Nice, Lance! This is coming along. Do you occasionally partially defoliate? I started a forest last year and I noticed that there's so much growth that the leaves shade out the interior and lower branches. I've been occasionally cutting larger leaves to allow light into these areas.
Also do you primarily just let it grow unchecked through the season and then cut back? The internodes I get at the beginning of the season are so long that they're basically unusable.
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement! Much appreciated!
I do not partial defoliate. You get "better" results with leaf cutting. A JM might just abandon the branch you defoliate.
I wouldn't defoliate a forest, maybe the outer trees, but it's risky. Keep the trees on the inside of the composition strong, you'll be cutting the perimeter trees more as they tend to get more light.
It's a good idea to remove any leaf that gets too big, or fold it in half and cut the tip.
If your going to de-foliate, work an entire season on building vigor.
I have a lot of the "fancy cultivars", they don't really display tons of vigor. Come out fine in spring but don't generally send a strong second flush.
5-6 leaf sets, then I'll cut. Especially this one. Not sure the inter-nodal distance will reduce much. Working it near a decade and the leaf has barely reduced at all. Still throwing extensions 2' long by mid-May.
. I’d like to thank you for that... Can i send you a crate of maple syrup? cigars? hard liquor?
