Possible Failed Maple chop

[Rid]

I chopped a trident maple growing in the ground several weeks ago. I did it when buds were swelling. New buds began to form but they turned brown.

I think my timing was fine, I followed the same protocol and had no issues with a Korean hornbeam, Japanese maple and crabapple.

could it be weather? We got nighttime temps in the low 40s for a few nights.

Could it be slugs? Ive see them on the trunks in the morning.

many other thoughts?
Thanks
Ridley

 

[sorce]

We're the later-brown buds present at the chop time?

Slugs.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Give the tree time. The buds developing, then turning brown does not sound good at all. There are several diseases of maples, like anthracnose, and a few others that can attack through wounds. Did you seal your cut immediately? Was the cutting tool clean of sap from other trees?

Now there is little to do that would help, except wait. Sometimes a tree can come around, as much as 2 or 3 months after the cut. But right now the prognosis is not good.

 

[Rid]

We're the later-brown buds present at the chop time?

Slugs.

Sorce

Good question. That is a possibility, as I didn’t look very closely before chopping.

 

[Rid]

Give the tree time. The buds developing, then turning brown does not sound good at all. There are several diseases of maples, like anthracnose, and a few others that can attack through wounds. Did you seal your cut immediately? Was the cutting tool clean of sap from other trees?

Now there is little to do that would help, except wait. Sometimes a tree can come around, as much as 2 or 3 months after the cut. But right now the prognosis is not good.

Thanks Leo. I did seal it. Will keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Rid]

I just went to go check on my stumps, and this guy was burrowing into the side of the Trident maple, what is it?

 

[Dav4]

I've actually had mixed results chopping tridents during spring bud swell... sometimes they do ok and other times they'll callus the chop wound but don't push any new buds or actually turn slimy and die back to the roots- read this as an introduced pathogen. I suspect an energy deficit is to blame, as much of the tree's energy is present in the upper trunk/branching when the tree is chopped. At this point, I'm more likely to chop mid/late winter- before they push- or mid summer, after they've been growing for a few months. With that being said, there's nothing for you to do but wait... if no buds in the next 2-3 months- basically mid summer, or the bark begins to darken or shrivel, you'll have your answer.

 

[Rid]

I've actually had mixed results chopping tridents during spring bud swell... sometimes they do ok and other times they'll callus the chop wound but don't push any new buds or actually turn slimy and die back to the roots- read this as an introduced pathogen. I suspect an energy deficit is to blame, as much of the tree's energy is present in the upper trunk/branching when the tree is chopped. At this point, I'm more likely to chop mid/late winter- before they push- or mid summer, after they've been growing for a few months. With that being said, there's nothing for you to do but wait... if no buds in the next 2-3 months- basically mid summer, or the bark begins to darken or shrivel, you'll have your answer.

Thanks Dave, that makes sense to me.

 

[MrWunderful]

I've actually had mixed results chopping tridents during spring bud swell... sometimes they do ok and other times they'll callus the chop wound but don't push any new buds or actually turn slimy and die back to the roots- read this as an introduced pathogen. I suspect an energy deficit is to blame, as much of the tree's energy is present in the upper trunk/branching when the tree is chopped. At this point, I'm more likely to chop mid/late winter- before they push- or mid summer, after they've been growing for a few months. With that being said, there's nothing for you to do but wait... if no buds in the next 2-3 months- basically mid summer, or the bark begins to darken or shrivel, you'll have your answer.

Came here to say this.

I have had 100% success chopping mid summer/ after first flush hardens.

 

[Mikecheck123]

We're the later-brown buds present at the chop time?

Slugs.

Sorce

Slugs have crushed more of my dreams in the last year than I care to admit.

 

[NOZZLE HEAD]

I just went to go check on my stumps, and this guy was burrowing into the side of the Trident maple, what is it?

That is a Xyleborus, AKA Ambrosia beetle, AKA shothole borer. From your image it is hard to tell, but I’m pretty sure.

They are attracted to stressed trees. I just found them on a palmatum of mine and I treated the tree,(and all the others) but they showed up in such force that I may have lost the tree.

 

[Grovic]

I chopped a trident maple growing in the ground several weeks ago. I did it when buds were swelling. New buds began to form but they turned brown.

I think my timing was fine, I followed the same protocol and had no issues with a Korean hornbeam, Japanese maple and crabapple.

could it be weather? We got nighttime temps in the low 40s for a few nights.

Could it be slugs? Ive see them on the trunks in the morning.

many other thoughts?
Thanks
Ridley

Did the three make it?

 

[Rid]

Did the three make it?

Nope. I lost a Korean hornbeam and a trident this spring. A crabapple and Japanese maple chop by the same method were successful. To the best of my knowledge, I chopped all when the buds started to swell. I’ll be following dav4 s advice provided earlier in this thread in the future.