Chinese (or Red) Toon
 

Otherwise known as Toona sinensis. I am growing the garden variety, not
a pink variety like 'Flamingo'. The new leaves are quite pink anyway.

One of the reasons I planted this was for the culinary value, young
leaves are quite delicious with a mild onion flavour. But the issue is
the tree has shot straight up, it must now be 5m tall with leaves only at
the top, and one small branch where the deer bit the top off when it was
very newly planted. It looks quite bizarre as it can't be more than 2
inches diameter at the base, and puts on at least a meter in height each
year.

I don't want to top it, but I'd like to get some branching further down.
Any clue how to make it do that without cutting?

Does anyone else grow the Toon?

-E



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

Chinese (or Red) Toon
 

On 28/05/15 18:52, Emery Davis wrote:
Otherwise known as Toona sinensis. I am growing the garden variety, not
a pink variety like 'Flamingo'. The new leaves are quite pink anyway.

One of the reasons I planted this was for the culinary value, young
leaves are quite delicious with a mild onion flavour. But the issue is
the tree has shot straight up, it must now be 5m tall with leaves only at
the top, and one small branch where the deer bit the top off when it was
very newly planted. It looks quite bizarre as it can't be more than 2
inches diameter at the base, and puts on at least a meter in height each
year.

I don't want to top it, but I'd like to get some branching further down.
Any clue how to make it do that without cutting?

Does anyone else grow the Toon?

-E

I seem to remember reading somewhere that if you make a cut a few mm
above a bud that will result in a sideshoot forming. It was something to
do with restricting the flow of an inhibitor (auxin) from the growing tip.

I've tried Googling for this but can't find anything. Doubt it would so
any harm to try it, though, as you'd be leaving the growing tip alone.

Otherwise, might it be possible to get some buds from the only branch
and use those to try some bud grafts lower down?

--

Jeff

Chinese (or Red) Toon
 

Hi Jeff

On Fri, 29 May 2015 08:15:39 +0100, Jeff Layman wrote:

On 28/05/15 18:52, Emery Davis wrote:
[]
I don't want to top it, but I'd like to get some branching further
down. Any clue how to make it do that without cutting?

Does anyone else grow the Toon?

-E

I seem to remember reading somewhere that if you make a cut a few mm
above a bud that will result in a sideshoot forming. It was something to
do with restricting the flow of an inhibitor (auxin) from the growing
tip.

I've tried Googling for this but can't find anything. Doubt it would so
any harm to try it, though, as you'd be leaving the growing tip alone.


Interesting, I'll give that a try. Don't think it could hurt. The buds
all up the stem are green but dormant, I checked today.

Otherwise, might it be possible to get some buds from the only branch
and use those to try some bud grafts lower down?

Well, it's the same deal on the branch, just it doesn't put on much
growth. It only grows from the tip, the buds along it appear dormant.
The branch is maybe only a foot long, in spite of having the same age as
the leader.

It's really the strangest looking tree: a long pole with a sort of
cockscomb at the top...

-E



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy