When to defoliate?

MotoWanderer

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Firstly, i hope you guys don't mind me posting again so soon, but all the responses have been great, I'm eager to pick everyone's brain. I've been lurking for most of the year and finally made an account.

I collected this maple a couple months ago, it's been hit with the weed eater a few times over the years, then grew under a pile of 4x4s, but it is determined to survive. It's got quite an interesting surface root structure and parallel growth, so I honestly don't think I'll change it too much. I expect my biggest issue will be keeping the leaves small and continuing to develop the upper canopy ramification while the trunks thicken. With that said, should i be aggressively removing the larger of the leaves to encourage small leaf development, or just let it grow for a few years first with whatever leaf size it grows?
 

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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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Seems to have a pretty good start on 2 different size trunks.

I'd just be sure to keep the small one smaller, pruning large chunks off more, and the. If one bigger, not pruning anything.

Once it buds lower you can make different, more specific design choices.

I've had a similar one in a basket for a few years, it just got to getting healthy and moving lower buds. After last summer's Repot..go figure.

Sorce
 

leatherback

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i hope you guys don't mind me posting again
Well.. What are you thinking.. Posting on a forum! What do you think this place is for ;)

As for defoliating, I think you got some good answers. HOwever, keep in mind that these can create very long internodes. So you might need to work on that as you are growing this out further. But the furst year after digging, let it grow.
 
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