I broke a bud off my maiden fruit tree.

lb191

Hi,

I have a maiden tree that I'm going to train into a fan shape.

It was going ok but now I've gone and knocked off the leaf bud that I assumed would become the vertical branch at some point.

It wasn't a clean break so I've just stood it back up...

Assuming it's doomed, will another bud appear to replace it at some point?

On a related note, there are several green buds and in some places instead of a green bud there is a brown nub that looks like it should have been a bud but it isn't.

Are the brown ones dud or will they become buds at some point in the future?

Thanks

treehugger80

what sort of fruit? apple, pear, plum? because only stone fruits will grow well in fans, apples and pears grow well in espaliers.

i'm assuming you mean the main bud at the top of the trunk? if so, the next one down the trunk will take over as the main growing point.

some of the brown buds will grow, and some won't. But you won't know which until later in the year.

lb191

Thanks for the reply. 

I might have to start again then because I don't want it assymetrical...

Its a cherry.

pottering girl

I don't know whether what you have is the same as when one of my standard rose stems broke in the wind.  I stood it back up and taped it and it was a great success.

Dovefromabove

To fan train a cherry properly so that it fruits well you have to shorten the main stem every year  - this site shows you how to do it.

Scroll down past espalier to fan training http://www.chepstowgardencentre.co.uk/product-range/58/how-to-train-a-fruit-tree