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Deer pruning on Japanese Maples

19 years ago

I am sort of new to Japanese Maples. I have 5 so far, 2 of them full size. The other 3 are 3 foot trees, and have all been nibbled by deer, even though I spray them with repellents. Butterfly and an unknown seedling are slightly lopsided, and Seiryu has had a large branch stepped on and removed. Will these trees compensate as they grow and regain their shape? Or should I prune them to try and even them out now while they are still small? Is now a good time to prune them- they have not started to leaf out yet. I would appreciate any advice to keep them beautiful.

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Comments (4)

mattlwfowler
19 years ago
If you want a central leader it would be a good idea to stake or prune it to follow this somewhat unnatural habit for many JMs. However, the branches will usually fill in for the most part and pruning is only necessary if you want a particlar limb structure IMO.
mattlwfowler
19 years ago
Having said that, let me say that a naturally grown JM can be a great tree...but a carefully pruned and cared for JM can be an EXCEPTIONAL tree.
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judyny6
Original Author
19 years ago
Thank you for your advice. Can you or anyone else suggest any good books on correct pruning methods? I don't want to do any further damage to the shape of my trees. Or if pruning the central leader is easily done, can someone tell me where it should be cut and when? Thanks, Judy.
namnhi2
19 years ago
Judy,
www.mountainmaples.com has pretty good tips on how to prune them.
NamNhi

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