I always seem to be puzzled when it comes to trunk chopping and what to expect next. Attached is a JM I have been growing. I would like this to ultimately be a shorter tree and planned on pruning the trunk back to use the lowest right side branch as the new leader. My plan is to let it leaf out and then make the cut on an angle in late spring. Just wanted to make sure that I should not be cutting straight first and waiting for a lower left side branch (or doing something else).
Another Trunk Chop Question
- Thread starter dbonsaiw
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
For most species I would say the lower right branches are strong enough to draw enough sap so go straight for an angle cut close to the branch.
However this is a Japanese maple. They do have a slight tendency to die back after big chops. I get maybe 2 or 3% where the new leader grows but the opposite side dies - I assume because the roots have died with no branches feeding them?
If you are happy with those odds just go straight for the close angle cut.
If you need more surety chop first above the left branch then reduce that branch through the summer to encourage change of sap flow from left side roots to the new leader and do the final chop late summer or next spring.
Don't be tempted to keep the lower left as a potential branch. It is well placed but after the chop and subsequent callus formation the junction will never look natural. After final reduction you should get new shoots around the base of the new leader. 1 of them can be used as a side branch for that location. Much better lines and junction in my experience and in the unlikely event that buds fail and you still desperately need a side branch you can approach graft easily.
However this is a Japanese maple. They do have a slight tendency to die back after big chops. I get maybe 2 or 3% where the new leader grows but the opposite side dies - I assume because the roots have died with no branches feeding them?
If you are happy with those odds just go straight for the close angle cut.
If you need more surety chop first above the left branch then reduce that branch through the summer to encourage change of sap flow from left side roots to the new leader and do the final chop late summer or next spring.
Don't be tempted to keep the lower left as a potential branch. It is well placed but after the chop and subsequent callus formation the junction will never look natural. After final reduction you should get new shoots around the base of the new leader. 1 of them can be used as a side branch for that location. Much better lines and junction in my experience and in the unlikely event that buds fail and you still desperately need a side branch you can approach graft easily.
Many thanks again, Shibui. I do love JMs, but they seem not to like me so much after cuts. I have had weird die back almost every time I try something like this on a JM. I will go slower this time.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I love JM too. They don't like me at all. I have had multiple JM died on me. Reasons for their deaths are combinations of my excess love, terrible heat, lack of experience, etc... etc...
I am going to wait until I retire and study on them some more before trying again.
I find that conditions are pretty good here for growing JM. They just don’t seem to respond to hard pruning anything like say trident maple. I have ruined many JMs because of die back issues (even to the roots). I do want to work with them so will try to go slower and use grafts
Deep Sea Diver
Imperial Masterpiece
Was at Michael Hagedorn’s awhile back. He had some thoughts about this topic.
Die back is endemic on Japanese Maples cut in the PacNW rainy season (3/4 of the year).
Recommends spray cuts with alcohol to dry and use cut paste with fungicidal properties right after making cuts.
cheers
DSD sends
Die back is endemic on Japanese Maples cut in the PacNW rainy season (3/4 of the year).
Recommends spray cuts with alcohol to dry and use cut paste with fungicidal properties right after making cuts.
cheers
DSD sends
I went for it. Roots looked great so I just cut back on an angle. I left the leader bigger than needed. We are expecting a short cold snap so now I pray.
Attachments
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
The roots do look good. All those roots will slowly thicken and fuse together into buttress and maybe even pancake nebari.
The trunk line looks good now. Better bend, better taper.
Let it grow for a year or 2 to get more thickening then chop again for more taper and another bend.
The trunk line looks good now. Better bend, better taper.
Let it grow for a year or 2 to get more thickening then chop again for more taper and another bend.
Pesky JMs. So this one seems to be dying back further than I wanted. Not really much to do now but try to keep it healthy and see what happens. Assuming it doesn’t just die back to the base, I will do some thread grafts next year to get this guy heading in the right direction.
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Jrmcmich
Shohin
Bummer
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