Should I defoliate my maple yamadori ?

[Njyamadori]

I’ve recently like a week ago collected a Japanese red maple but I’m deciding If I should defoliate it before I store it somewhere? Also if I do how should I do it ?

 

[leatherback]

No, you need to give it all it can get in terms of growth if this was recently dug.

I would recommend keeping it frost-free considering the recent collection.

 

[MrWunderful]

No. Dont touch it until next early spring, if it shows vigorous growth.

Defoliation is something that is generally reserved for trees in the final stages of refinement.

 

[johng]

it will defoliate on its own soon. As advised above, you should be very careful how you overwinter given you just collected it. Once the leaves fall off I would suggest keeping in an unheated garage or shed if possible. If you must keep it outside find a very protected area...as little wind as possible and bury the pot in the ground and mulch up around the tree. I'll sometimes place an old nursery container over the tree once its mulched in and dormant for added protection.