Advice on training Ross Sapote

[Ryan]

Hello friends,

Quick question. I grew this Ross Sapote from seed. It's been in the ground around 12 months and has yet to branch. What is the best means of promoting branching? If I cut off the tip at the top will it only branch there? It seems like I would want branching to start several feet down from the top. The tree is currently around 9 feet tall.

Here is a photo of the tree and the original fruit from which I obtained the seed.

Thank you,

Ryan

[Vernmented]

If you want to grow a bushier tree cut it back to waist height and then pick 3 or 4 branches to keep after they sprout out and harden off. If you want a standard just start tipping it where you want the branching to start. I grow bushes because I have space constraints. You can shape it however you want. You can tie it down, use weights, build a trellis for espalier or tatura, or you can let it grow straight up like a tower hahahaha. The options are endless.

[Finca La Isla]

I think that the idea to cut it off at waist high is good.  After the new branches reach about 15" or so simply snap off the tips, so that it branches again and so forth. 
Peter

[Ryan]

Thank you for taking the time to share your suggestions. Anyone else with additional tips also appreciated. Mahalo!

[Ryan]

Just a word of thanks to those who advised me (above). My Ross sapote tree is now branching nicely. Branches sprouted an inch or so below where I cut the leader.

[Mike T]

There are many pruning options if you want to keep it small but productive and even a trellis of 4 wires between 2 posts would work. Thinning uprights back to the trunk, weighing down laterals, or even creating laterals that way and repeatedly taking out apical meristems until it accepts it will always be small would work.

[Vernmented]

Just a word of thanks to those who advised me (above). My Ross sapote tree is now branching nicely. Branches sprouted an inch or so below where I cut the leader.

Cool! It looks great. I would tip (cut off the end) the two lower branches and cut back the top two about a foot each. The more you tip the bushier it will get. Mike T is right about training it. You can do just about any shape you want with the time and effort. Trellises, branch weights, which could be anything, including water bottles on rope. I absolutely love this fruit.