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Should I remove half of a forked birch sapling? If so, when?
holly.k.cummins
Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
I've just planted what I hope will someday be a birch tree (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii). At the moment it's pretty small, about 60cm tall. It has two uprights, both about the same size. The fork is just above ground level. I'd like a single-stem tree, not a shrub or a cluster, so I think I should remove one of the leaders. Is that right?
If so, what's the best time to prune it off? Some things I've read say because I'd basically be removing half the plant, I should wait until the tree has dropped its leaves. On the other hand, I feel like I should correct the shape as soon as possible.
Is there a rule of thumb for which to remove? Both are the same height, but one has another (lowish) offshoot.
This is what it looks like at ground level:
This is the whole tree. I arbitrarily chose one of the shoots to stake, just to give it some support.
This is what it looks like at ground level:
This is the whole tree. I arbitrarily chose one of the shoots to stake, just to give it some support.
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