To chop or not to chop?

[RichKid]

That is the question. I have a few maples that I collected at the beginning of this season that I left a little taller than I would like in order to keep some foliage and leave room for dieback. Some have popped buds further down the trunk where i would like them, others have not. I'm wondering if I could chop some low now and get a jump on development or should I wait till next spring to chop. Any thoughts?

 

[Dave Leppo]

You can chop now, but leave an inch or two from where that new growth comes out. I killed the top of my favorite Red Maple this spring by cutting/carving too close/too soon.

 

[Poink88]

That is the question. I have a few maples that I collected at the beginning of this season that I left a little taller than I would like in order to keep some foliage and leave room for dieback. Some have popped buds further down the trunk where i would like them, others have not. I'm wondering if I could chop some low now and get a jump on development or should I wait till next spring to chop. Any thoughts?

This is the reason I advocate chopping low early on.

In this case, I would leave it alone until winter/spring. Chopping now will weaken the tree and may damage the new roots.

You can however slowly weaken the top growth you will eventually remove and divert the energy to the lower ones you intend to keep (over the next 7-8 months).

Good luck!

 

[GrimLore]

Rich, we live in the same climate and please trust me on this - wait until Spring. My Wife and I have tried several times at different times and sacrificed some pretty nice starters. For whatever reason they just don't make it.

 

[Vance Wood]

The best time to chop a Maple is in the fall. If you do it in the Spring you will likely kill the tree.

 

[Poink88]

The best time to chop a Maple is in the fall. If you do it in the Spring you will likely kill the tree.

Why is this Vance?

I have minimal maple experience but all (9 trees I have) were pruned and 3 were chopped on February and thriving right now.

 

[RichKid]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll err on the side of caution. Patience is always key. However Vance the maples I collected this spring were also chopped this spring and most are thriving. There is only one, which is actually one of my favorites, that hasn't thrown out new shoots and buds. But I always defer to wxperience n I will wait. I think I will go the Dario route from now on n chop early. The reason I didn't is because I was afraid of the die back. Perhaps if I just prune some of the branches it will force buds to pop low on the trunk. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll err on the side of caution. Patience is always key. However Vance the maples I collected this spring were also chopped this spring and most are thriving. There is only one, which is actually one of my favorites, that hasn't thrown out new shoots and buds. But I always defer to wxperience n I will wait. I think I will go the Dario route from now on n chop early. The reason I didn't is because I was afraid of the die back. Perhaps if I just prune some of the branches it will force buds to pop low on the trunk. Any thoughts on that?

It would seem I stand corrected, I was simply quoting what Peter Adams suggests in his book. I have also seen a lot of Maples that were cut hard in the mid spring that went bottom up.

 

[Poink88]

Perhaps if I just prune some of the branches it will force buds to pop low on the trunk. Any thoughts on that?

That is what I meant by weakening the top growth . How much you can remove now depends on how much will be left. If the bottom part can sustain the tree, you may remove the top branches now. Watch any new growth that you do not want...rub them off as soon as you see them.

Good luck!

 

[Dave Leppo]

BTW, it should probably be noted that here in PA things are just starting to warm up. Some of my collected maples (chopped @ collection) are just now growing leaves.
It's been a long spring

 

[Martin Sweeney]

RichKid,

If I was you, I would water and fertilize and leave the plant alone, unless it grows so much that you cannot keep it watered and only then restrain it's strongest growth.

After the above, I would then cut it back next late winter/spring before the buds pop. Timing will be based on your climate, not mine, which are substantially different. The new buds that emerge after your second chop will be so strong that whatever lower branches you have now, even if you try to strengthen them through pruning this year, will be considerably weaker. Unless they are in perfect positions as new leader or branches, I wouldn't worry too much about them and anticipate replacing them with new, more vigorous shoots next year. After next years new growth starts to harden, you can wire to position them and add some initial movement.

You want to regrow roots and strengthen the tree as it is as much as possible this year. That comes from watering, fertilizing and unrestrained growth.

Regards,
Martin

 

[RichKid]

Martin,
I was thinking the same thing about leaving as much foliage as possible in order to regrow the roots and just to strengthen the tree in general. What do you make of the one tree that is the only one to have not grown any new shoots or buds yet? The trunk on it is amazing and the old growth is really weak and sparse is there anything I can do to strengthen in?

 

[Martin Sweeney]

RichKid,

How about a picture?

Regards,
Martin

 

[RichKid]

 

[RichKid]

Both were collected t the same time from the same place. The one w all the growth was stark naked when collected the one w the sparse growth already had all those branches and barely any new growth now

 

[RichKid]

Sorry for the sideways pics they uploaded from my phone like that. U can use the fence pole in the back to gauge the girth of the tree. The one has so much growth that the inside leaves are dying and get powdery mildew because they can't get any air or sunlight.

 

[tmmason10]

Martin is right, fertilize and get the trees thriving and then cut back in late spring. The roots will have stored energy and the trees should explode when they start budding out.

 

[Poink88]

With this pic, I agree to let it grow for now. It is much taller that I thought! LOL

 

[Dav4]

The first one definitely needs to be pumped up before any more tramua is inflicted on it, so I would do as Martin suggested. As for the second one, I'd want want to chop it now....BUT....this isn't my tree. I tend to be very aggressive with stock like this, as I already have too many trees, and honestly, it wouldn't be that big a loss TO ME. You may feel differently about the posibility of losing it. If that is the case, hold off on the chop until next year as that is the safest route. Good luck,

Dave

 

[RichKid]

Well these are just two of the trees I've collected this year. I actually was talking of different ones when I wanted to chop. These two, since they have the biggest trunks, are two I want to be cautious with. The ones I wanted to chop again are actually smaller, although I realize these two also will need to be chopped again in the future. I got diverted with this post when I asked why the one tree wasn't putting on much new growth and when he asked for pics I thought he was talking about that one and figured maybe he would have a better idea after seeing the pic. The one with all the growth has the largest trunk and is actually so thick I have no idea how the scar is going to be hidden once I do chop it down. I guess thats for another thread another day though I suppose. Thanks for the input everyone. I have fertilized them twice so far this year as well as mixing osmocote into the soil mix.