Eric Greene – Page 52

You can plant Japanese maple vertically like a regular maple tree in mid-summer or during the dormant phase of winter, just before the sap starts to flow. With the Laceleaf variety, you must be careful not to cut the crown or shell too much during the summer months, as you can get trunk burns, as it has a very delicate bark. The best time to prune maple trees is between late winter and early spring. This span is ideal for pruning trees, because they resume growth during the spring, and if they are unpruned at that point, then their unwanted branches will be resume growth in aggravating ways. While this won't harm the tree, it doesn't look very pretty, so prune it back in late spring or summer if you can. Winter Tips for Pruning Trees Even if a tree is completely leafless at the time of actual pruning, careful planning before the leaf season begins can be very helpful. The best time to prune maple trees is late winter or early spring - ideally you should try to prune them before they bloom in spring. However, you can also prune maples in late summer to give them shape, slow down the growth of some branches, and get rid of dead branches. Generally, the best time to prune trees and shrubs is during the winter. When to Pruning Many gardeners limit pruning in the fall and winter, when trees are dormant and no longer producing new shoots. However, pruning should not be limited to the tree's dormant life stage. Maples contain sap that "bleeds" if the tree is pruned in early spring or late winter. Bleeding can be reduced by pruning in late spring when the tree is full of leaves. The only time that is prohibited is early summer, when pruning can damage the delicate growth of new shoots. When pruning branches to maintain a certain shape of the tree or to thin the crown, cuts can be made at any time except in early spring. Periodic pruning throughout the tree's life may be required to remove broken, dead, or dying branches, or those that interfere with foot or vehicular traffic. It is generally recommended to prune the tree when it is at rest if large branches need to be removed; that is, pruning between the time the leaves fall from the tree in the fall and the time the buds swell in the spring. You can also prune in the summer if you want to slow down the growth of some branches. At the end of winter, when the days are hot and the nights are cold, root pressure causes sap to flow from any wounds made in the tree's bark. If you prune the tree in winter or spring, the sap will run out or run out. If you prune in the spring when the tree is developing most of its new growth, the sap will bleed a lot. The way to avoid this sap loss is to prune in the winter when the plants are completely dormant, or in the spring after growth has continued. How Maple Trees Change During the Winter During this time, sap production is greatly reduced and gives the trees time to harden or heal a cut before winter sets in. Trees sleep, branches are easier to see when there are no leaves in the way, and that time is before the sap starts to flow. If you prune in late winter, some trees may bleed or produce too much sap in early spring. Some trees, such as birch and maple, bleed a lot if cut at this time. “Plants such as maples, birches, grapes and kiwis exude profuse sap when cut, just as their shoots swell in spring. Oaks and apple trees, most maples, including the Manitoba maples, can lose particularly large amounts of sap when pruned. Sap levels are lowest in late spring and during the summer months, so unlike most trees, which usually need to be pruned at other times, ie. For this reason, many gardeners claim that the best time to prune a maple tree is during the summer, when the tree is fully leafed. The main reason pruning around this time of year is the worst is because it encourages plant growth just when your maple should be thinking about hibernation. Pruning Is Best During the Summer As mentioned earlier, pruning maple trees in summer or late spring means significantly less sap loss from the tree than in early or winter, resulting in a happier, healthier tree. Late fall/winter pruning is especially important for oaks to help prevent the spread of fungi that cause oak wilt (see UW Garden Facts XHT1075). With one exception, oaks are pruned during the growing season when wound healing is recommended. As with all trees, pruning reduces the likelihood of disease becoming a problem by increasing airflow and strengthening the limbs. In addition, it makes it easier for sunlight to penetrate, which in turn increases growth and overall improves the health of the tree. Clemson notes that this helps to minimize any negative impact on the tree's growth, as it doesn't grow during the winter months anyway, and also reduces the risk of disease and pest attacks on the tree. To avoid excessive sap production, maples should be pruned in mid-summer. A secondary period of time that you can imagine when pruning a maple is when the tree is completely dormant in the dead of winter, just before the sap begins to pump through the tree. If you can only choose one time of year to prune your maple, choose a time after the coldest winter temperatures have passed, but before flowering begins in early spring. The Importance of Pruning Maple Trees Pruning maple trees for beautiful shape and structure is best done in late winter/early spring, when the tree is dormant and the structure of the branches is visible. Annual pruning in the first few years after planting often helps the tree establish itself and develop a strong and aesthetically pleasing structure. Young trees also need corrective pruning to remove cross branches, double heads, water buds and suckers. Over-pruning can weaken trees by removing excess leaves and food storage that are stored in the trunk. If the tree is heavily pruned, it can take several years to fully recover and even longer to overcome the damage. Depending on the severity of the pruning and the amount of care given afterward, the tree always has a small chance. Leaving diseased and damaged branches on the tree will only help spread the problem. Pruning wounds will heal faster if pruned in early spring, before the trees begin to move. You can prune maples in spring or summer, but the trees will waste energy on the wood and leaves you get rid of. Caring for flame maples in the fall requires regular pruning every 3-5 years. Many of the problems that require extensive repair work on older trees can be prevented with early corrective pruning.