Can I chop this maple really low now?

[Cajunrider]

 

[sorce]

View attachment 433931

When I had a Rubrum in the ground I highly regretted underestimating it's vigour and NOT rubbing out more shoots.

I'd select a leader with one close node and let everything above it be a health sacrifice to allow continued cutting of everything else back to the smallest closely noded shoot.

These periods are crucial to me, where we must delve into the horticulturally minorly unsound in order to really solidify a good design.

I reckon if it can survive a hurricane......

Sorce

 

[Cajunrider]

When I had a Rubrum in the ground I highly regretted underestimating it's vigour and NOT rubbing out more shoots.

I'd select a leader with one close node and let everything above it be a health sacrifice to allow continued cutting of everything else back to the smallest closely noded shoot.

These periods are crucial to me, where we must delve into the horticulturally minorly unsound in order to really solidify a good design.

I reckon if it can survive a hurricane......

Sorce

Thanks for the advice. I'll take a close look at these shoots and select the leader this weekend. I figure it is no different than my BCs. If I don't rub out the majority of the shoots, it grows into a bush. When I trim the branches later, the scar will swell it up and create a reverse taper.