Thank you bullthistle. When you say prune the limb closest to the main stem as possible - do you just mean the main branch that the smaller limb is attached to, or do you mean to prune the entire branch close to the main trunk of the tree? Sorry for my ignorance, like I said I am very new to this and I just want to make sure I do this right. The tree is just beautiful!

Thanks again!

I'm not sure I'd agree 100% with that advice :-) Leaves touching or resting on the ground is not a big deal and they should be fine unless they become tattered or damaged due to watering or irrigation. A light touch is always recommended when pruning Japanese maples and if sweeping branches touching the ground bothers you, I'd only prune them back far enough so they have adequate clearance. Just back a couple of leaf nodes or so. Avoid trimming so that all the branches are even, like bowl haircut - this is a very unnatural look.

Because of their grafting, it's very unusual to have a JM branch lay on the ground. If a branch is long enough to arch over and touch the ground, I'd follow the same method as above and cut back only to a branch union or leaf node that offers sufficient clearance. The only time I'd remove an entire branch is if it was damaged, diseased or conflicted with other growth.

Hi Gardengal,

Thanks for your advice. I thought that perhaps posting pictures of the tree in question might help. As you can see in the back of the plant is where most of the long branches are touching the ground.

I appreciate all of the advice I have received so far and if anyone has any additional input, I thank you in advance!

you could also stake the limbs with a support to elevate them instead of pruning, being careful to avoid bending the branch so much that it creates a point of breakage through tension.

Your Maple appears to have a narrow crotch. It will cause you splitting problems in the future. Something to avoid when choosing a plant among many.

I start pruning at the bottom inside and work up, achieving a thin, wavey, umbrella shape. Take out all branches that are going to be overlapped by the ones above it. Take care not to show as much trunk on the south side because it's apt to burn if it gets too much.
Here's one of mine that I have posted before.
{{gwi:1040763}}

Botann,

Handsome tree your shaping looks great.

Blaze, I agree with GG and Portland. Let it grow and gain some character then slowly guide it into a complementary form.

I would not follow the guidance of the guy on the video. The principles were correct but his finished product seemed artless to me.

Botann, please explain what you mean by a "narrow crotch". I'm looking for a JM for my yard and I'd like to know what constitues a good frame. Thanks.

In the top picture there is a narrow 'V' where the two main branches diverge. Narrow crotches like this split easier than branches that go out at a wider angle. Snow and ice usually do it as the branches get larger. Kids and dogs are also culprits, as is mishandling. If you look closely this has already happened at the very top of the maple. Choose a maple with a good structure that will hold a good canopy in the future.
The lower left limb on my maple has no future as it will eventually be superceded by the branches above it. It does not contribute to supporting the canopy. It has subsequently been removed. I should have spotted it earlier.

Botann is indeed correct. The narrower the crotch angle (the more its shaped like a "V"), the weaker it is. The wider the angle (the more it looks like an "L"), the stronger it is. This is why columnar (fastigate) trees split out so much, and why you'll see people tying up the branches in the winter to keep them from splitting. I've seen trees wrapped up like mummies for the wintertime, just to save them from the ice and snow! Bradford Pear Trees are also notorious for splitting, because they have weak wood and narrow crotch angles.

Regards,

K4

We get some pretty bad ice storms here in Nebraska. We just bought a new house and it really needs some trees. I'm going to have to start paying attention to crotch angles from now on. Thanks for the info.

Thank you again everyone for all of your wonderful posts. I will forego pruning this fall and allow the tree another year to grow and gain character as recommended.

I did not previously know about the narrow crotch being a problem, so thank you for that information. The tree came with the house when I purchased it, but if I plan to do any additional landscaping I will be sure to keep this in mind.

Since I live in an area that gets a lot of snow and ice, should I cover this tree in burlap or some other material to protect it this winter? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

It's made it so far without protection..........
I'd forgo the burlap.

I have a green leaf maple limb growing out of my dwarf red jm.......it is attached at mid way on truck of tree,maybe nickle size in diameter, can I trim this off without damaging my tree? jm is 8 yrs old...healthy,do i put anything on spot where I trim off? Can I replant cut off limb????thxs

You can, and should, cut off the green limb. It is a sprout from the rootstock and occurs below the graft and is probably way more vigorous than the red leaved part.
No, you can't root the branch. :-(
Mike

Here is another of my maples. This is a green leaved one showing some Fall color. Since it is directly under a Noble Fir, I have to water it during our dry summers. I was always going to move it but never got around to it. Hate it when that happens!

http://image82.webshots.com/182/5/92/81/2665592810036511179ZWrzkq_fs.jpg

Mike

Over time these often tend to look like a collapsed rope or a coiled spring in the center if not training up a stake when younger, to attain more height more quickly. As with other weeping trees not growing at the top of a wall or next to a pond, the appeal of the cascading branches may be lost on level ground. This is probably what prompts the too common trimming of the bottom (of this and other popular weeping trees) so that the specimen looks like a mushroom instead of a mound.