Can you return this tree?

No. I got it from Tractor Supply and it is not returnable😭

plant it. and leave it alone for 2 years...

stake it properly.. so it doesnt whip around in the wind... slide a 8 foot stake into the ground next to it.. and tie it up ..

in the third year... the tree will probably let you know how to prune..

tree time is counted in decades.. you do not plant a tree and immediately cut off its energy producing machines.. aka leaves...

it needs all its leave to grow the roots.. to grow more branchees.. etc...

ken

Was this a mail order purchase? If not, it is a very poor specimen and not one I would have looked at twice, let alone selected and purchased. If mail order, I would not use that vendor again.

While "tree time" may be counted in decades, the proper training of young trees/saplings is time critical. A young tree with zero side branching is considered a whip and cutting back by a third to a half at the time of planting is recommended to encourage branch development.

Are you certain it is a Kwanzan? Spring growth on these is a dark coppery color.....not green.

Ken, thank you. that is what we are going to do. or we probably will add a tripod support.

gardengal, thanks! It is a local store but this item is not returnable. It has nice cherry blossoms at top so that is the right tree but wrong shape. 😼

I might not have made myself clear but ken's suggestion is not the right way to go about this. Without a hard prune back, there is nothing to encourage this very young tree to produce any side growth. It is something the grower or nursery should have done before sale.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

thanks! I see so we should hard prune the tree somehow after/when planting it. I like the idea since tue poor guy is really very leggy. Is now a good time or should I wait for June to prune?

thank you so much

Cut back when you plant. And I'd plant ASAP.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Thanks! Just planted it in ground and cut 1/3. Fingers crossed🙏

This is how it looks. we cut off ~3 feet top.

Thanks!

@cecily 7A

I just raked the mulch from the trunk. Thanks🌹

Great! Delete the naughty photo and post a new one sans mulch and I'll delete my comments so you won't get scolded all day LOL

While we're in 'Critique Mode';

Do you have that trunk tied directly to those stakes?

IMO: You should have the stakes a foot or so out from the tree, one on each side and use some sort of stretchy material so the tree can move and sway in the wind yet return to upright when it's calm. This causes the tree to create lignin's which strengthens the trunk.

@cecily 7A, I think I will leave my old picture here to remind myself or any other dumbbie who happens to stump here what should not be done haha.

@BillMN-z4a, thanks for pointing that out. My husband wanted the tree to grow as straight as can be so he tied it really tight to the bamboo pods😂 I will ask him to fix it after work.

Thanks all for your kind help🌹

Even though the stakes are out away from the tree, you can still make the tree straight.

If your top tie leaves a bow midway up the trunk, you can add a temporary tie in the middle.

The tree will still be able to sway and by mid to late season will have stiffened up enough to remove the temporary tie in the middle.

I had 3 ties on my very spindly Celtis occidentalis in July of 2020:

Here is it last season Aug. 2023:

@BillMN-z4a

thanks so much! This seems easier to implement .

We will try to find the tubes to protect the bottom of the tree.

It might stll look like a mound, but I did rake the mulch from the base so it does not touch the stem.

Thank you so much!

Good job!

The second year (July 2022) the trunk had stiffened up well, but the tree still wanted to lean a little in one direction, so then I only needed one stake and one tie, just to keep it at a 90d to the ground.

It swayed quite well but stood straight on calm days.

@BillMN-z4a

Bill, you are a classy example of helping people. Your demonstration is always clear and easy to follow. Thanks so much for taking this trouble🌹

No problem, you are welcome. ;-)

The cherry tree is doing fine and grows a lot of leaves. It almost looks as good as the other one which was much better when we bought them.

Doing good.

Is it a grafted tree?

If so, I'd support the top for another year but to be honest, a tree doesn't need so many stakes and ties now that the trunk is stiffening up. Especially if it's not a grafted variety.

I'd remove all those stakes and ties, except maybe one stake and one tie just to keep the tree from being bent over in the wind to the point the graft might break. Same if the tree still wants to lean in one direction.

All in all, its looking good. Just remember, young trees need to sway and bend in the wind. If they're staked too good, they become dependent on the stakes, and it can take a long time before they lignify and are able to stand on their own.

By cutting of the main truck you have defined where the lower limbs will be on the tree. As you have cut it, those first limbs will be in the way each time you mow around the tree. You may be able to work it into a graceful branch pattern, but will always have the cut to work around.

@BillMN-z-2-3-4

Bill, thanks much! there are 3 bamboo pods to support the trunk. The forth one is there to secure the little fence. We have too many deers in our area. I will untie 2 stakes from the tree and leave one.

I am not sure if it is grafted. I remember there were a couple blooms at the top of the tree and they look like the right Kwanzan flower. And there was only single branch. I don’t see an obvious graft union anywhere so it might be own root.

@KR Nuttle, thanks! So the base trunk is not going up much. I guess it is fine. I was actually worried we did not cut it low enough compared to the other tree. It the lower branch gives trouble mowing the grass we will make a small bed around the tree and underplant some bulbs.

I can't tell for sure if it's a graft but when I looked at the first picture in your original post, there's a 'dark spot' at the lower trunk and then in your last picture, you can see a green sprout coming from that same area. It made me wonder because some Kansan cherries are grafted, and some are not.

It doesn't matter, it's now at least a second-year graft, maybe third and as long as its loosely staked it won't get bent over that far in a strong wind.

I agree with deer fence. It's SOP where I am. ;-)

update: The topped tree is doing ok, leafing out nicely. However no blooms. Maybe the topping had stressed out the tree and affected its blooming. Hopefully it will bloom next year. The leaves look identical to the other tree, and when we bought it last year, it had a few flowers

The other tree is blooming nicely

Looks good!

I'd remove those stakes. And if the tree wants to lean one direction, just use one stake and one tie to keep it from doing that.

One tie will keep it from going very far in any direction and a little bending of the trunk will strengthen it over the season.

Keep an eye on it so the trunk doesn't rub on the stake. eta: using a shorter stake will keep that from happening.

It should be on its own after this season.

Thanks Bill. We should have removed the poles but kept pushing off. Will do so tomorrow.