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Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

  • jerzeygroove
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Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas was created by jerzeygroove

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #60996
Hi all,
Id like to get ideas on how to prune my keria japanese maple. i did not want it to be taller than it is now. It has a double head and ive pruned the top this past winter. now as you can see its been shooting longer branches at the top so it looks top heavy. Should i prune either or both main branches all the way to the trunk?
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  • Tropfrog
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Replied by Tropfrog on topic Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #60998
You dont want it to be taller, ok. But do you want the trunk to get fatter?

I know I would. Then it is better to let it grow freely. You can change the hight at any time with the correct tool. But you cannot change thickness of the trunk that easy.
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  • lucR
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Replied by lucR on topic Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #60999
You have to ask yourself: does it look like a tree? The answer is obviously no, so you have to change the appearance by fattening up the trunk ( which means letting it grow freely and then cutting it back) changing the positions of the branches, create a canopy...
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  • FrankC
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Replied by FrankC on topic Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #61002
Why, oh why ? Every suggestion about a tree starts with, let it grow freely. You might win a few years that the trunk will go fatter, but you lose several years in healing the big scars . I have never let my trees grow free and chop then back, always have them in a pot. Both ways will give you a decent trunk, it wil take you about 20 years to get something that start to be a bonsai.
this one has been in the pot from seed.
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  • jerzeygroove
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Replied by jerzeygroove on topic Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #61086
Thanks for your comments I want to keep the tree in its current planter and want to keep the tree in its current height. I think the tree was not grown from seed but instead is a branch cutting so that's probably why it's not in an A shape. So just trying to get ideas on how to prune to train it. What should be my first cut? Thanks.
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  • Tropfrog
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Replied by Tropfrog on topic Keria Japanese Maple pruning ideas

Posted 3 years 9 months ago #61103
Current pot and current hight. Then you just need to decide what branches you want to keep and what branches you dont want to keep. Take your time studying your tree and make an image in your mind how you want it to look.

Obviously, you need to grow the top more before you cut it if you want it in the current height.
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