Defoliated Maple

[LanceMac10]

Meh.....hoped for more vivid coloring...

 

[JoeR]

I was told you shouldnt defoliate japanese maples?

However In my experience:
I have one that seems to be very touchy and gets leaf burn especially easily. I just cut all the crispy leaves off (about 1/2 or more of total leaves) and they always bud back out nice and fresh. I dont see the issue with total defoliation at all.

 

[MACH5]

Nice clump Lance! I am very surprised that with those leaves being in such good shape, your maple did not have good color!?? Or are those pics with the leaves taken earlier in the year?

 

[LanceMac10]

Photo from today....

Perhaps its a result of the pelletized fert applied.....slow release and all...fairly good sun...hehehe...tooo much and still the leaves are big and after their initial hues dazzeled, welllll.....

 

[MACH5]

I was told you shouldnt defoliate japanese maples?

Joe this is yet another somewhat hotly debated topic. Ryan Neil for example will tell you never, ever to defoliate a maple. On the other hand you have Bill Valavanis, considered a maple expert par excellence, does in fact defoliate some of his maples.

I defoliate a few of my maples occasionally. It works for me and never have I had a tree wither and die or even weaken because of it.

 

[LanceMac10]

Yes...you can defoliate Japanese maples....
Only if their health is good, or better...
Not too early....
And not too late....
make sure you know what your doing....

Or a dead tree you'll create....


Man..what happened to my smilies....

 

[aml1014]

I defoliate my maples regulary and people say I'm crazy in my club but as said above all my trees always seem to do wonderfully from it.

 

[Smoke]

All of my maples are defoliated regularly in Dec.

 

[sorce]

Yes...you can defoliate Japanese maples....
Only if their health is good, or better...
Not too early....
And not too late....
make sure you know what your doing....

Or a dead tree you'll create....


Man..what happened to my smilies....

F smilies thats a dope ass rhyme!

Sorce

 

[jk_lewis]

What "color" were you hoping for? Defoliation doesn't improve the "spring" color of new leaves. It only (sometimes) improves the color of leaves in the fall. If it happens, it will come.

As for leaf size, did you fertilize heavily before or just after defoliation? Was the tree kept in full or almost full sun as the new leaves emerged? Too much shade and too much fertilizer can lead to large leaves.

Down here in the NC foothills, I often defoliate twice in a summer.

 

[LanceMac10]

It was my understanding that the foliage would retain more of it's "spring" coloring into the fall.

I use a pelletized fert as part of my feeding regimen, so I imagine a little too much nitrogen was floating around.

Just figured I would share with you.....nice to hear from ya' Jimbo.....

 

[JudyB]

I quite like the clump base you've developed on this. Looks like a good wiring this winter would go a long way for the future design. And how bout showing us that hornbeam (?) in the back???

A few smilies for you....

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Down here in the NC foothills, I often defoliate twice in a summer.

You defoliate Japanese Maples (A. palmatum) twice a year?

 

[barrosinc]

It was my understanding that the foliage would retain more of it's "spring" coloring into the fall.

I use a pelletized fert as part of my feeding regimen, so I imagine a little too much nitrogen was floating around.

Just figured I would share with you.....nice to hear from ya' Jimbo.....

I am trying to understand here... you defoliated (pics 1 and 2), then new leaves came out (pics 3 and 4).
Did they come out greener than you thought?
Where you expecting these to be redder? Are any of your trees showinf fall colors?

 

[LanceMac10]

This Maple was taken as an airlayer 4 or 5 years ago by a gentleman named Neil Parker from Massachusetts. He does some propagation and sells some stock to NEBG. I happened to be there the day he brought this in along with several varieties of Elms cuttings and stuff. I definitely eyed this one but didn't have the cash with me. Well, to my surprise when I went back maybe two weeks later and it was still there!!! A little pricey, but if you want it, better do it quick because someone else will!!

Yes, a bit of wire would probably go a long way!!

That's actually a Surinam cherry belonging to an associate. Flowers like a Mimosa or a Raintree....edible fruit too, if a little bland!!

Thanks for the kind words...

 

[JudyB]

Ah, the trunk and leaves faked me out! Looks nice though, would love to see the flowers.
Glad to see you got your back

 

[MACH5]

Apologies Lance. I realized that for whatever reason I read your post completely in reverse! Originally I thought you had taken off the leaves because they had gotten scorched. And the pics with leaves were the "before" pics. Not sure why I saw it that way

Now. The new leaves you have gotten from the tree being defoliated is usually always the case. In my experience you never get the original vivid spring coloration at least in green varieties. However, if you are successful in keeping your leaves in good shape all the way deep into autumn you will most likely see great colors out of your maple.


EDIT: I assume you defoliated the tree because your leaves were in bad shape?

 

[jk_lewis]

You defoliate Japanese Maples (A. palmatum) twice a year?

Yup. Assuming they're otherwise healthy. June and late August.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yup. Assuming they're otherwise healthy. June and late August.

Why? What does this accomplish for you?

 

[jk_lewis]

Well, over the years, I've gotten more twigginess, smaller leaves that last much longer into the fall, and very nice fall color. Only defoliated once this year, though; I'm reducing my collection by 90% now because I'm too ill to care for them, and have no idea how they're faring since I haven't been able to visit my trees for some time.