When do you defoliate a Tamarind tree ?

[Pixar]

Just wondering when do you defoliate a Tamarind tree ( it's early Summer here in NZ )

 

[Pixar]

My main reason this year was to defoilate the Tamarind tree is that its six years old and I would like to re-wire the tree . Can’t really see properly thought the umbrella canopy so I though a defoilate was the best thing

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
Bit of a shame no-one is prepared to answer this. I have no idea too, apart from the horticulture experience I have which says to - 1. I guess you have choices- defoliate this and then FEED IT LOTS, and in our growing season so should be fine!!
2. The more hesitant approach would be to partly defoliate by either cutting each leaf in half or defoliate all the inside leaves and leave the last leaf on each piece of new growth.
For the record I didn’t Google the answer about big or composite leaves as this could make your project a bit pointless.
Show us a photo to see what’s happening.
Charles.

Oh, by the way, tough crowd here against us on the Southern Hemisphere side. They can’t gauge that our growing year is different and it doesn’t matter shit, as most parts of the world have a growing season of 5 months plus. Things grow, we prune etc. sorry rant over!!

 

[penumbra]

If I was to do so, it would be during the height of the growing season like all my tropicals. For you, that is now.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Just wondering when do you defoliate a Tamarind tree ( it's early Summer here in NZ )

Tuesday.

Just being a little flip. Defoliate in the early to middle of your growi g season, at least 8 weeks before the end of your growing season. Also make sure you have time to fully wire out the tree immediately after, or the opportunity is wasted. Most trees do not tolerate repeated defoliation, do it no more than once a year.

I have not grown tamarind, but I used to defoliate my maples. My growing season is barely 110 days. Probably much shorter than yours.. With map,es defoliation could only be done maybe 3 out of 5 years, some summers had to be designated for allowing strength to rebuild. With a longer growing season defoliation can be more frequent, meaning a yearly process if they respond well. Check with Australian and India bonsai clubs. They may have some info online. Tamarind is a common South Asian culinary treat. Not very common in USA, more a specialty item in our grocery stores.

 

[Pixar]

Thanks everyone , i think I'll take the cautious approach and defoliate only half the leaves and see what happens .

 

[Hawk Force]

I’m new and just got going on Tamarind
Zone 10