Japanese maple chop

mustt65

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so ive purchased this JM for $20 about a year ago. the tree really lacks taper and of course has a handful of flaws. i wanted to perform a truck chop to create a new apex. this is the only maple i own and dont know much about them. i been wanting to chop if for some time and now that i decided on a location, when would be the best time to perform the chop? im looking to chop the tree just about the first branch on the right (red line). is it advisable to wait till it drops all its leaves?IMG_1089.JPG
 

mustt65

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I suggest you read the topic just below yours...
thank you, post was very helpful. now second concern is the top of the trunk looks to have Pseudomonas syringae. ive treated with fungicide, but will chopping also help it not spread. im worried with a moist winter it has the vulnerability of moving down the trunk.
 

0soyoung

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thank you, post was very helpful. now second concern is the top of the trunk looks to have Pseudomonas syringae. ive treated with fungicide, but will chopping also help it not spread. im worried with a moist winter it has the vulnerability of moving down the trunk.
Pseudomonas syringae is a bacterium.

Be aware that blackish bark on acer palmatums simply implies dead cambium. If one prunes in an internode, the stub will inevitably die back to a node below - at some point in time this will appear as a black stem above a node; later it will lighten in color, ultimately becoming white-ish. I think it is far more likely that you have something of this nature and not a pseudomonas syringae infection.

At any rate, thoroughly wipe the blades of your cutting tools with 70% isopropyl alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol) or stronger BEFORE you start pruning. If you believe there is a possible infection, wipe before every cut and then when you are done.
 

mustt65

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This is what I'm dealing with, my concern is that it's spreading about 1/16" about every 3-4 days.
IMG_1639.JPG
 

mustt65

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what do you guys suggest i do? if i chop now i did read that healing over is not as clean. but i also do not want it to spread.
 

0soyoung

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Verticillium clogs the xylem and will cause the foliage to suddenly desiccate - the curled brown leaves don't drop off the affected parts of the tree. There isn't a hint of any of this in your pix. Further, verticillium typically does its thing in spring because it doesn't grow much when temperatures are above 70-75F (in Riverside, it is doing its thing over the leafless winter but its effect won't be apparent until or shortly after bud break).

I think the tree simply got too dry and nearly died, so I would do nothing other than be very attentive to its watering. The cambium is dead in the blackish/brown areas, but they are surrounded by green areas with live cambium. In particular I don't see this to be extending around the trunk/stem in the pix.

For chopping, it is best (IMHO) to wait until next spring after it has leafed out. Chop to just above a branch or branch pair at a node will give the minimum die back. I expounded about this in another thread, so I won't repeat my tedium here.
 

mustt65

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thank you @0soyoung for the explanation about the verticillium wilt. about the chop i did read about it on the other thread you posted in (as i was directed to it) so i have decided to wait till spring.
 

0soyoung

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thank you @0soyoung for the explanation about the verticillium wilt. about the chop i did read about it on the other thread you posted in (as i was directed to it) so i have decided to wait till spring.
Sorry to be repetitious.
I'm loosing track of what I said when and to whom.. Ever notice that old farts just keep telling their favorite story over and over, despite the fact that everyone has heard it many, many times? I am beginning to experience the other side of that. :(.


NOTE TO SELF: enough times already!
 

mustt65

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Sorry to be repetitious.
I'm loosing track of what I said when and to whom.. Ever notice that old farts just keep telling their favorite story over and over, despite the fact that everyone has heard it many, many times? I am beginning to experience the other side of that. :(.

lol its no big deal. i know things on these forums get repeated over and over. lack on my part for not searching the forum for my answer before i asked.
 
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