppers impossible to use! Get a good pruning saw if you want to prune a big one!! Oscar...i think this means u...LOL
Hope this helps more!
Thanks Jay!