Something really off-topic

[tonydahose]

i figure someone on here will know the answer to this. i have a green japanese maple tree in the front of my house that i bought last spring. it is pretty messy as you can see in the pics. i would like to cut off the lower limbs (circled in blue) i was going to do it in the fall but someone said that you shouldn't do that as the tree needs all of its resources to survive the winter. so do you think that is too much to cut off? if nobody knows i will probably join an arborist forum and ask there. this thing wasn't cheap so i dont want to kill it. any other hints on dealing with this, best time to do it, cut on an angle or flush with the trunk, wrap it with anything afterwards? thanks

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/tonydahose/100_2322.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/tonydahose/100_2323.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/tonydahose/100_2325-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v680/tonydahose/100_2326.jpg

[yablanowitz]

That shouldn't hurt it a bit. Cut while the sap is down, from late fall to late winter, but before it begins to bud. Cut at the collar where the base of the branch joins the trunk on the branch side of the flare. Cut straight across the branch to expose a minimum amount of wood. Do not leave a stub of branch since it will die at the collar, leaving dead wood sticking out of the trunk. That looks bad and also leaves a route for wood boring insects to enter. I generally don't bother sealing the cuts unless borers are a major problem in the area. The cuts will heal over faster if left open, but if there are a lot of borers around you should put pruning sealer on the cuts to keep the bugs out.

The rule of thumb is never remove more than 25 to 30% of the canopy in a single season. Those two branches are much less than 25% of the total canopy.

[ozspyder]

Agre with Yab, shouldn't be an issue cutting it off flush. I do this to my trees and shrubs all the time. Sometimes people recommend even putting some vaseline on the cut, but I don't bother and it heals up fine.

I often take off more than 25% of a plant especially if I decide to go shaping them :p I usually follow up any heaving pruning with a good dose of fertiliser - generally some nitrogen based as well as seaweed based stuff. Gets them going :)

[yablanowitz]

Japanese Maples are pretty delicate, and require a sheltered area and plenty of care around here. In a wetter climate they will be hardier, but I'd still take it easy on the pruning. Granted, I know some trees and shrubs that will recover from a one cut pruning at ground level, but that Maple isn't one of them.

[2cha]

That shouldn't hurt it a bit. Cut while the sap is down, from late fall to late winter, but before it begins to bud. .

You sound a heck of a lot more knowledgeable than me, but does this still apply with a new transplant? I thought that transplants should get a chance to root in for a year or two before heavy pruning.

Other than that, I have a dwarf maple, and I wack the heck out of it every fall.

[yablanowitz]

I made a living landscaping and selling plants for a few years, and I learned a little bit about what works and what doesn't. New transplants are usually suffering enough shock without adding pruning to their tale of woe. Even though balled in burlap stock (plants grown in the ground and then dug up and moved) loses a lot of root mass when it is dug up, heavy pruning will add further stress rather than relieving it. Container stock (plants grown in the pot) has all of its root mass intact when planted, so it is generally a bit more tolerant of pruning. Even so, it's better to let it root in for a year before doing much cutting on it.

[Octanis]

hahhaha really off topic... yeah lop 'em off, it'll be fine.

[tonydahose]

thanks everyone...i love this place, there is always someone if not more that has an answer to almost any question. if i was on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire show, i would want you guys as one of my lifelines:).

[jzmtl]

When I cut major branches off tree I flame the cut with a lighter briefly, having read it helps seal it up. Duno if it actually works but didn't seem to hurt.

[psimonl]

Like 2cha said, I think you better wait a year so the tree roots in. Being in Chicago, with snow, your tree looks "in dormance" ie it's sleeping. Automn (fall) is a great time to shape your tree.

Your tree is young, it's goo to give it its future shape, but you have to take care wich branches you want to cut off. Some branches sucks the tree sap and later, you will want to cut them.

I think your best bet would bo to bring your photos to http://www.chicago-botanic.org/ Usually, they will be more than glad to help you.

Take care and by the way, very nice choice of tree.....

Simon

[npueppke]

I would cut those two branches off now. The time of year is fine, and if you wait too long I could see those breaking off.. and that would really not be good for the tree. The only time I would avoid pruning is in the spring when new leaves are forming, but if the tree is healthy it will normally be fine then as well. Late summer or fall is the best time, though.

You don't need to seal the cut or anything, just cut it off close to the trunk (but avoid damaging the actual trunk) and it should be fine.