How to prune Japanese maple

When to prune Japanese maples

The best time to prune Japanese red maple is from April to August in summer and from December to January of the following year in winter. It can recover quickly after pruning, which is conducive to growth.

The main purpose of pruning Japanese red maple is to widen the tree. In summer, pruning mainly removes weak branches, thin branches, and completely vertical branches, cutting all branches to the mother branch. In winter, only excess branches are removed to make the crown look naturally balanced.

Tips for Pruning Japanese Maple

Japanese maples keep their branches separated from each other, overlapping but not touching each other, and have a sense of winding upward movement. If any side branches of the main trunk droop, they should be pruned so that they face outward.

Japanese red maple is used to prune maple trees to control their height. Thinned and shortened trees will grow very fast if fertilized.

Tips for Pruning Japanese Maple

When pruning Japanese maples, the leaves should not exceed one-quarter, and side branches should not be cut off when they are half the thickness of the main branch. Avoid pruning adjacent and opposite branches at the same time to prevent rot.