Maple leaf removal in fall?

[nover18]

I've read from those like Owen Reich that people remove the leaves on their maples in the fall as opposed to letting them fall off naturally. Do people do this? I've heard two sides of the argument. One is that the mechanical removal prior to natural drop is that it aids in the prevention of disease. I've also heard that one should not do this since it can result in damaged buds and issues with bud extension in the spring. Anyone care to weigh in on possible pros and/or cons? Simply put, I guess my question is, is this a personal aesthetic preference or is there a biological benefit to removing leaves prior to natural leaf drop?

 

[music~maker]

I don't know if there's one "correct" answer to this, because people probably successfully do both. My theory has always been to let the tree be a tree, and as long as the leaves are able to conduct some photosynthesis, and otherwise naturally complete their annual process, I leave them be. I figure if nothing else, they're protective a developing bud so they do serve a purpose.

I do usually remove them when they completely dry up and die, though. Leaving completely dead leaves on a tree doesn't add much value, but I see no problems with leaving them on until they've exhausted their fall colors. It seems to work out pretty well for the large-scale versions of these trees.

For most things I just gently touch the leaves and if they fall off, great. Other things like hornbeam stubbornly hold on to their dead leaves. For those, I usually trim them off once their dead so as not to damage any buds.

 

[lordy]

if you do trim them off prior to natural drop, be sure to cut the petiole just below (or closer to) the leaf itself. This should insure that no buds are harmed in the creation of the defoliated tree.

 

[sorce]

Yeah, I just brush em with a hand and if they fall they fall.

I think its more a matter of keeping things tidy if you have to put them away for winter.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

I would just let them fall off in their own sweet time.
That's why it's called fall. After they are off and laying I think I will use a leaf blower to tidy things up as Bill Valvanis suggested on another forum.

 

[Paradox]

I let the leaves stay on until I am ready to put the tree in storage for the winter just to prevent the leaves getting all over the garage.
When I do remove them I cut the petiole as Dave stated.

 

[LanceMac10]

If you have a smaller-leaved variety, during the course of removing fallen leaves, you will inevitably brush againts other leaves, causing them to drop.
Try to remove as much as possible from the soil surface.
Avoid mechanical removal and rough "leaf pulling"

 

[Owen Reich]

Removal of foliage on vigorous branches a few weeks before leaf color change starts inhibits the recycling of nutrients to that branch. This is done to balance energy on maples that are at an intermediate to refined state. As with any technique, there is a time and a place for application; a plan of action is necessary. Too early and buds may initiate again.

 

[JudyB]

Good tip Owen, thanks! Although I don't know of a way to determine when leaf color will happen. It seems to differ on my trees depending on the fall weather. So far I have very little color change as it's been very warm here for this time of year. I would imagine with this technique, that too late would be safer than too early?

 

[Owen Reich]

Without seeing them I cannot comment. However, soon would be a good time....

So I found some photos of when I learned the technique. I had to sneak up on my teacher, Keichi Fujikawa, when he slipped quietly into the garden one day to apply techniques to some of the deciduous trees. Was rewarded for efforts with an explanation.

 

[sorce]

And to think we could have gone on not knowing that!

Big thanks Owen!

Sorce

 

[BobbyLane]

I removed all the leaves on my Trident recently, most were falling or about to fall. i did this after a visit to a local well known bonsai nursery, the bloke who runs it is an expert/oldtimer, he had done the same to all his Tridents so i thought what the heck! my Trident was the first to start dropping its leaves here..

 

[JudyB]

Good stuff Owen.

 

[music~maker]

Removal of foliage on vigorous branches a few weeks before leaf color change starts inhibits the recycling of nutrients to that branch. This is done to balance energy on maples that are at an intermediate to refined state. As with any technique, there is a time and a place for application; a plan of action is necessary. Too early and buds may initiate again.

Could you clarify what you mean by "inhibits the recycling of nutrients to that branch"? What is the specific process in play that you're tampering with? What spring-time effect do you expect to get on that branch (or others) in the spring when it blooms out?

How many of the branches on average do you apply this technique to? Is it the top 10% most vigorous? Top 25%? Etc?

I'm intrigued by this - always interested in learning more about clever ways to hack biological processes. ;-)

In the fall, I'll sometimes trim back a few of the most vigorous branches by a few nodes or so to help trigger back budding and re-balance the energy of the tree. I suspect what you're describing here by leaf pruning serves a similar purpose, thus all my questions. Good to have another tool in the toolbox.

 

[Owen Reich]

It varies from tree to tree and branch to branch. Without a tree to reference, that's hard to answer. The more balanced the bonsai is, the less you need to remove.

Some Nitrogen is recycled. As the abscission layer between leaf and stem is formed and expands, less can be recycled. So, you cut the leaves off at the petiole just as the leaves start to shut down.

This is a minor tweak to set the stage for next year's growth. Weaker buds get a very minor boost and stronger buds are slowed down a little. In DSC 0720 above, it was likely 7 to 10.67%.

 

[nover18]

Removal of foliage on vigorous branches a few weeks before leaf color change starts inhibits the recycling of nutrients to that branch. This is done to balance energy on maples that are at an intermediate to refined state. As with any technique, there is a time and a place for application; a plan of action is necessary. Too early and buds may initiate again.

Thanks so much Owen. Good info.