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How long for tree branches to thicken
puschkinia
Posts: 229
in Plants
Hi everyone
This might sound like a really dumb question, but googling only gets me advice on how to bonsai:
I planted 3 young fruit trees last year. They're coming along ok I think, but their branches are still twig-like (they're a few mm thick). And there aren't many branches either.
Roughly how long (1-2 years, 5 years, 10 years, etc) should it take until they start to... look like trees?
This might sound like a really dumb question, but googling only gets me advice on how to bonsai:
I planted 3 young fruit trees last year. They're coming along ok I think, but their branches are still twig-like (they're a few mm thick). And there aren't many branches either.
Roughly how long (1-2 years, 5 years, 10 years, etc) should it take until they start to... look like trees?
0
Posts
I've got single stakes ~1/3 of the way down the trunk angled into the prevailing wind, with rubber ties that allow the trunk to move a bit in the wind.
I know, alas haha. It's definitely good mental exercise for me to learn to wait!
1 crab apple red sentinel - excuse the mess, verbena bon. has taken over around there! Need to tidy up...
1 red windsor apple tree. I'm losing the battle against the dandelions.
And one avalon pride peach tree. I know I need to clear the space around the tree. I keep doing it and the clover and weeds just fight back harder! I'm losing this battle badly. I'll be ordering mulch soon and will try to sort it out.
Don't worry about them.
In gardening, above all you need patience. And a bit of planning.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
They'll take a good few years. This last year they'll only be establishing, so the next few years they'll start growing and gradually maturing.
The only thing I'd say is - clear a space round that last one- like you've done with the other one. That will help. The weeds are a nuisance, but if you keep on top of them, and mulch around your trees that will help too. If you want, a careful application of a selective weed killer on the dandelions will be fine, and won't affect your trees. Try to do it on a calm day just to avoid getting it on anything else.
I think many people are seeing more weeds than usual this year too, just because it's been so mild, and they've taken advantage.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...