Yes, totally agree - that's what you call a good pruning job, especially when you see the maple in full leaf a few months later. The running commentary was excellent too - everything explained in a simple manner. This really gives me confidence to go ahead and do it to my own maples now. Thanks for the video and I've now subscribed. Cheers...
This is so helpful thank you!! I really needed a beginners guide. I have an acre in my small city garden that has more than quadrupled in size in the last few years (weirdly since we painted a wall white) and really need to get it under control and don’t think want to just hack at it!
I have a 50+ year old Japanese maple in my front yard about 30ft tall. I bought the house 2 years ago & have noticed a ton of branches are starting to die & fall off. I would be so grateful if you would be able to do a quick zoom call with me & tell me which branches to trim to help my tree. I would just tag the branches & cut them after the call. Thank you!
For that type of maple (upright) it would be best to make a video of it and upload it to your channel and let me know. I would need to get someone else to look at that and zoom would not work.
I have had a chat with an expert and he says Establish why it is dying back, lack of water , too much water disease or just needs fertiliser. If it is not diseased and not in wet soil.... THEN Remove any dead wood. If dry, water the soil well, fertilise with a good organic fertiliser. WE would use a product called Campbells Organic. Plus. SEE www.campbellsfert.com.au/product/product-type/organic-products/organic-plus/ So something similar. As for amount, around 25 kg, maybe more. Water it in mulch over the top. This should bring it back to life.
Hello Matt, its OK to do them a little at a time until you get the hang of it - However Craig is not really one to hang back. Its all about allowing light in and getting a good structure.... Thanks for the comment.
@@johnnyAGardening couple years ago i cut mine into umbrella like shapes bc I didnt know what I was doing. I wanted to see the branches and thought this was the way to do it. But I now see you have to thin and thats how you see the branches. What can I do to encourage the canopy to be more waterfall shaped? Can i fertilize ? These are mature trees in the neighborhood of 15 -20 years old.
@@mattp9932 The umbrella shade just cuts off the weeping parts. We guess these are a weeping type of maple, so pruning to allow the foliage to weep down is the way to go. Just continue to to thin the foliage each year to allow the light in while letting the best weeping sections grow down. Fertiliser will improve growth rate. Do the pruning a little at a time if you feel unsure. Watching the video will give you a good idea of how much and where to prune. We would like to do a video on 'Maple Resurrection' and will try to find a plant that we can demonstrate on.
Without seeing them it's difficult. Could it be that the top is close to other plants and shaded? Or maybe the top is congested with old dead wood. Also fertiliser and water may be needed. Do any of these seem likely. We have another video on a very old japanese maple coming up soon.
NOT our speciality as we don't have those freezes. However, we would just remove dead wood in winter (or leave it until spring), and prune in mid spring once new growth begins to appear. The extreme cold on the pruning cuts would not be great. Would like to know how it goes so we can let other know.... Where in Z5?
I have two that I planted 25 years ago , was told they were 7 years old then , still only about 6' tall but has got very wide , never has been pruning . I wonder if I should after seeing this or should I leave well enough alone
Removing dead wood is always a good idea. Lightening the canopy to prevent more dead wood is a personal thing, it changes the look of the plant, technically should make them healthier. HOWEVER, if they look healthy and you like the look them maybe leave them alone....... Some varieties don't get wide. others do, so would need to know what they are to comment on that part.
Hello Denise, it depends on what sort of Maple / Tree you have. Is it grafted/weeping or is it an upright type ? If have a few more details we can help.
If the branches are getting to long you would selectively prune them back to a node or joint, the same as some were shortened to keep them above the garden so that plants could be grown beneath. Perhaps should have covered that a little more. Also any errant growth, (over paths, or that spoils the shape can be pruned back)
@@johnnyAGardening Thanks, my tree is under the weather. Last year it started out great then just withered in August. Can you recommend an organic fertilizer.
@@bassmonk2920 Depends where you are as what fertiliser you use. We use Campbells Organic, however thats not avaiable every where. The withering sounds strange. Is it well watered? And Mulched?
@@bassmonk2920 They can wither for a lot of reasons, Overwatering, very cold. too much sun, wet soil, drying winds... and a few others. We use a fertiliser called Campbells organic, however thats not available everywhere. It a simple slow release pelletise form we apply in spring.
I broke the main leader off of my weeping Japanese maple transporting it as a large potted plant and I'm sick about it. I guess a new branch will fill it's place? I am so disgusted with myself over it.
As long as the break was above the graft you should be OK. We had a large tree fall over a weeping maple ( Hanna Matoi) , it took 3 years to really bounce back, but it looks good now.
@@johnnyAGardening oh it was def above the graft. Thanks much for your reply. I'll just prune where it's broken, give a general prune and then fertilize it in the spring. Again, thanks for your reply 🙂
This is the kind of video i was looking for. My neighbors is going to envy me next spring with this method.
Yes, totally agree - that's what you call a good pruning job, especially when you see the maple in full leaf a few months later. The running commentary was excellent too - everything explained in a simple manner. This really gives me confidence to go ahead and do it to my own maples now. Thanks for the video and I've now subscribed. Cheers...
Now that's what you call a good pruning job, thanks for the great content 👍🏼
Thanks for that more coming up on Maples soon.
Hello my friend!
I am Anna from Seoul Korea. Nice to meet you.
I wish your channel will be successful and you stay healthy! God bless you. 💌
I have large weeping maple in a pot. Good to see how to prune it properly. Thanks for sharing 🍁
Thanks Angie, take it slowly and it should be good.
Showing some summer pruning on the maples would be great as well. Both upright and weeping if possible. Great video.
Good point, We will look into doing that ASAP
This is so helpful thank you!! I really needed a beginners guide. I have an acre in my small city garden that has more than quadrupled in size in the last few years (weirdly since we painted a wall white) and really need to get it under control and don’t think want to just hack at it!
Excellent, informative video! Very easy to understand. Thank you!
Thanks Deborah appreciate the feedback.
Your work is gold!
I have a 50+ year old Japanese maple in my front yard about 30ft tall. I bought the house 2 years ago & have noticed a ton of branches are starting to die & fall off. I would be so grateful if you would be able to do a quick zoom call with me & tell me which branches to trim to help my tree. I would just tag the branches & cut them after the call. Thank you!
For that type of maple (upright) it would be best to make a video of it and upload it to your channel and let me know. I would need to get someone else to look at that and zoom would not work.
I have had a chat with an expert and he says
Establish why it is dying back, lack of water , too much water disease or just needs fertiliser.
If it is not diseased and not in wet soil.... THEN
Remove any dead wood.
If dry, water the soil well, fertilise with a good organic fertiliser. WE would use a product called Campbells Organic. Plus. SEE www.campbellsfert.com.au/product/product-type/organic-products/organic-plus/ So something similar. As for amount, around 25 kg, maybe more. Water it in mulch over the top. This should bring it back to life.
@@johnnyAGardening Thank you for the tips I will upload a short video & post it here soon. My tree appreciates your help haha
Wow. What a nice job. I hit a couple of mine today. I now see I need to go hit them harder.
Hello Matt, its OK to do them a little at a time until you get the hang of it - However Craig is not really one to hang back. Its all about allowing light in and getting a good structure.... Thanks for the comment.
@@johnnyAGardening couple years ago i cut mine into umbrella like shapes bc I didnt know what I was doing. I wanted to see the branches and thought this was the way to do it. But I now see you have to thin and thats how you see the branches. What can I do to encourage the canopy to be more waterfall shaped? Can i fertilize ? These are mature trees in the neighborhood of 15 -20 years old.
@@mattp9932 The umbrella shade just cuts off the weeping parts. We guess these are a weeping type of maple, so pruning to allow the foliage to weep down is the way to go. Just continue to to thin the foliage each year to allow the light in while letting the best weeping sections grow down. Fertiliser will improve growth rate. Do the pruning a little at a time if you feel unsure. Watching the video will give you a good idea of how much and where to prune. We would like to do a video on 'Maple Resurrection' and will try to find a plant that we can demonstrate on.
This is good pruning.
Great pruning advice thanks, we have several weeping maples maybe 18 years old that are getting quite bare at the top any idae what the problem is.
Without seeing them it's difficult. Could it be that the top is close to other plants and shaded?
Or maybe the top is congested with old dead wood.
Also fertiliser and water may be needed.
Do any of these seem likely.
We have another video on a very old japanese maple coming up soon.
My question is in regards to pruning in winter. Would that hold true if I live in U.S. zone 5? Our winters are freezing. Thanks for the great video!
NOT our speciality as we don't have those freezes. However, we would just remove dead wood in winter (or leave it until spring), and prune in mid spring once new growth begins to appear. The extreme cold on the pruning cuts would not be great. Would like to know how it goes so we can let other know.... Where in Z5?
I recently planted a small Japanese Maple. By mistake, I cut it with my mower.
Can I expect it to come back in the spring?
I have two that I planted 25 years ago , was told they were 7 years old then , still only about 6' tall but has got very wide , never has been pruning . I wonder if I should after seeing this or should I leave well enough alone
Removing dead wood is always a good idea. Lightening the canopy to prevent more dead wood is a personal thing, it changes the look of the plant, technically should make them healthier. HOWEVER, if they look healthy and you like the look them maybe leave them alone.......
Some varieties don't get wide. others do, so would need to know what they are to comment on that part.
I want my tree to grow taller,instead if like a bush,is it ok to take the bottom branches off an established tree.
Hello Denise, it depends on what sort of Maple / Tree you have. Is it grafted/weeping or is it an upright type ? If have a few more details we can help.
👍👍👍
What about the branches getting to long.
If the branches are getting to long you would selectively prune them back to a node or joint, the same as some were shortened to keep them above the garden so that plants could be grown beneath.
Perhaps should have covered that a little more. Also any errant growth, (over paths, or that spoils the shape can be pruned back)
@@johnnyAGardening Thanks, my tree is under the weather. Last year it started out great then just withered in August. Can you recommend an organic fertilizer.
@@bassmonk2920 Depends where you are as what fertiliser you use. We use Campbells Organic, however thats not avaiable every where. The withering sounds strange. Is it well watered? And Mulched?
@@bassmonk2920 They can wither for a lot of reasons, Overwatering, very cold. too much sun, wet soil, drying winds... and a few others. We use a fertiliser called Campbells organic, however thats not available everywhere. It a simple slow release pelletise form we apply in spring.
I broke the main leader off of my weeping Japanese maple transporting it as a large potted plant and I'm sick about it. I guess a new branch will fill it's place? I am so disgusted with myself over it.
As long as the break was above the graft you should be OK. We had a large tree fall over a weeping maple ( Hanna Matoi) , it took 3 years to really bounce back, but it looks good now.
@@johnnyAGardening oh it was def above the graft. Thanks much for your reply. I'll just prune where it's broken, give a general prune and then fertilize it in the spring. Again, thanks for your reply 🙂
@@johnnyAGardening
If I trim today ( February 13) , can I propagate this cuttings ?