TBeerski
ArboristSite Lurker
Hi,
Thank you for taking a look. We have two maple trees on our property that we unfortunately let get our of control. They have significant lion tailing going on. We never pruned these trees this way, but the problem is a function of their "reaching for the light", if you will. The back tree was in a cedar forest. Neither tree as ever been pruned.
Maple in Back
Our back maple is straggly (the result of safely removing one side of split trunk), but provides some skyline effect which does something to enclose the yard and provides a least some screen to the bike path that runs the length of the property. As you can see in PIC 1 and PIC 2, the lion tailing is pretty extreme. I am not sure how to tackle this. I know it takes time. Q's:
Maple in Front
As you can see in PIC 3 and 4 we have a reasonably nice maple in the front off our yard next to our driveway. You will note that we have a lot of low, far-reaching branches that obstruct the driveway and sidewalk. These are also lion tailing, but not as extreme as in back. Another factor is our neighbor removed his dead Ash tree that was wed to our tree on it's left side, hence, it bare at the top, but I suspect it will fill in...sometime this century.
We want to prune this maple back and completely removing a few of the small lower branches to the trunk.
Timing
It is early March here in New Jersey and temps are touching the high 40's about 3 times per week. Is it too late to tackle this job without hurting the tree. It so should I seal the prune ends with something?
Pests
We are about to see an explosion of spotted laternflies that just appeared last year. We did OK controlling them in the first year (we hope), by using the tree umbrella style traps. Based on the fact that the larve will appear in April will this adversely affect my pruning plans now?
Thanks!!!!
Tom
Thank you for taking a look. We have two maple trees on our property that we unfortunately let get our of control. They have significant lion tailing going on. We never pruned these trees this way, but the problem is a function of their "reaching for the light", if you will. The back tree was in a cedar forest. Neither tree as ever been pruned.
Maple in Back
Our back maple is straggly (the result of safely removing one side of split trunk), but provides some skyline effect which does something to enclose the yard and provides a least some screen to the bike path that runs the length of the property. As you can see in PIC 1 and PIC 2, the lion tailing is pretty extreme. I am not sure how to tackle this. I know it takes time. Q's:
- How far back can I cut on the branches and spark new growth inside? I appears this has already happened is some places.
- If this is possible, is this something I can keep doing each year to slowly keep improving the tree?
- PIC 5 - mentions"resorting a lions-tailed tree", but it doesn't show how to initiate this.
- PIC 6 - is this initiated by a Heading Cut or a Thinning Cut? Seems like you would want to take it back without creating new branches at the end...by creating a new upper pointing branch leader?
Maple in Front
As you can see in PIC 3 and 4 we have a reasonably nice maple in the front off our yard next to our driveway. You will note that we have a lot of low, far-reaching branches that obstruct the driveway and sidewalk. These are also lion tailing, but not as extreme as in back. Another factor is our neighbor removed his dead Ash tree that was wed to our tree on it's left side, hence, it bare at the top, but I suspect it will fill in...sometime this century.
We want to prune this maple back and completely removing a few of the small lower branches to the trunk.
- Is this possible?
- How much can I take off without killing the tree? Ideally we want improve the look and strengthen it so will do well over the next few years.
- Would I use the same technique you would recommend based on the above info?
Timing
It is early March here in New Jersey and temps are touching the high 40's about 3 times per week. Is it too late to tackle this job without hurting the tree. It so should I seal the prune ends with something?
Pests
We are about to see an explosion of spotted laternflies that just appeared last year. We did OK controlling them in the first year (we hope), by using the tree umbrella style traps. Based on the fact that the larve will appear in April will this adversely affect my pruning plans now?
Thanks!!!!
Tom