Brought this a couple of years ago and I have to admit that due to moving it’s been neglected it in the past 7 months or so, my question is that it has grown some side shoots which I think it’s where the graft is, I am concerned that after pruning I will be left with a single branch ☹ so before I started to prune wanted to ask for advice first and where you would recommend that it be pruned please. The first picture is when I brought it a couple of years ago and it was about a year old then……..thanks I
I think the graft line is very close to the soil level - barked below the line, green above. But, regardless, let the branches leaf out. If the foliage doesn't match, then it is the root stock - prune off the ones you don't want (I leave open the possibility that you may like the foliage of the root stock instead). Keep in mind that the points where leaves join a stem is potentially a future branch (axillary buds). So you might end up with no MY branches this year (just a leafy stem), but you are assured there will be branches next year if you just keep it alive and thriving. You should see shoot extension pause along about May and August and then resume, every year. If you prune off the tip of the branch (decapitate the branch), the two axillary buds closest to the cut will both release shoots. It is best to do this just as shoot extension resumes. Of course, you can not do anything and you will get some branching next spring anyway.
