JM chop with zero foliage below planned chop?

[SeanS]

Repotting season is slowly approaching here in South Africa. I have a regular green maple with a horrible scar and bulge/reverse tape halfway up the trunk, and a pretty ugly upper part as well that I want to chop Just below the scar when I repot soon.

However there’s no foliage or branches below the planned chop side. I can see 1 (possibly 2) rings on the trunk where buds might be.

How risky is it to make the chop and hope for buds to pop? Can it be done when I repot? What are the chances it buds after the repot and chop with no existing buds present?

 

[sorce]

I don't like to not have an established branch to cut back to. It's the "50%" for a chop endeavor.

There is a possibility of stall, that may take it into what could be a usually non productive hot mid summer, where if it attempts growth then, it may die.

I can't believe how early you're getting on, it seems most folks are a month out or so still. That's what is making me think of your growth patterns.

In watching all my pumpkins grow new fruit after the summer Solstice once, I realized these are the same patterns we are working with. Some trees won't stall. Natives seem to pick up best regardless of timings.

The subtle moon pattern is everything too, especially for barechopping.

Sorce

 

[hinmo24t]

if its a field maple like a norway, sugar, red, etc i bet theres like an 80% chance it will buf if your timing is decent

 

[leatherback]

A healthy maple will take such a chop at the right time without trouble. I would not combine it with a repot.

Have you considered layering later in the season? I find that with layering, the trunk below the layer pops loads of buds in the process.

 

[SeanS]

A healthy maple will take such a chop at the right time without trouble. I would not combine it with a repot.

Have you considered layering later in the season? I find that with layering, the trunk below the layer pops loads of buds in the process.

Layering was a thought, the ugly top might be worth saving, even just to have something for cuttings layer on.

I’ll play it safe and hope for buds after the layer, then reassess and possibly chop after or next year if it sprouts something where I need it.

 

[leatherback]

I’ll play it safe and hope for buds after the layer

Do note: Layering a repotted tree is not always a succes!

 

[SeanS]

@leatherback thanks, I think I’m rushing things. I’ll repot and see how things go from there. A repot will be my main goal for this season, I shouldn’t be thinking so many steps ahead

 

[leatherback]

I think I’m rushing things

I am guilty of this myself a lot of the time.. :

November 2019





June 2020

 

[rockm]

You have to decide what you're going to do with that mess of a rootball. Chose one side. Can't keep both. Chop one off, seal the wound to prevent die back around it. Leaving one side of the root mass exposed is going to kill the roots off on it anyway...

FWIW, chopping and leaving a branch --unless it is a future leader for the new apex, is not ideal, you WANT the tree to push new shoots from the trunk and not old, out of place branching that will look odd with new branches.