JasonRedwood
Mame
Hi everyone,
Here's my situation. earlier this year (may-ish) I went and found a handful of small maple seedlings - and one maple that's a few years old. I intend on making them into a group planting in a few years once i have them better established.
The one older tree (red maple as far as i can guess) as some interesting trunk features - a spot that a branch was broken off and so forth. The first 2 inches of the trunk I like a lot - the rest is a straight line with no taper at all.
Now, the bottom of the trunk is about the thickness that i want it, so I want to do a trunk chop and introduce some taper. I got it to back bud this year, so i have a branch just about where i want to make the cut - which i think will make a nice new trunk (I intend to style them very naturally - a few bigger trunks coming up off the main trunk).
My question is: When is the best time to do a trunk chop on maples?
I have been reading a ton of things, and everything says something different. Leaf drop for maples in my area is still 2.5 months away at the soonest. I've been reading that people do heavy pruning right after leaf drop in fall - or in winter, or in spring before buds extend, or in late spring after leaves harden off.
Also, if anyone has had experience doing this in spring, should i do it at the same time as repotting? The tree will need a repot in spring, and I want to work on the roots a little bit - i didn't do anything with them when i dug it up.
If anyone has done this on a north american maple, please let me know. Also, I intend to use the part i cut off as a cutting, as it's about the thickness i want for my secondary trees in the group planting.
Here's my situation. earlier this year (may-ish) I went and found a handful of small maple seedlings - and one maple that's a few years old. I intend on making them into a group planting in a few years once i have them better established.
The one older tree (red maple as far as i can guess) as some interesting trunk features - a spot that a branch was broken off and so forth. The first 2 inches of the trunk I like a lot - the rest is a straight line with no taper at all.
Now, the bottom of the trunk is about the thickness that i want it, so I want to do a trunk chop and introduce some taper. I got it to back bud this year, so i have a branch just about where i want to make the cut - which i think will make a nice new trunk (I intend to style them very naturally - a few bigger trunks coming up off the main trunk).
My question is: When is the best time to do a trunk chop on maples?
I have been reading a ton of things, and everything says something different. Leaf drop for maples in my area is still 2.5 months away at the soonest. I've been reading that people do heavy pruning right after leaf drop in fall - or in winter, or in spring before buds extend, or in late spring after leaves harden off.
Also, if anyone has had experience doing this in spring, should i do it at the same time as repotting? The tree will need a repot in spring, and I want to work on the roots a little bit - i didn't do anything with them when i dug it up.
If anyone has done this on a north american maple, please let me know. Also, I intend to use the part i cut off as a cutting, as it's about the thickness i want for my secondary trees in the group planting.
