is it too late in the season to do trunk chops/major prune on J maple?

[potatofarmer]

i just did it anyways because i'm annoyed with myself that i didn't cut it back further earlier in the season and i don't want to wait a whole year. but what is the correct answer. we still have all of august so maybe it's ok.

 

[caffeinated]

it's still the middle of the growing season. You're fine. Into fall you want to let the tree build up some energy reserves with all the foliage it has, so maybe don't prune much then, until after leaves change color.

 

[leatherback]

i'm annoyed with myself that i didn't cut it back further earlier in the season

Does this mean you have lower growth already?

I personally would not make a new cut now. You run the risk of barely getting a budding response. It might be slower than making the cut at the right time

 

[Paradox]

I agree with @leatherback
I wouldn't chop now

 

[bwaynef]

Major pruning often leaves holes in the canopy. That can be perilous in summer leading to burnt foliage or sunburn on the trunk/branches. (That can be managed w/ shade if you have it.) In my area, trees have enough time to recover and produce, but I can't get away with it for much longer in the season. I'd expect Vancouver's growing season to be shorter than mine and would recommend waiting 'til spring.

 

[rockm]

I agree with @leatherback and @bwaynef wait to chop for both those reasons.

As leatherback said backbudding won’t be nearly as strong or prolific as it will be in the early spring. You may not get any of the tree is left in sun exposure in the heat.

Patience is important as are understanding the time of year and what the plant is doing. For instance the most active growth period for trees ended on the summer solstice last month. They’re moving resources to woodier parts of their frames and roots not to generating new green growth. While this can be an ad vantage with some pruning it isn’t if your looking to begin a new apex or strong branch

 

[bonsaichile]

i just did it anyways because i'm annoyed with myself that i didn't cut it back further earlier in the season and i don't want to wait a whole year. but what is the correct answer. we still have all of august so maybe it's ok.

You dont like waiting and you chose bonsai as your hobby??

 

[JoeWilson]

You dont like waiting and you chose bonsai as your hobby??

Every time I want to work on a tree before it's time, I dig up a new tree and put it in a pot. So obviously now I have dozens of crappy sticks in pots. Ok, I lied, half the time, I do it anyway. Another benefit of having all these sticks.

 

[potatofarmer]

You dont like waiting and you chose bonsai as your hobby??

im pretty good usually. had a yolo moment lol. and i have loads of these maples anyways.

 

[potatofarmer]

here is my screw up. the top is too boring and straight i think.

it was a pretty hard cut because all the growth was at the top.

 

[NaoTK]

For instance the most active growth period for trees ended on the summer solstice last month

I would like a thread on the topic of light and trees. Most trees are not exposed to the sun 360 degrees so do these statements apply? If I have afternoon shade does the tree's growth calendar shift? If your bench is between two buildings does the tree pick up seasonal queues differently? If all light is light then all that matters for chop timing is how much time you have before first freeze.

I have a few semi-tropical trees that seem to grow better in the winter when they are under 12 hour artificial light vs the variable ~8 hours outside, so I always wondered if they are more active when the photoperiod is closer to their native habitat.

 

[Maros]

here is my screw up. the top is too boring and straight i think.

it was a pretty hard cut because all the growth was at the top.

If you have a lot of these maples, then just do it. And see the result for yourself in 4 weeks from now. The tree will sprout without skipping a beat. Imagine you were layering the top, the next 2-3 weeks would be the time to separate the layer. What would the tree do then?

 

[potatofarmer]

If you have a lot of these maples, then just do it. And see the result for yourself in 4 weeks from now. The tree will sprout without skipping a beat. Imagine you were layering the top, the next 2-3 weeks would be the time to separate the layer. What would the tree do then?

true. i have so many plants at the moment....

do you agree that cut will make it look better in the long run or am i tripping and it doesn't even make much of a difference?

 

[Maros]

true. i have so many plants at the moment....

do you agree that cut will make it look better in the long run or am i tripping and it doesn't even make much of a difference?

Look. Let's start from the basics. Tree seeds to have some decent nebari (we dont see it now) and interesting beginning of the trunk (Let's say first 5-15 cm). If you want to improve nebari, you have to do it in spring, during the repotting. Take it out, chose good roots, remove thick roots, eventually pot it on piece of wood board( check @clem s threads).
If you want thickening of the trunk, you need to let the tree grow, do not remove anything. Let the current foliage contribute to trunk thickening (starting now until end of growing season).
And we are back as square one, you will eventually chopp it to desirable height in May 2026.
That's how I would look at it strategically.

 

[rockm]

I would like a thread on the topic of light and trees. Most trees are not exposed to the sun 360 degrees so do these statements apply? If I have afternoon shade does the tree's growth calendar shift? If your bench is between two buildings does the tree pick up seasonal queues differently? If all light is light then all that matters for chop timing is how much time you have before first freeze.

I have a few semi-tropical trees that seem to grow better in the winter when they are under 12 hour artificial light vs the variable ~8 hours outside, so I always wondered if they are more active when the photoperiod is closer to their native habitat.

I would like a thread on the topic of light and trees. Most trees are not exposed to the sun 360 degrees so do these statements apply? If I have afternoon shade does the tree's growth calendar shift? If your bench is between two buildings does the tree pick up seasonal queues differently? If all light is light then all that matters for chop timing is how much time you have before first freeze.

I have a few semi-tropical trees that seem to grow better in the winter when they are under 12 hour artificial light vs the variable ~8 hours outside, so I always wondered if they are more active when the photoperiod is closer to their native habitat.

I don’t know all the science involved.

There are many sources out there that all about seasonality and intensity exposure.

For temperate zone deciduous trees it isn’t so much the intensity of the light but the trend—shortening ominous any light followed by longer periods of darkness signals the tree that’s its time to shft gears.

Trees growing in the shade of other trees building etc begin and complete leaf color change (withdrawal of chlorophyll ) as fall approaches (with days beginning to shorten at the summer solstice.). My guess is that it is the shortening of light hours not the intensity of that light

 

[Paradox]

I don’t know all the science involved.

There are many sources out there that all about seasonality and intensity exposure.

For temperate zone deciduous trees it isn’t so much the intensity of the light but the trend—shortening ominous any light followed by longer periods of darkness signals the tree that’s its time to shft gears.

Trees growing in the shade of other trees building etc begin and complete leaf color change (withdrawal of chlorophyll ) as fall approaches (with days beginning to shorten at the summer solstice.). My guess is that it is the shortening of light hours not the intensity of that light

I think temperature also plays a role in fall color change as well as shortening of day length

 

[leatherback]

here is my screw up. the top is too boring and straight i think.

Make a plan before you do any further work. Decide how tall the final tree should be. That dictates how thick the trunk ideally is (height is best left under 12 times the trunk thickness). That + the style you aim for can help decide on future steps.

 

[Attmos]

You dont like waiting and you chose bonsai as your hobby??

I think patience can be learned, especially after having made a few mistakes.

 

[JoeWilson]

Make a plan before you do any further work. Decide how tall the final tree should be. That dictates how thick the trunk ideally is (height is best left under 12 times the trunk thickness). That + the style you aim for can help decide on future steps.

With the 1:6/12 rule, are we generally talking about the thickness of the trunk just above the nebari/root flare, right? And is there a different rule for multi-trunk trees, or do you go by the thickest trunk in that case?

 

[leatherback]

And is there a different rule for multi-trunk trees, or do you go by the thickest trunk in that case?

Good question. Not sure, but I would go by a per-trunk height.

In practice, many bonsai have a trunk that barely convinces as a trunk. So I err on the shorter trees.