Trunk Chop Post Flush Hardening

Maiden69

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So, I have been reading a lot about trunk chops as I have quite a few trees approaching the time of their first chop, but most of the threads I find talk about spring before the push of growth. I did read @Brian Van Fleet trident thread where at the end he stated that he advocates now to chop post-flush-harden, what are the benefits? I though you chopped in spring if you wanted to develop the next part of your trunk, and that pruning post-flush was mostly to start developing secondaries.

In the event of doing it post-flush, how do you estimate the right timing? Most my trees are full of leaves sight now, but the trident and Chinese pistache that are prime candidates for the chop are still pushing fleshy bright red/orange growth on the top half of the canopy.
 

Hack Yeah!

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One of the benefits of chopping during the growing season is the tree is active and can start the healing process immediately. In sure this is species dependent but with the maples I separate layers early June, which is equivalent of chop in my mind.
 

Shibui

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I though you chopped in spring if you wanted to develop the next part of your trunk, and that pruning post-flush was mostly to start developing secondaries.
Everyone will have their own preferred ways. Some are just based on theory or here say, others give advice based on experience.

Developing the next part of a trunk is essentially developing a secondary growth that will be the new trunk.
There's no specific signs or times to chop post leaf out. earlier will give more time to grow, later still works but not quite as much growth post chop. Earlier is likely to give stronger shoots with long internodes (may be difficult to get branching where you want). Later, after first flush is done, can often give more compact shoots that will be far better for smaller trees.
Healing is likely to be better and chances of infection usually less when chopped during growth.

I don't worry too much about when. Trees have been surviving browsing and storms (pruning) for millions of years and neither of those factors are limited to a defined window of the year so trees can cope with pruning almost any time of year. Most trees will grow back despite when you prune.
 
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