How to trim a young tree

[Jumbopack]

Hi All,

 

We have a tree in our garden of an Acer type, not sure of exact type. Its about 8ft tall and I wondered how I could prune it to encourage it to grow taller. It has a few small low branches and perhaps these need to be cut or should I jst leave it until older?

 

Regards

[Goaty]

Just to mention the obvious perhaps, definitely leave the collar at the union on acers to grow over the wound. They are prone to fungal attack such as corral spot.

 

If they are proper potential tree size acers. Certainly prune lower branches off to make it in to a tree. Follow it up as it gains high every season. Also take out acute angle and parallel forked branches as they split and rot as they get older. Probably anything from vertical to leader out to about 45 degrees take off.

Prune to a single leader shoot as well.

 

 

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[openspaceman]

I wondered how I could prune it to encourage it to grow taller.

 

You cannot, all the time it maintains apical dominance ( a desire for one leader to head for the sky in competition with even its lower branches) the height growth is a factor of the growing conditions. You can formative prune to get a shape or stem length you desire.

[Goaty]

I would add that if you reduced the higher vigourous shoots except the leader you are assisting it to grow taller.

Dutch nursery practice on maples is trimming all shoots off and reduce the leader. To make the rows consistant to manage the trees better

 

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[Goaty]

I dont challenge that at all. Its factory farming after all. Speed, minimise inputs. Maximise output to a consumer spec were they dont actually care about the tree just tick boxes.

My aim was to reassure the OP that pruning is doable to achieve goals.

To many hesistate then get bigger problems later.

 

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[fagus]

I would reduce the side branches gradually over a year or two, reducing overall leaf area,thereby reducing photosynthetic area, will affect growth.

[Ferguson system]

On 6.7.2017 at 23:00, Goaty said:

Just to mention the obvious perhaps, definitely leave the collar at the union on acers to grow over the wound. They are prone to fungal attack such as corral spot.

 

If they are proper potential tree size acers. Certainly prune lower branches off to make it in to a tree. Follow it up as it gains high every season. Also take out acute angle and parallel forked branches as they split and rot as they get older. Probably anything from vertical to leader out to about 45 degrees take off.

Prune to a single leader shoot as well.

 

 

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Go with what Goaty suggested. With young trees it is important to retain a single leader until they reach a more mature age. Reduce the nearest competing brances down to a side shoot/brance. The dominant top shoot produces auxin a compound that slows the growth of competing shoots and brances, although auxin levels in species like maple is much lower than other species that tend to have a more excurrent shape.