Three Steps: Clean - Thin - Shape 1. Maple trees are known for their brilliant fall color as well as the ease with which they bleed sap. Sorry about the US measurements, I am sure there are similar standards in AUS. The form and branching is what makes this plant so desirable throughout the year. How To Prune Weeping Japanese Maple Tree (Laceleaf Japanese Maple) . He tries not to take himself too seriously but has been known to 'geek out' on occasion. Here is the maple after pruning. Thin: Open up light and air circulation. The limb … Always make clean cuts flush to the outside of the branch collar. Although laceleaf maples need some additional... 2. While they might achieve the lollipop form they are seeking, it encourages a thick outer layer of leaves with no internal growth and a plant that must expand every year to survive. Those will be trimmed off. It often means removing branches to accentuate a curve or decrease the congestion of multiple branching. Sometimes you might just make a few cuts and wait until next year to see how the tree responds. Laceleaf maples have complex, twisting branches. The cuts you make will also dictate the future direction of growth. Prune only from late summer to early winter to avoid excessive sap loss. ©2013 BDG. The upper limbs are drooping and the tree's feathery, bright red leaves turn deep burgundy or purple in the fall. If you want a wider plant, then prune at a point where a branch is pointing outwards in the direction you want to expand. Young trees need to have the lowest limbs removed to enhance clearance. Reed is passionate about gardens and plants and loves writing about horticulture, plants, garden accoutrements, best garden practices and whatever else comes to his frenetic mind. Lynn prefers to prune Japanese maples in late summer, but beginners will find it easier to prune when trees are leafless and dormant in late fall to midwinter. Through selective pruning I encouraged branching to fill in the hole. Pruning weeping trees is important because it improves the shape of the tree, keeps it healthy and promotes the circulation of sunlight and air. Last week, I helped a client prune a slightly overgrown and dense maple. Pruning a Mature Lace Leaf Weeping Japanese Maple 1. We choose and plant this tree … Three factors add up to the conclusion that all Japanese maple owners should learn to prune these beautiful trees. Pruning Japanese Maples and other Ornamental Trees with One Finger. Look for leaves or branches that look like they just don’t belong. The tree in the backyard that blazes with red, orange and yellow foliage in autumn is most likely a maple. With new lighting underneath it will be beautiful at night and all year long. I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder…right? Also, I am encouraging a few upward branches to increase the height. Some people believe that a Japanese maple should be pruned in late fall. Sheared Japanese Maple pruned by hand to reverse the pruning style. This maple lost its left side in heavy snow 5 years ago. The largest branches form a type of umbrella and they tend to flow out and down, and often branches form that go across this structure and they need to be pruned out. Prune weeping trees in the winter, before spring growing begins. Young trees can benefit from pruning to train an attractive overall shape. Minor pruning may control the size of Japanese maple somewhat, but the best way to manage its size is by choosing a suitable variety. I live way out in the country where there is room to let all the trees do their thing. I have a weeping Japanese maple that is at least 20 years old. Weeping Japanese maples tend to become little more than bushes -- weeping to the ground and so dense that their branching and trunk can't be seen. Of course, the dormant season is the best time to prune most deciduous trees for myriad reasons; no bugs, fewer disease pathogens, no leaves to rake but most importantly, a Japanese Maple’s branching pattern is visible and that’s one of the keys to pruning them. Separate the branch layers. Every leaf is stuck into the crown of the first picture= very bad for snow damage and will … The lacy foliage of Japanese maple can make the trees seem more delicate than they really are, perhaps making you hesitate over picking up your pruning tools. You can also come back later and make additional cuts. How to Prune Up Overgrown Japanese Maple Trees. Crimson Queen is a threadleaf variety of Japanese maple, Acer palmatum dissectum, that grows naturally as a shrub but more often is shaped into a tree by removing the lower limbs. I need to ask how and when to move my little beauty from its birthplace to a holding pot and then what to do to ensure its health and longevity when removed then replanted to our new home far away. Prune the Japanese maple in nearly every season with a slight preference for winter and generally … © 2020 GardenDrum All Rights Reserved | ADMIN, Horticulturist and landscape designer living in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. This can result in stronger and heartier branches and it can help avoid branches that will cross over each other and rub together. The limb at the top the arrow is pointing at is much longer than any others and needs to be trimmed back. Since the tree is dormant, it does not need to be soaked in water as it will rot since the plant is not active. The form of these trees resembles a cascading waterfall, making them a graceful and beautiful focal point in the landscape. Since that branch was a little too big for my handheld bypass pruning shears, I went with the bigger bypass loppers for extra Always make clean cuts flush to the outside of the branch collar. To keep the form of a weeping Japanese maple tree, you should remove any branches that cross the midline of the tree. The bigger cuts will produce the major structural changes you are looking for rather than small ones that will fill in quickly. Pruning Japanese Maples by Michelle Le Strange, UC Master Gardener One of the most favorite trees in the home landscape is the lovely Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum). Also, I am encouraging a few upward branches to increase the height. If you don’t know what to use as a tie, one wrap of duct tape works pretty well but it only last for one season. Prune laceleaf Japanese maples in the same way as upright maples first. Too close to the stake in the ground next to the 3 minute, second! 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