0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
This is a good point and thanks for bringing it up. But, when you say "fall" do you mean after leaf fall when the tree is bare but still active?
Hard Pruning During the Growth Season
- Thread starter 0soyoung
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This is a good point and thanks for bringing it up. But, when you say "fall" do you mean after leaf fall when the tree is bare but still active?
iant
Chumono
Osoyoung, I don't know for certain. I haven't done an experiment to test different times. From my reading I think any time from after leaf hardening off to bud swell in late winter/ very early spring is probably ok. My guess is that earlier (after leaf hardening or late summer) probably favors (slightly) back budding and wound healing. Later probably gets more out of that section of growth including energy back to the roots and contributing to branch and trunk thickening. So I guess it depends a little what you're looking for. Somebody else chime in if they've read or experienced something different. I'm no expert I just try to read whatever I can and have a medium amount of experience.
Ian
Ian
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
"tree just used energy stored in the roots and 'invested' it in a new set of leaves and shoots. So if you cut that off just after formation you haven't given those leaves a chance to work and store energy and give payback to the tree on its investment. So it's basically an energy waste."
In a lot of cases that's exactly what we're trying to do--not have the plant expend energy or use it elsewhere. Selective pruning can redirect energy to other parts of the tree. That's what's behind decandling in pines and partial (or complete) defoliation in deciduous trees.
This is another one of those sliding scales that bonsai works with. You can do it, but there has to be some thoughtful purpose behind it.
In a lot of cases that's exactly what we're trying to do--not have the plant expend energy or use it elsewhere. Selective pruning can redirect energy to other parts of the tree. That's what's behind decandling in pines and partial (or complete) defoliation in deciduous trees.
This is another one of those sliding scales that bonsai works with. You can do it, but there has to be some thoughtful purpose behind it.
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
I am convinced that during the dead of winter (roughly, first frost to first thaw) is absolutely the worst time for any deciduous tree because it is 'completely dormant'. The tree has virtually no metabolic activity and, hence, no capacity to resist pathogens (i.e., damage response aka CODIT) that might invade the cuts.
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
Got a chance to check the KH better this weekend and notice lots of back budding at the main branches and trunk. I literally rubbed half of them off since they are growing where I do not want them. I wish some of them grew farther down though....hopefully later.
tmmason10
Omono
Got a chance to check the KH better this weekend and notice lots of back budding at the main branches and trunk. I literally rubbed half of them off since they are growing where I do not want them. I wish some of them grew farther down though....hopefully later.
My hornbeam is JUST in the process of unfurling its leaves right. What a difference. Year makes, I had to repot my maples in mid march last year because hey had leafed out.
Paulpash
Masterpiece
In my experience, radical / hard pruning of thick branches of JM once the sap is flowing up the trunk often (but not always) causes the plant to die back further than done when dormant (I've done around 10 - 15 bonsai chops and have an acer garden with 13 varieties in it that I have had to cull back over the years). Die back seems to be greater (more probable and severe) on some of the redder leaved varieties such as Shin Deshojo / Seigen. When air layering I always take this into consideration as to siting, leaving at least 6 inches between separation point and the next 'critical point' needed for development of the parent tree. Normally I don't bother with wound sealants but I do for acers.
For hard pruning it depends on your aim - chopping when dormant will cause major backbudding and long internodes if ground grown; pruning as leaves harden will cause less back budding but the resulting growth will have shorter internodes. It is the same principle as several posters have made - energy reserves high when dormant before bud break = explosive growth; energy reserves lowered through stem push in spring = shorter internodes. Which do you want ? To develop the next stage of the trunk or reduce a branch and its internode length?
For hard pruning it depends on your aim - chopping when dormant will cause major backbudding and long internodes if ground grown; pruning as leaves harden will cause less back budding but the resulting growth will have shorter internodes. It is the same principle as several posters have made - energy reserves high when dormant before bud break = explosive growth; energy reserves lowered through stem push in spring = shorter internodes. Which do you want ? To develop the next stage of the trunk or reduce a branch and its internode length?
HumbleTrees
Yamadori
Won't the pathogens be dormant in the cold temps as well?
Paulpash
Masterpiece
Yes I agree here too ... but I wouldn't prune in the dead of Winter due to frost / freezing winds dessicating the exposed tissue and causing dieback. Much better to prune as the tree is just starting it's metabolic processes in early spring as the danger of frost damage reduces...
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