Per PF wrote: ↑November 21st, 2020, 1:12 am
Ah, I see cheers Mike.
But if the current leader/main trunk is erect and about the height (40 cm) of the future design, wouldn't it still be possible to fatten it and cut unwanted side branches
Or will it buckle under its own weight...
Forget about future design. What you want to do at this point is build the trunk and taper. You do this only one way. Leader replacement. Over and over. In other words, let it grow wild. Then at the start of each season, find a suitable lower shoot, cut off the top completely and wire that shoot up.
Repeat and repeat. If you need to leave it untouched for 2 years, then leave it untouched. Obviously you will be always cutting the top of your replacement shoot. If you want to wire shape into it, now is the time. Later on it will be impossible. Any areas where a branch is causing unwanted thickening it should be reduced drastically to balance. If you like the position of a branch but you are still thickening the trunk, keep it but cut it back to the shortest possible length otherwise it will thicken too much and you won't be able to use it later. You will build character, taper and quality this way. The design will eventually appear as if by magic. This is the way to build the best trees.
but in reality they seem to be around Zone 7. I gave it a good watering and put it in winter storage (should have taken pictures before that..). Come spring I'll plant it in the ground and work on it from there.
I'm hoping I can encourage strong top growth and get a formal upright down the line. It has beautiful white growing tips as you can see. 
