I got this maple from a friend who passed away but it sat in her yard for almost a year without any care including water. The result is three or four dead branches at the lower part of the tree. After letting the tree recover for a year I am wanting to get some branches started down low to replace the one that died out. I have been thinking about a trunk chop but am wondering if I did a hard prune of all of the live branches if it would force some buds out down near the dead branches. I need some opinions as I am sitting on the fence wondering what to do. Thanks for the help.

Jamie

Hi Jamie, i'am new to this also but I think if you do a trunk chop you will find out why we tap maples for sap. The tree will probably exhaust the roots out by bleeding sap. just my opinion.

see what these guys on here say to do they are good at this so wait until you get better advice from them..

good luck with it ,Dave.

Your first worry is getting this plant to be completely healthy again. Let it grow, andget strong. Then, with plenty of fertilizer and sun, you have a good chance of getting buds on the trunk by itself. If not, you can next year in mid-summer greatly trim all the current branches, and defoliate. That normally will stimulate a number of dormant buds to open.

Hi there, my eyes may hate me but I thinking see powdery mildew on the leaves. The dead branches could add effect, but the health of the tree comes first, so let it rest for a wile as leatherback said.

Before you do anything see to the white powder on the leaves as it is most likely to be a disease.

These are actually pictures from last year. I seemed to have solved the mildew? problem as it is not back this year. I used a spray and that seemed to wipe it out. Otherwise the tree basically looks the same. Just wondering about the pruning and how to proceed. Thanks


Jamie

cool.

I took another look tonight when watering and I still have a few leaves that have curled up and look a bit funky but I don't see the white mildew anymore so I don't know what is going on for sure. Guess I just let it grow and we will see. Thanks

if the leaves were brown, then underwatering is the problem.

They don't turn brown, they are still green, but a little bit crispy and curl up a bit. Seems to happen more to the little leaves than the larger ones. Don't know.

Jamie