Want to prune your Japanese maple tree, but don't know where to start? These handy tips will help you create a healthy tree that looks gorgeous.
We're having an unseasonably warm spring, so I've been taking advantage of the nice weather to kick my garden into shape. I've been doing a ton of weeding, mulching, and planting in my shade garden. Spring is the perfect time to prune Japanese maple trees, before the buds start to break into leaves. Without the leaves in the way, you're able to see the shape of the tree itself and guide it to create the look you want.
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The weeping Japanese maple in our backyard needed some serious help. Our house was a rental before we bought it, so no one had taken care of this tree properly for years! This is my first time working with this type of tree, and I was scared to start hacking at it. I decided to take a class on pruning Japanese maples at our local nursery, and wanted to share with you all the helpful tips I learned!
This poor tree is a mess! The canopy is so dense, the branches underneath are all dead from lack of sunlight. The first thing I did was to trim away the dead branches. In the spring, it's really easy to see which ones are alive because they are starting to bud.
You want to cut at the junction between the dead branch and the closest healthy one, making sure to leave the "collar" intact. Leaving this little stub will allow the tree to heal quicker than if you cut it flush with the branch. Smaller branches will just snap right off, but larger ones should be cut with sharp bypass pruning shears.
After all the dead branches have been cleared away, you will want to look for any branches that are crossing and rubbing against each other. This can create wounds in the bark that can invite insects or disease to infect the tree. Try to visualize how the tree will look with each branch removed, and keep the one that you think would look best.
In this case, it was easy to decide which branch to cut. To keep the form of a weeping Japanese maple tree, you should remove any branches that cross the midline of the tree. From this zoomed out shot, you can see that the top branch crosses the center line.
Since that branch was a little too big for my handheld bypass pruning shears, I went with the bigger bypass loppers for extra leverage. If you need to cut branches bigger than an inch and a half or so in diameter, you will want to get a pruning saw. When using the saw, be sure to make cuts both above and below the branch at the collar. If you try to saw from the top only, it will tear the bark underneath when the heavy limb gives way.
Now that the problem branches have been cut, you can move on to the aesthetics of the tree. Take your time with this, and only make a few cuts at a time. You can always prune more, but you can't add branches back on! Some things you want to take into consideration when shaping the tree:
- Remove branches that are shooting straight up or growing at a right angle
- Work from the bottom up and from the inside out
- Create layers of branches and remove ones that are interrupting those layers
- Keep enough leaves covering the trunk to protect against sunscald
- Look at the tree from all angles. Removing a branch on one side may make it look worse on another side.
Here's my tree now with the leaves starting to grow out. It looks so much better! There are a few spots I'm hoping will fill in a little bit more to create an even canopy. Our son loves to use this tree as his "hideout," and the extra coverage would make him almost invisible! I'm kinda jealous that he has such an awesome place to read and relax.
I hope these tips will help you create a Japanese maple tree worthy of any Japanese garden. I can't wait to see what this one will look like after a summer growth spurt!
Plan out your garden ahead of time! This handy FREE printable garden planner will help you keep track of the seeds and plants you have or need, and the best time to plant them!
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TwoPlusCute says
That was a lot of work but gosh that's a beautiful tree.
Your son has picked the perfect spot. 🙂
Wendi @ H2OBungalow says
I adore your tree! I've always loved Japanese Maples. I wish we could grow the in our area too! Nice post!
The Handyman's Daughter says
Thanks, Wendi! Japanese maples are my favorite trees. I knew this house was the one for me when I saw both of the mature Japanese maples growing in the front and backyard!
Theresa @DearCreatives says
What a great tutorial & your garden is lovely! Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & shared. Hope to see you again soon.
The Handyman's Daughter says
Thanks, Theresa! I always love sharing with your link party!
Jamie says
That looks beautiful!! Great tips on keeping it that way. Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty
Sarah Anderson says
That is nice that you can tell what needs to be pruned on these trees by seeing if they have buds on them during the spring. Is there a way to tell this easily during fall or even winter? I am terribly at knowing when and how to prune a tree, but if there are trees with these easy signs then It would be nice to practice on those first.
The Handyman's Daughter says
It's not quite as easy to spot the dead branches in fall or winter. If you see any that are gray, and you can snap off the smaller branches with your fingers easily, those are good candidates to be pruned.
Penny says
If we know the basics about tree trimming and tree pruning, then we may be able to handle the majority of this kind of work by ourselves. There are many varieties of great trimming tips and pruning techniques which will help us to keep the trees in excellent shape.
William G. Roberts says
Hey, I must appreciate your write-up and the way you have maintained your garden. I would like to mention an essential part of having a Japanese Maple Tree is the incredible experience of nourishing the plant. If anyone like this tree, consider growing one from seed.
Ryan says
Awesome tips! I have Japanese Maple in our front yard and it is need to be prune, so this is very helpful! Thanks for sharing!
Ivory says
We have two of these kind of trees. Thanks for the needed tips on how to care for our trees. My husband will do pruning this weekend.