Tree Form Standards

[novice2]

I purchased a dappled willow this spring and it was more like a bush than a tree. The tag on it showed it as a standard( I'm not sure I'm saying that right) anyway only one trunk and a lot of branches coming out at the top. I would like to know how to do this?
Novice2

 

[Elmore]

Perhaps staking and pruning will train it into the form that you want.

 

[novice2]

Tree Standard

I would have to cut off three five foot shoots and just leave one to stake and train. Isn't there some kind of rule about a third off a year? I also bought a smaller one that only had three shoots and I cut off one and also cut the limbs off the two I had left up a ways and will wait a year to trim more??
Thanks Novice2

 

[Elmore]

Training a standard

Here is a Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum 'Omure yama'. It is a somewhat unique form noted for it's weeping habit at maturity. It should get about 18'x18' and weep like a weeping willow. I obtained this one as a 1g plant in 1996. I think that I kept it in a container for a year or two before I planted it in this location. As it grew here I chose a strong leader and staked it. I removed larger competing growth (not all ) as it continued to grow, with a vision of eventually producing a standard with a substantial crown. I continued staking it for...I'll bet at least seven years...yep, I said seven years not the one season period that is normally suggested when staking a tree. At one or two points I removed the stake but was not satisfied so I replaced it. This picture was made in May 2005 and if you look carefully you can see the stake. I have since removed the stake and it is now about 10' tall. I would have removed the stake last year but I kept it in place, since then, mainly to train a small limb that had a narrow angle. I wanted that limb to fill in a relatively bare area. One problem I am having is with some mature Water Oaks about 15' to the east of this ornamental. The 'Omure yama' tends to grow more to the light, west where the house is, and less to the east where the Oaks are. It will work though and I will soon be removing some of the lower branching on this maple, thereby accentuating the crown. If I hadn't staked and trained this tree it would be in a, more or less, bush form. I have a few that I didn't train and they appear unkempt. It still would have attained the height and would have a weeping tendency but trained as a standard it will be much more attractive. Stay tuned for updates.
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/Elmore/Acer%20palmatum%20Omure%20yama/Omureyama5-8-05.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

 

[novice2]

Training Standards

Thanks! I too have trees in containers on my patio and am trying to make them grow the way I want them to. Have redbud, wisteria, white weeping cherry and the two dappled willows. I like your idea about your J. maple. I have three Bloodgood red J.maples and a green J. Maple that I can't remember the name. The pic was interesting. I shall stay tuned.
Novice2