Training a new leader

tazzer

So, about a month ago I chopped the trunk on a red maple (american) down to about 7 inches and after a few weeks it now it has alots of new growth. The problem is all the growth starts about 1 1/2 inches below the top and therings of new grwtih is spaced about every 1 1/2 inches all the way down.

The purpose of the chop was to grow a new leader and regrow the tree, and hopefully end up with a tree between 20-24 inches tall.

Ive read a few books, and searched all over the internet and cant find some info i feel i need, so I'm asking here.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

1) I would like as upright a tree as possible, so when i remove the die off from the top of the stump, what angle do i remove it at? If I do a steep angle cut, will the new leader grow over the cut? If I cut it flat, will the leader grow so that the new wood curls over the lip? or will it grow at an upright angle from the cut?

2) How long does it take for the die off after trunk chop to be completed? And how can you tell when it is completed?

3) I was planning on leaving the stump alone until next year, but have read sseveral posts about how leaders have grown up quickly in the first year. Is waiting until next year going to be to late to train the leader? Should I ensure that it is growing straight up this year, or can I wait and use wire to turn it next year?

I guess my problem is that ive read articles that all say let this branch grow for this apurpose and this pranch for this purpose and these branches for that purpose, but nothing that really explains the "science" behind it. How do you know if the leader you chose is the right one? How do you ge it to go where you want it to? what are the signs for each step?

I know, I just asked a lot, but any help would be appreciated

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md4958

Tazzer,

Have you read this article http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm ?
I find Brents articles to be very insightful and quite helpful.

Best of luck,
Moe

soonami

The young leader has a tendency to grow as up right as it can in order to maximize exposure to sun light, so the tree will do that on its own.

I would wait a while longer before I cut the rest of the trunk off. I think it would be prudent to wait for the dead wood to completely dry out and the sap to find a new way to circulate into the live section of the tree before cutting and risk drying out the new leader.

Good luck with your tree and read that and the rest of the articles on Brent's website, it's some of the best information written in the English language

tazzer

I have read that article and did find it usefull but ti doesnt adress the science of it, so to speak.

I think we've all seen trees that have grown over signs attached to them, or wires.
Is that how the leader becomes the new trunk, or is it all through carving?

I wasnt planning on carving or cutting until next year, but how can you tell when the top is dead? Just through the scratch test?

When the brankces are all growing from lower down in rings (several on each ring) how do you choose which one should be the leader?

While I think the article at evergreen garden works is great, it does not go into specifics.

Is there any book that does? or would it take too many pages and so it left to learning through experience?

Thanks again

md4958

pretty much experience i guess. How do you pick a new leader? Which one looks the most pleasing to your eye. There is no EXACT sience to it. The one in the correct position would be determined by the style of your tree.

Now you mentioned you wanted an "upright as possible" Is your trunk perfectly straight? If there any slight curves you may want to continue this "informal upright" look by choosing a leader to the side (which side would depend on how your trunk flows)

You will know when your trunk is dead because it will look "different" from the rest of the trunk. Who knows, your dieback may be very limited (My last trident maple had almost none. Dieback will usually stop at the next branch or in many cases the next bud. It probably wont receede past that point.

Do you have any photos of said tree? It may help in providing advice on which leader we would choose.

Moe

rockm

) I would like as upright a tree as possible, so when i remove the die off from the top of the stump, what angle do i remove it at? If I do a steep angle cut, will the new leader grow over the cut? If I cut it flat, will the leader grow so that the new wood curls over the lip? or will it grow at an upright angle from the cut?

Yes. A steep, angled cut now will produce the best taper. Push the new leader into as upright position as possible. You have to be careful, though that you don't cut too close to the new leader, as that could kill it off. This concern is minimal with Red Maple though.

2) How long does it take for the die off after trunk chop to be completed? And how can you tell when it is completed? On some species the danger never really passes until the leader is a decade old. I have a black cherry that is tempermental about pruning. it abandons branches if pruned at the wrong time of spring. On some speces (like red maple), the danger is gone the next growing season. If the leader is growing vigorously--let it for two years, no pruning. Then chop it back...

3) I was planning on leaving the stump alone until next year, but have read sseveral posts about how leaders have grown up quickly in the first year. Is waiting until next year going to be to late to train the leader? Should I ensure that it is growing straight up this year, or can I wait and use wire to turn it next year? Get the leader upright as possible, if it's supposed to be upright, or begin shaping it now to get it to the position you want. If you leave the leader to grow out, not up, this year, it will always have an initial awkward initial emregence from the trunk that cannot be easily corrected.

tazzer

So, I finally got some pictures. Like I said, the growth is all new.

I am trying to grow a new section of trunk that will result in as straight as possible a tree.

Should I leave it alone like I originally planned or should I do something now to get a leader at the top?

Thanks

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md4958

hey tazzer...which photo is your front? do you have a pic of the whole tree?

tazzer

The front? havent decided yet as i was planning on waiting to see which branch became the leader as there will probably be a bend if some type which would have to be the front, wouldnt it?

One thing i was thinking about was cutting it lower so that the three branches all bevame leaders, resulting in a trifurcated(?) trunk. Thought that might look interesting, but thats not a typical bonsai design is it?

This is a pick of the whole thing.

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