Bonsaify | Don't Cut Your Hawthorn Until You Understand This!

To pinch or not pinch Washington Hawthorn...is that the question? Eric reviews Washington Hawthorn at three stages of growth and discusses spring care, including when to pinch or prune, when to allow shoots to run, and when to wire.
00:00:28 Eric uses a mature Washington Hawthorn to talk about the distinction between developing a bonsai tree versus maintaining one. This tree is actually from Jay McDonald's garden (check out his collection in two of our previous videos: • Bonsaify | How to Put ... and • Bonsaify | Styling a U... )
00:00:54 Eric explains why he recommends pinching shoots on a mature Hawthorn.
00:01:30 Perfect examples of shoots to "nip in the bud" through pinching or pruning.
00:03:07 Advice for really small and tender shoots - if you can't distinguish between the nodes, wait a few extra days.
00:04:13 How working on small Hawthorn's differs from working on a mature tree.
00:04:33 Small tree #1 has lots of running shoots. Eric's goal is to create fine ramification, so he cuts back those long shoots to 1-2 leaves to keep growth small. He pinches down just emerging shoots.
00:05:12 Since he's more concerned with creating more twigging, Eric takes off long twigs to force the tree to create finer twigs.
00:05:50 Small tree #2 demonstrates that if needs or wants a longer branch, he actually wires it into position, rather than just cutting off the new growth. This creates movement in the twigs and moves him closer to his goal of creating a relatively finely ramified small tree.
00:06:56 For really fine nodes, Eric needs to pinch back "mercilessly".
00:07:25 Eric works on three of our 2 year old starters, which we propagated from seed in the greenhouse before putting outside to go dormant for winter. (www.bonsaify.c...)
00:08:05 Eric removes wire so it doesn't cut into the bark too much.
00:08:30 Next step for Eric, as he wants these to develop into high quality mame or shohin, is to wire some of the shoots.
00:09:34 Eric demonstrates wiring shoots as if they were the new trunk - he's trying to put some movement into them.
00:10:59 Keep an eye on the wire in a few weeks to ensure it doesn't cut in.
00:11:20 Eric wires the other two starters, and provides a summary of spring work for all three ages/stages of Washington Hawthorn!
Thank you for watching! What experiences have you had working with Washington Hawthorn? Did you know that outside the United States, they're spelled Washington Hawthorne? Let us know in the comments below. Please like and share this video, and subscribe to our channel!

[@jaycrockett9205]

Wow,perfect leaf size . Great work

[@robertjones7023]

I started collecting Hawthorn Haws this week for future trees. :)

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Great video. 🙏 I need to go and wire up and pinch out the growing tips on my hawthorn whips/young trees in development.

[@frankmcdermott3467]

Thanks great information as usual!!!

[@Wiratama13]

Beautiful tree

[@BONSAIenCORTO]

Great tip points. Thanks.

[@henzobonsai]

Nice sharing videos 👍

[@kezzabzen9657]

Very useful. Thanks

[@deersbrook4485]

I'm not familiar with the Washington hawthorn being from the UK. But they look a bit similar to our native hawthorn so presume care would be similar.

[@AshokKumar-sq6jx]

Namasty ji youi a great Bonsai master & Good you're Bonsai I Love ❤ * Bonsai vatika india 🇮🇳

[@nogravynopie2396]

would love to see a hawthorn update and relatively young trees

[@Bonsaify]

Like 3 year olds?

[@nogravynopie2396]

@@Bonsaify yes!

[@dinoduderocks]

Very informative, my two junipers just came in and I’m very excited to see how they develop over time. Just curious if you have any tips on developing blue jacaranda, I’ve got two that I’ve been growing from seeds for about 8 months now and would love some tips on the species.

[@russellmitchell9438]

You say no budding between nodes; tell me more about where and when hawthorn will bud? Mine sends shoots from the trunk constantly. I'm new to the species, so trying to learn.

[@Bonsaify]

Yes, they have a strong habit of back-budding, but in the branching just like in a maple, they will not bud out between the natural leaf nodes. So shortening the nodes by pinching can give you tighter ramification. Cut off long nodes in favor of shorter ones where you can, pinch to shorten the node length (before they fully elongate.) and repeat.

[@russellmitchell9438]

@@Bonsaify Thanks for the clarification!

[@lyledeschand863]

Hey , also the base of each spine .. will back bud.

[@russellmitchell9438]

@@lyledeschand863 gotchya! I was also wondering if after a branch hardens off, goes from green wood to mature hardwood over a few years, will that then back bud more like the trunk, rather than "only at nodes and spines"?

[@lyledeschand863]

@@russellmitchell9438 yes, if the plant is healthy you can remove a substantial branch and get a bunch of new shoots around the area of the cut.

[@robertjones7023]

Great video! I'm trying to propagate both thornless and winter king. One part of this effort is by seeds in a cold frame. The second is about a hundred or so cuttings in deep sand with bottom heat in my 3 seasons room. I'm very interested to see what the outcome is this spring. I'm either going to be disappointed with nothing to show for it or overrun with trees :) Eric do you have any Kousa Dogwoods in your collection? I'm working on about 20 second year seedlings and a huge 10"-12" stump that I'm field growing till it regains its vigor and health. Thanks!

[@Bonsaify]

Hi, we do not have any dogwoods at all, but I have been looking for a good source of very young seedlings. So far no luck with the seed I have bought.

[@robertjones7023]

@@Bonsaify Interesting, I collected fruit/seeds two years ago and got only around 20% germination rate. It was a lot of effort for that. I'll give hardwood cuttings a go this spring to see what happens.

[@mikecipriani7792]

Eric, a little off topic, when should you cut back a Japanese Quince. The blooms are dead and fruit is starting to grow. But I want to cut it down to 4 or 5 inches? The branches are about 18 inches long. I am seeing some new buds along the trunks. Love the big hawthorn.

[@Bonsaify]

They back bud pretty readily, the problem is normally getting them to split (ramify) and not sucker rather than bud where you cut. Give it a shot, but cut above by 1/2" or more and be careful about tool sterilization as they're susceptible to a lot of diseases.

[@bonsa1guy]

The key to getting Chaenomeles to ramify is to build up vigor and allow it to build energy then cut back in Winter into old wood. It won't bifurcate during active growth but cutting into old wood hard when dormant will get it to pop buds come Spring. It'll never be an Elm or Zelkova but this is by far the best method.

[@tomasferreirarubial1455]

👏👏👏

[@dudesjirbonsai]

💖💖💖❤❤

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🍎