Need advice pruning young sugar maples - pics included

[TominKY]

Howdy all,

I have several small sugar maples in my yard that have some crotches that I am concerned will become weak as the tree gets larger. I thought it would be best to do the pruning while the trees are still relatively small and the trauma will be fairly easy for the tree to overcome. Better to do it now than to wait and let Mother Nature do it for me years down the road!

Please take a look at the attached pictures and let me know what you think.

 

[treeseer]

bark not included--it's an "outie"-- but still that is a bad codom.

need pic of top to see which trunk is best suited to be dominant, and reduce/subordinate the other.

This is one tree where the usual recommendation of <20-33% foliage loss :deadhorse: clearly does not apply.

 

[MonkeyMan_812]

Howdy all,

I have several small sugar maples in my yard that have some crotches that I am concerned will become weak as the tree gets larger. I thought it would be best to do the pruning while the trees are still relatively small and the trauma will be fairly easy for the tree to overcome. Better to do it now than to wait and let Mother Nature do it for me years down the road!

Please take a look at the attached pictures and let me know what you think.

In the 2nd pic the stem on the right should be left as the main stem. Its more in line with the trunk. Since you know how important it is to train young trees im guessing that you also know where and how to make your cuts. If not, then read up on it, its very important!!

 

[Gizzard]

In the 2nd pic the stem on the right should be left as the main stem. Its more in line with the trunk. Since you know how important it is to train young trees im guessing that you also know where and how to make your cuts. If not, then read up on it, its very important!!

:agree2:

Also, from past recommendations I try to do most trimming after leaves drop from tree in fall or winter and with temp above 32F. Some tree types will resort to bush type growth with spring trimming. May not be a problem with the sugar maple though. Also, you'll still have the dominant stem on the right.

 

[buzz sawyer]

In the 2nd pic the stem on the right should be left as the main stem. Its more in line with the trunk. Since you know how important it is to train young trees im guessing that you also know where and how to make your cuts. If not, then read up on it, its very important!!

I'm with Monkeyman. The stem on the right should remain.

 

[talloak]

Call your locl arborist thats what there there for. Or should i post pics of my trtruck transmission on mechanics.com and ask them how to rebuild it.:greenchainsaw:

 

[S Mc]

I would like to point out a couple of things, not to be overly critical, but for information to others who might be reading this thread.

This is an excellent example of a tree which should not have been selected in the nursery. Actually, the nursery itself should have removed one of the co-doms at an extremely young age.

Co-doms are not true branches and therefore do not have the branch protection zone branches have. Which makes them more problematical in removal.

With those rather unhelpful comments aside...this tree also looks like there are damaged limbs, but on the co-dom recommended for removal so possibly a moot point. I also would like to see more pictures, 360 around the tree.

You may want to perform a staged reduction on the co-dom to be removed to allow the other side to take over dominance, producing more photosynthetic material on that side. What I am concerned about, and this is difficult to say with just the picture we have, is that this tree looks stressed already. Taking off the entire side at one time may be a bit much (even though I agree with TS in that the 20 - 30% rule doesn't always apply).

Another side note on timing of trimming. We do not like to trim maples during the dormant season as they will bleed like crazy every warm day in the winter until bud swell. (Think maple syrup collection time.) When you trim always depends on your goal. To minimize regrowth you would trim after the spring flush of growth and leaf development. To maximize regrowth early spring trimming is warranted. Then, of course, you have all those exceptions to the rules...

Sylvia

 

[buzz sawyer]

I would like to point out a couple of things, not to be overly critical, but for information to others who might be reading this thread.

This is an excellent example of a tree which should not have been selected in the nursery. Actually, the nursery itself should have removed one of the co-doms at an extremely young age.

Co-doms are not true branches and therefore do not have the branch protection zone branches have. Which makes them more problematical in removal.

With those rather unhelpful comments aside...this tree also looks like there are damaged limbs, but on the co-dom recommended for removal so possibly a moot point. I also would like to see more pictures, 360 around the tree.

You may want to perform a staged reduction on the co-dom to be removed to allow the other side to take over dominance, producing more photosynthetic material on that side. What I am concerned about, and this is difficult to say with just the picture we have, is that this tree looks stressed already. Taking off the entire side at one time may be a bit much (even though I agree with TS in that the 20 - 30% rule doesn't always apply).

Another side note on timing of trimming. We do not like to trim maples during the dormant season as they will bleed like crazy every warm day in the winter until bud swell. (Think maple syrup collection time.) When you trim always depends on your goal. To minimize regrowth you would trim after the spring flush of growth and leaf development. To maximize regrowth early spring trimming is warranted. Then, of course, you have all those exceptions to the rules...

Sylvia

As usual, accurate, insightful, nice post!
+1.

 

[Gizzard]

Another side note on timing of trimming. We do not like to trim maples during the dormant season as they will bleed like crazy every warm day in the winter until bud swell. (Think maple syrup collection time.) When you trim always depends on your goal. To minimize regrowth you would trim after the spring flush of growth and leaf development. To maximize regrowth early spring trimming is warranted. Then, of course, you have all those exceptions to the rules...

Sylvia

Thanks for the input. After posting I got to wondering about this type of maple and the syrup during fall or winter.

I have to trim a lot of some type of soft maple here that has spread from roadside plantings by the state from years ago. This maple will also produce lots of new shoots/trees from knees in the roots during spring and summer. I've had good results with trimming them around February and look for warm days.

Appreciate your input and will take heed.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

Call your locl arborist thats what there there for. Or should i post pics of my trtruck transmission on mechanics.com and ask them how to rebuild it.:greenchainsaw:

Come on. This isn't that difficult. I think that this is a very appropriate question and something a non arborist could handle with some good advise. Not like he is asking how to take down a 3 foot sugar maple over his house. .... Mike

 

[MonkeyMan_812]

call your locl arborist thats what there there for. Or should i post pics of my trtruck transmission on mechanics.com and ask them how to rebuild it.:greenchainsaw:

Thats what this forum is for!! Wake up man!!!!

:newbie: