Japanese Maples are some of the most amazing trees in any landscape. If you are lucky to have one, you should know how to prune a Japanese maple. When the leaves drop, it could be tempting to get your pruners and get to work.
Because of the intricate nature of their branching patterns, Japanese maples necessitate professional pruning from certified arborists. Here is some information on why and when to prune Japanese maples.
Why You Must Know How to Prune Japanese Maples
There are numerous reasons to prune. The main reasons are due to the health of the tree. The visual appeal also plays a huge part. The many reasons to prune Japanese maples include:
- Enhance airflow
- Eliminate damaged or dead limbs
- Stop unnecessary growth
- Decrease weight
When to Prune Japanese Maple Trees
For a Japanese maple, do structural pruning in the wintertime and fine pruning in the spring. Also, summer is the time to get rid of big branches and diseased wood.
Spend some time getting to know the structure of your Japanese maple. Find out everything you can so that your tree and your outdoor area can look its best.
Tips for Trimming Japanese Maple Trees
If you’re planning to prune a Japanese maple yourself, below are some tips:
- Prune to get rid of interior dead branches.
- Don’t try to do a big reshape.
- No shearing.
- Perform clean cuts
- Sanitize your tools after every job
Training in correct pruning techniques is a must. Besides skills, there are other critical variables to consider. You must have the right tools to avoid making your Japanese maple tree vulnerable to pathogens and diseases. You should have a certified arborist to do the pruning for you. Learning how to prune correctly takes time.
Not to mention, pruning is time-consuming. Your tree won’t look well-trimmed incorrectly. It takes years of experience to learn how to do a good pruning job on a Japanese maple. Instead of making an error that jeopardizes the life of your Japanese maple, get in touch with us at Durham Tree Service for support and expertise.
