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Old 7-Oct-2004   #2
Carl_Bergstrom
Old Mister Crow
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Join Date: May-2002
Location: Seattle, WA.
Country: USA
Posts: 3,197
Quote:
Originally Posted by DonnaCosta
Can anyone tell me the best time to trunk chop a japanese maple? I have a japanese maple that I purchased from a nursery, it is about 3 feet tall. Can it be trunk chopped after the leaves fall off without damaging the tree? Also, how long after the trunk chop must I wait before doing any root work. Thanks in advance. Donna


Hi Donna,

You certainly can - and probably should - do your trunk chop while the tree is dormant and the leaves are off. I'd recommend a late winter trunk chop followed by a late winter / early spring repotting. You can go ahead and do substantial root work on your maple, though bear in mind that the harder you prune the roots, the slower the growth that you'll get in the first year - and thus the slower the trunk chop wound will heal.

Best regards,
Carl
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