Horizontal limbs?

[SfromKY]

I have a Jiro persimmon (1st pic) and a Stanley plum (2nd pic), which are both 2 years old and first year in the ground. They each have a horizontal or even slightly downward-sloping limb (red arrows). I'm thinking they are going to touch the ground when the fruit weight is added. Do I need to do anything about those limbs? Are they going to get thicker and sturdy enough to bear fruit? Will I be helping them if I stake them or it will just make them lazy?

 

[Chuck]

For a strong tree you do not want any horizontal or downward growing limbs

 

[SfromKY]

For a strong tree you do not want any horizontal or downward growing limbs

Thank you, Chuck. What is your specific suggestion for the persimmon tree (first pic)? Do I cut off the entire right limb and end up with a one-sided tree? Or cut below both limbs and end up with a short trunk? Or do nothing for now?

 

[deckman22]

Considering you only have those two limbs leave them alone. I'd probably give them some help by duct taping them together or a stake for each branch. They will grow bigger before they are ready to bear fruit, like several years.

We have wild persimmon trees here in the Texas hill country. If regular persimmon trees are like the wild ones they have very hard wood so I suspect those branches will gain strength as they grow. I'm lucky to have several fruit bearing wild persimmons on my property, they make the most wonderful jam.

 

[Chuck]

Considering you only have those two limbs leave them alone. I'd probably give them some help by duct taping them together or a stake for each branch. They will grow bigger before they are ready to bear fruit, like several years.

We have wild persimmon trees here in the Texas hill country. If regular persimmon trees are like the wild ones they have very hard wood so I suspect those branches will gain strength as they grow. I'm lucky to have several fruit bearing wild persimmons on my property, they make the most wonderful jam.

Japanese persimmons are not like our wild persimmons. Japanese persimmons will produce when two or three years old and that horizontal limb will always be a weak spot even if staked. They also produce much much more than our wild persimmons. It is too late in the year to prune now. Japanese persimmons are very sensitive to pruning dates. It is best to prune them in the dead of winter or at least while they are dormant. I would not do anything now except stake the main trunk loosely so as to make it grow upwards in a straighter form. On the lower limb I would just prop it up if it gets too heavy and is in danger of splitting away from the main trunk. Next winter I would cut it off to a length of about 1 foot and if the limb does not produce any upright limbs I would cut it off completely the following winter.