Tips For Pruning Your Japanese Maple Tree
If you have recently planted trees in your yard, you'll need to take steps to prune them to make sure that they are growing as healthy as possible. Just chopping away at a tree can potentially damage it or cause it to die. Here are some specific tips for pruning a Japanese maple tree to get the best possible results.
Prune Sporadically
Pruning a Japanese Maple tree is not something that should be done in a single day. It is a task that should be slowly done over many weeks to ensure that the tree stays healthy. While it may be tempting to do the entire pruning job at once, you need to space it out.
Thankfully, you can prune a tree at almost any time during the summer. There are times where leaves a growing or falling, which is a time where pruning should be avoided. The tree is simple using too much energy at the time to recover from pruning.
Know How To Cut Living Branches
Living branches should always be cut at an angle, which will leave a larger exposed part of the branch that faces upward. This will help the tree absorb water and continue to grow, even with the branch gone.
Cut Off Low Hanging Limbs
Chances are that you have some low hanging limbs that are in the way when people walk near the tree, or they are touching nearby bushes. These types of branches will be safe to prune and not interfere with the tree's growth.
Get Rid of Deadwood
Look through the tree for small branches that are clearly dead. These will be safe to cut off with a pruning saw. Just make sure to not cut the branch collar. You do not want to leave a large stub on the tree, but making the cut too close can cause damage to the trunk.
Create a Layered Look
You'll also want to focus on removing branches that are so close to each other that they are touching. This will help create the layered appearance that Japanese maple trees are known for. The goal is to have branches fill every spot of the tree, but leave enough space around them so that touching is minimal.
If you do not feel confident pruning your Japanese maple tree, know that you can always hire a professional tree trimming service to do it for you. They have worked with trees like this before, and know what works best.
