Japanese Maple - should I prune a second leader?
15 years ago
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- 15 years ago
- 15 years ago
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is this a second leader? should i cut? (pic enclosed)
Comments (5)you need to take one of the top two leaders ... and maybe that one little wisp on the lower one .. that is curving back toward the center... even with the side of the neighbors garage way back there ... on the second pic then you need to define your goal with the rest of the tree ... i like to walk and drive under my trees.. and they are all pruned to at least 6 feet.. so i would take out the lower also ... but before you do any of that.. how long has it been there.. we dont heavily prune.. trees within the first year or two of planting.. whats your goal man???? do you have a proper mulch ring around it??? ken...See MoreHow Should I Prune this Japanese Maple? (photos)
Comments (6)My initial thought was also to prune that tall leader. However, after doing a search on Atropurpureum Nana,I'm thinking this branching structure may be characteristic of the cultivar. I think that's what you're saying in your last post too. Given that, I would only do some minor trimming, just to tidy it up, like getting rid of branches that bend towards the center of the tree. I recently found a book at my local library that had some tips on how the Japanese prune their JMs. JMs were only a small section of the book, but it was very helpful. The title was "Niwaki: Pruning, Training and Shaping Japanese Garden Trees" by Jake Hobson. It's also on Amazon. Here is a link that might be useful: Atropurpureum Nana...See MoreShould I prune the gangly "leader" stems from this Limelight?
Comments (1)You can prune any time really, just avoid delaying flowering (any time from late fall to early Spring). Those really look like they could use more sun....See MoreHow should a pruned Japanese Maple look, branches exposed or not?
Comments (8)With that much experience, I am surprised your guy suggested October. Especially in some place like CT that can experience sudden and sharp cold spells in winter. Even the ISA recommends dormant season pruning. In addition to other reasons, it makes it far easier to see what and where to prune to get the best aesthetic results when the tree is out of leaf. This link on pruning Japanese maples has some excellent and well-illustrated advice on how to prune to accent/enhance structure or growth habit and how to thin out a congested or too dense canopy. I'm not sure I understand the concept of 'exposing branches' outside of the context of canopy thinning, but perhaps the link will provide sufficient visuals on how a well pruned tree should look....See More- 15 years ago
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