Jap Maple- Must I prune or can I leave it alone
eastatliens
15 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years agokaitain4
15 years agoRelated Discussions
What is wrong with this tree (Jap maple?) *pics*
Comments (3)Nin, The cracked bark and twig/branch dieback are the results of the Easter Big Freeze Disaster of 2007, complicated by the severe drought conditions we experienced last summer. I saw Japanese maples here- an hour north of Nashville - killed outright, though most were smaller than yours, but some had been in the ground for a number of years. Even well-established natives, like persimmon, pecan, and mulberry were killed back to ground level, so you're fairly lucky that your tree looks as good as it does. I'd prune out the dead wood, and within a year or two you'll hardly notice anything abnormal about your tree....See MoreJap Maple Die-Back--What to do?
Comments (3)I had this happen and I left both the main trunk and the suckers alone. Over time it became apparent that nothing was going to happen with the main trunk. Fortunately, the suckers got taller and wider and now the resulting tree is even nicer than the previous one. I guess it all depends on if you are willing to live with the variety you get with the rootstock, or if you MUST have the grafted stock to please yourself. Mine happened to be very similar so it didn't matter....See MoreHELP When should I repot my 3 Jap. Maples
Comments (4)StaceyBeth, I think re-potting now is fine. I just re-potted about 30 JMs, and they're all doing great, and not a leaf lost. Here's what I do: 1.) Use good potting soil. My custom mix is 2/3 Pro-mix Organic potting soil, and 1/3 Miracle-Gro African Violet potting soil. It has a little fertilizer in it, and a lot of finely ground bark. 2.) I use thick-walled plastic pots. I think this helps with temperature issues in the hot summer. (I'm in TN, and the average temp now is 90 degrees!) 3.) I re-pot, spreading roots out into the new soil a bit; then and give the plants a huge soaking. Leaves, soil, everything. Then I put moss in all the pots. Looks great and helps in other ways. 4.) I put the re-potted trees in my air-conditioned garden house for 3 days and let them rest. 5.) After 3 days I move the trees to my 'holding area' under some big dogwoods, where they get a few hours of early morning sun. Automatic sprinklers water them every other day. After 2-3 weeks in the holding area they are ready to be moved to other locations or planted out. I haven't lost a single tree using this approach, and I re-pot any time during the growing season. Here's a little slide show that might give you an idea. Maple order Regards, K4...See MoreNeed pruning tips for baby Jap Maples
Comments (4)I agree with mjh...there is no reason to do anything at this time that you can't do two or three years from now and have a better idea of what the tree will look like...As BB said you could train one stem but it is not necessary. I have never trimed any of my jm's except for dead limbs and they look great some have multiple trunks some single ...At any rate if you have a certain look you want you have PLENTY of time to "get" it... a wait and see attitude IMHO is the best course of action and you might like the look it naturally developes into BETTER than your minds eye view you have now... David...See MoreEmbothrium
15 years agoeastatliens
15 years agoEmbothrium
15 years agoherman_neutics
15 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years agodavidv
15 years agotree_oracle
15 years agoeastatliens
15 years agodavidv
15 years agodavidv
15 years agoherman_neutics
15 years agodavidv
15 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
15 years agoEmbothrium
15 years agotree_oracle
15 years agoEmbothrium
15 years agoherman_neutics
15 years agodavidv
15 years agoherman_neutics
15 years agoLisa Toles
7 years agoMike McGarvey
7 years ago
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