Question pinching maples

[LindaPat]

When the tender leaves first come out, is it always advantageous to pinch back to two sets of leaves?

 

[Dav4]

Only maples in the last stages of development should get pinched.

 

[LindaPat]

Oh, good. If the trunk is large enough, or I have a sacrifice branch, should I pinch to ramify other branches?

 

[LindaPat]

And will pinching shorten internodes in a young tree?

 

[Deleted member 32750]

You can leave sacrifice branches to elongate and still pinch interior buds to compact the growth in the interior. Just be sure to not let the interior get too weak and make sure to allow light and air to reach the interior. This can be done by cutting one leaf pair in the exterior of the tree once leaves begin to harden off

 

[LindaPat]

That’s very clear. Thanks!

 

[butlern]

Only maples in the last stages of development should get pinched.

Dave is spot on here. Here are my notes on pinching from the Mirai stream this week:

Why pinch and what it does:

1. Candidates for pinching are only trees in refinement stage. Should I do a second pinching in a single season? Not unless tree is super vigorous. Generally, you would only partially defoliate after pinching was done in the early spring.
2. Pinching does not shorten internode length. Pinching serves only to remove auxins at tips and re-distribute sugars and starches back into interior growth, which triggers interior pieces to grow. This will also strengthen weakened pieces.
3. Shorter internodes are dictated by summer pruning and partial defoliation, fall feeding, and winter cut backs.
4. Pinching will accelerate the opening of interior buds that are lagging in their development.
5. Trees bearing both branches that are refined and branches that are underdeveloped... only pinch the refined branches. Let underdeveloped branches elongate (those that require thickening and secondary or tertiary branch development).

When/what NOT to pinch:

1. Dwarf cultivars (e.g. Kiyo Hime) should not be pinched regularly (annually), as these are inherently weaker species.
2. When development of the whole tree or branches are the goals... If branches require lengthening, strengthening or additional secondary and tertiary structure… no pinching.
3. After re-pot, unless the tree has a highly-refined root system that was not cut back hard
4. If some tips and branches died back over winter, there’s an issue and the tree is weak, so no pinching.
5. If tips only show swelling buds while interior pieces of the same branch are leafing out: don’t pinch the shoots further in, as this will set the whole branch back in terms of health. Wait for tips to leaf out
6. Never pinch alternating species (hornbeam, elm, etc). Partially defoliate and cut back to two shoots—that is the appropriate plan for these types of trees when they are in refinement.

 

[LindaPat]

Dave is spot on here. Here are my notes on pinching from the Mirai stream this week:

Why pinch and what it does:

1. Candidates for pinching are only trees in refinement stage. Should I do a second pinching in a single season? Not unless tree is super vigorous. Generally, you would only partially defoliate after pinching was done in the early spring.
2. Pinching does not shorten internode length. Pinching serves only to remove auxins at tips and re-distribute sugars and starches back into interior growth, which triggers interior pieces to grow. This will also strengthen weakened pieces.
3. Shorter internodes are dictated by summer pruning and partial defoliation, fall feeding, and winter cut backs.
4. Pinching will accelerate the opening of interior buds that are lagging in their development.
5. Trees bearing both branches that are refined and branches that are underdeveloped... only pinch the refined branches. Let underdeveloped branches elongate (those that require thickening and secondary or tertiary branch development).

When/what NOT to pinch:

1. Dwarf cultivars (e.g. Kiyo Hime) should not be pinched regularly (annually), as these are inherently weaker species.
2. When development of the whole tree or branches are the goals... If branches require lengthening, strengthening or additional secondary and tertiary structure… no pinching.
3. After re-pot, unless the tree has a highly-refined root system that was not cut back hard
4. If some tips and branches died back over winter, there’s an issue and the tree is weak, so no pinching.
5. If tips only show swelling buds while interior pieces of the same branch are leafing out: don’t pinch the shoots further in, as this will set the whole branch back in terms of health. Wait for tips to leaf out
6. Never pinch alternating species (hornbeam, elm, etc). Partially defoliate and cut back to two shoots—that is the appropriate plan for these types of trees when they are in refinement.

Copied this right down. Thanks!