Japanese plum before and after

This year’s work on a Japanese plum didn’t involve much more than minor cutback and repotting. Daisaku Nomoto trimmed the branches and I repotted the tree in the same pot.

Japanese plum – before

After minor cutback and repotting

When I reviewed the photos from the work, I was struck by how different the feeling is from the back side.

View from the back

It’s also clear how much more work the apex needs to get it pointing in the same direction as the primary branch. The rootbase, meanwhile, seems to develop its ever-more unusual character on its own accord.

Root base – front

Root base – back