To cut off or not to cut off? That is the question!

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

I am considering cutting off the lowest right hand branch.

There is no right or wrong answer.

Please feel free to explain your choice or discuss more generally if you like.

IMG_0895.JPG

Grant

[Edward Scissorhand]

Grant, I'd Jin the branch.

[kcpoole]

I woudl cut it as it looks funny weird coming from the inside of the bend like that.
To jin would not look right either tho.
If you took it off it would need to be replaced with something as it would leave the tree unbalanced to the left too much
Maybe change the planting angle to the right might help tho?

Ken

[Jarrod]

other: Give it to me....

Just kidding, my other is to look at changing hte planting angle. lean it to the right (stand it up more) re wire it and play around with it. I think that might solve you problem with balance. if not you can then hack the branch off! (it is an ugly branch)

[Jamie]

i say complete removal, i think it makes a balanced tree with it removed no matter what. to put a short stub jin on wouldnt hurt either.

grantpinevirtjin.jpg

grantpinevirt.jpg

jamie

[John Henry]

Hi Grant, i would definatly keep it, but shortin it back and drop the left side down slightly

[MelaQuin]

To me removal of the entire branch cleans the line and puts more emphasis on the knobbly trunk which is so beautiful. I don't feel the jin adds anything significant and simplifying the design by removing the entire branch gives a better tree. Less is More.

[MelaQuin]

Look at the question. Or rather, two questions with one answer. Is one answering Yes or No to Cutting or Keeping? Hmmmmmmmmm

[LLK]

It's a good tree and yet something isn't right. I don't think that it's a question of branch removal. Rather, it's the angle of planting which needs attention. The centre of the apex is not above the centre of the trunk base, yet it is not a leaning or windswept tree. There doesn't seem to be a good reason for it. Once that has been corrected, one could talk again about branch changes.

Lisa

[Grant Bowie]

i say complete removal, i think it makes a balanced tree with it removed no matter what. to put a short stub jin on wouldnt hurt either.

grantpinevirtjin.jpg

grantpinevirt.jpg

jamie

Nice virtual photoshopping Jamie, Thanks

[Scott Roxburgh]

After seeing the tree in real life today Grant, I am unsure...

Jamie's virts give a good idea what it would look like either way.

My first initial idea is to remove the branch, without jin. I agree with MelaQuin that the design becomes more simple, maybe more elegant?

Although I also agree with Lisa, that maybe a change of planting angle might change the tree's design and the branch may not need to be removed.

Big dilemma, if only you could put it back if you don't like it

[anttal63]

I think even less again. Just needs some final pulling down of branches and thinning out. ( which i cant virt ) The more minimal it goes the more it moves.

[Jamie]

here it is with the tilted option. with and with out branch.

grantpinetilted.jpg

grantpinetiltedwithoutbranch.jpg

nice virt ant!

[Scott Roxburgh]

I think even less again. Just needs some final pulling down of branches and thinning out. ( which i cant virt ) The more minimal it goes the more it moves.

I like!

[anttal63]

with the tilt. Maybe shorten the left still a little more.