Old branches??

Gang, I need help. I have 2 of my plumies that have what seems like dead growth. Maybe where a branch was broken off of and it looks wierd. I know plants are not perfect but i want them to look better. What can I do?

The first one is my Brilliant Rainbow and the second is my MAdame Poni

Brilliant Rainbow
What the heck is that?
Can those parts be removed and hope for a smoother scar tissue if that is what this is?
Should I wait until the branches are large enough to cut them off and root them?
What would become of the base then?

Madame Poni
It looks like a branch broke off the side. Can I cut it flush with the main branch?

FLutter

Madame Poni
It looks like a branch broke off the side. Can I cut it flush with the main branch?

The first one, you can either cut or break it off. It looks like dead wood anyway. It is a center cut, which is the middle part of the branch that was rooted and that sprouted new branches. The scar will eventually fade with time and won't be so noticable.

On the second one, you can cut off the brown part, the dead wood, but I wouldn't cut off the good wood because it may very well sprout branches from those nodes, giving you a fuller plant, more branches, and more chances for bloom.

My recommendation with any center cut is to leave it alone and let it grow and take shape and pruning can be done after a clear shape is visible. If you don't like the look of the center cut, you can always cut off it's branches and root them as single tips later on (preferably in the spring or summer) after they have reached 8-12 inches long. The cut base will then probably sprout more branches.

This is one of my center cuts of 'Brad's White' that I sent out to many people here recently. It is a mid-branch cut that has grown and taken on a new shape. Soon, the old scars won't hardly be visible.

Thanks, I knew you would come to my rescue as usual :)

Flutter

Chris, when you post the same question on different forums, you are bound to get different advice. Some forums have more knowledgable growers than others, and you will just have to decide for yourself whose advice to take or not. I saw this same thread over at MPG and saw my name mentioned, and even though we may not get much rain here lately in Southern California, I do overhead water nearly every day. I've never had a problem with water in the center cut. If water settles there, it quickly evaporates. I usually cut on a slight slant so the water runs off anyway if I can. You can see where your dead wood is. After you get a little more experience under your belt, you will be able to tell these things. Dead wood usually breaks off easily so a little tug might do the trick, or you can cut it off, or you can leave it. You were concerned about the appearance, and cutting it off will improve the appearance. You should have any sap bleeding because it is dead wood, but if you do, it is not a big deal. Just cut above where all the branches start. The "healing" has already been done shortly after the cut was made. Those branches are well-developed so the cut was made some time ago.

This message was edited Sep 22, 2007 10:01 AM

Eww. Clare, you are right, I did talk on tha other forum casue I was concerned for the ugliness of my babies. LOL When you told me to let it grow, I was really wondering if that ugly would just grow. William live close to me so i was looking for his local advice for our climate (and if it was really bad for me to have him help me fix it). After hearing from both of you, I went to look at it to see what it really looked like when I touched it. I did go outside and try to break it off and it cracked right off. Even grosser, there were ants inside the dead wood that scattered. it now looks kind of like when you cut for a cutting. Not bleeding though, just there, little soft but not much. I think its ugliness is gone now thanks to both yours and Williams advice. Do you think I should put something on it until it dries up all the way as I think keeping it wet until it hardens causes Rot?

I just saw a typo of mine. It should have read "You shouldn't have any sap bleeding..." And I was right that it came right off. Good. I had said you should cut off the first one and leave the second one.

Nope, no need to put anything on it. It is better if it dries and gets sun and fresh air. The one in the second picture is the one that will grow from the good wood and not from the brown dried wood. You can cut off the brown dried wood. William's advice to cut that off and root it is not very practical because I don't think a piece that small and that thin would root.

This message was edited Sep 22, 2007 12:48 PM

Thanks. That piece that juts off the secind one is a hollow piece to a point. After the torrential rains stop and dry over here, I will go outside and see how much of it is hollow. I know rooting it wasn;t an option but getting rid of dead wood is.

Thanks again pro!!