Hilliar elms cut back hard, how soon to prune?

[James W.]

Some friends and I cut back and repotted some Jaquiline Hilliar elms this spring, major reduction of roots and branches. They have all popped little branches all over. Is it too soon to start making branch selections and/or trimming back for ramification? In the past I have waited a year but maybe sooner is better?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Hi James, you've been around for 6 or more years, Hillier's elms really are not that much different than other Chinese elms. If the vigor looks good, you certainly can start making branch selections. But if you are not in a hurry, waiting until next year on young material usually just gives you more and sometimes better choices. Myself, if I have enough other projects to keep me busy, would probably wait, but you can take a few and start working on them right away especially if you see obvious work that would help future design.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I’m my opinion elms are usually so strong I would work on it now, but if it was a Japanese Maple I would probably be more cautious.

 

[Kanorin]

I have two of them. They indeed pop buds everywhere when you do major cutbacks. I think you will speed up the development of the branches that you want to eventually keep if you do branch selections sooner rather than later. Otherwise the tree is wasting a lot of energy in branches that you will cut off every year. At the least, I'd go in and get rid of the excess anywhere it has sprouted more than one shoot per node.

 

[James W.]

We are going to start some moderate work on these tomorrow morning, they all have responded even better than what I have in the past.
I just all of a sudden started second guessing myself. Sometimes I think too much.
Thanks, people.