Liberty Trees - no limbs year 1

[silver_yummies]

Quick question for you all. I noticed on all of my Liberty trees I planted last year put on some weird growth as far as limbs go. Every one had like a sucker or 2 for limbs that grew towards base of tree and straight up several feet. There were no scaffold limbs. I cut the sucker like branches off and am now left a whip going into season 2. These are on B118 if that matters.

Is that normal?!

 

[Prof.Kent]

Quick question for you all. I noticed on all of my Liberty trees I planted last year put on some weird growth as far as limbs go. Every one had like a sucker or 2 for limbs that grew towards base of tree and straight up several feet. There were no scaffold limbs. I cut the sucker like branches off and am now left a whip going into season 2. These are on B118 if that matters.

Is that normal?!

Read this article on notching above a bud to produce scaffold limbs, and notching below a bud to produce a fruit spur.
http://www.weekendgardener.net/tree-information/notching-buds-120912.htm

 

[Turkey Creek]

Young Liberty trees tend to be shy about throwing many branches.

 

[H20fwler]

Agree, liberty seem to be slow starters first year.
Cutting the suckers or water sprouts when they first show up will put energy into tree better.

Second or third season early in spring a little triple ten around drip line will give them a boost.

 

[SmallChunk]

In this vid, you will see me prune two one year old trees back to just a whip. It's pretty common for me to have to do this for 2-3 years as I don't have great growing conditions and I want them to get above my 5' cage!

 

[Charman03]

Read this article on notching above a bud to produce scaffold limbs, and notching below a bud to produce a fruit spur.
http://www.weekendgardener.net/tree-information/notching-buds-120912.htm

Thanks prof

 

[buckvelvet]

I agree w/ @SmallChunk if my trees are not tall enough, with snow line and browse line, i deff don't want them throwing their first set of scaffolds below 5 ft.

 

[Charman03]

Here's a liberty I planted one year ago. The tree is 9 feet tall already but barely put out any limbs. I might try to get a few branches going on this one. Considering a heading cut on the central leader as well. Anybody got any ideas?

 

[buckvelvet]

I'm not an expert but I have stayed at a few Holiday Inns. I would cut the 2 bottom limbs off, keep the central leader thats straight up, cut the competition to the left off, score a few buds around the top of cement wire to get some scaffolds going.

There are so many arguments for and against heading cuts. I personally do not head trees back unless I'm transplanting them.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Our Liberties looked about the same - skeletons. Score just above a few buds on the straighter leader like BV said above. ^^^^^ Score above the top of the cement wire cage so your lowest scaffolds are higher than 5 ft. I'd cut those limbs off inside the cage and tie down that aggressive limb on the left in your pic, so energy can be directed upward on the leader. Tie down to no more than 45 degrees. If you tie down more horizontal, you'll get vertical water sprouts growing up off that limb.