Amur maple questions : pruning, bare rooting

Hello,

I waited until this spring to buy an amur maple I could work on (practice, first maple), and I had a few beginner questions.

I wasn't expecting to find them with buds opening, so I am wondering if its too late to cut back/prune now, and if I should wait until next season?

The information I had previously read said early spring just as the buds are about to open.

I was also wanting to do some rootwork and was wondering if its already too late this season.

The tree is about 3 feet tall and has an ok base. Not many single trunk amurs here so I got the multi stem with the most "single trunk" I could. It pretty much splits into 3 branches and I know they are probably too thick and I should pick one as a main trunk going forward. Anyways, I don't want to blab on, but can I prune and cut back now and bare root?

I have turface and pine bark mulch and was planing on going 70% turface and 30% pine bark.

Any advice would help! Thanks.

The tree looks great! And, those leaves are still mighty small with some buds just barely opened. I say, now is the time to work this tree - Go For It!

Oh.... and I definitely agree that you should pick one of those low branches, and go with that for the foundation of the tree. I personally, particularly like the big, curving branch pictured on the left.

I was waiting for a reply from some one.. my opion start your pruning now !! i too like the left side trunk for your tree.. you will have large pruning scars but the two main trunks are too far apart for a twin trunk.. find a new leader on your new trunk.. good luck and please show progress.. take care john

Awesome thanks.

I was also advised I should do the roots now.

It's ok to bareroot now too and reduce?

What's the max you guys would do? Is it safe to remove both branches on the right side now? I was also wanting to keep the left one I'm glad to see you think the same!

I would do the root work now (it is not too late if your photo was taken in the last few days) and wait until until circa mid-June to do the pruning/chopping of the top. The reasons I would wait are:

1. Use the foliage that is emerging to recharge the roots
   
2. You will get more back budding to work with chopping off hardened foliage than you will by chopping now.
   

Amur maples are tough. You are still early enough to repot. I generally cut back some of the longer shoots of stock like this when I do the first major repotting since there will be fewer roots to support the top growth. However, the previous poster was right that you want to leave plenty to supply the new roots so they grow.

If you end up removing a lot of roots you may want to wait a year before doing major cut back to build a really strong root system. If you take this approach, you can cut back the long top growth to encourage the lower branches and back budding.

The major downside I have found with amur maple is that large wounds do not heat very well. Keeping the edges of the wound moist and allowing strong growth about the wound helps, but they are still much slower than most other maples.

Marty

Well, I removed about 30% of the rootball, and barerooted as best i can and i cut back the tree pretty hard!

I removed the 2 big branches on the right and cut back what remained

Fingers crossed. No bleeding so far.

I will let you know how things go and how the tree recovers. Lets see if its as tough as what everybody has told me

I probably got carried away. I'm still excited to see what happens. If I messed up I will wait until next spring and try on another and take my time.

[img][/img]

Both my amurs are doing well.

How often should I water them?

It's been quite hot lately (around 80) and full sun.

One is marked as being resistant to droughts while the flame is not. The flame seems to be getting a bit of leaf burn.

My mix is fast draining (turface and pine bark), any danger in watering daily when it's hot?

I generally water daily once the temps get into the 80s F. However, I have gotten rid of nearly all the bark in my mix since I felt it was causing root rot problems when the pots were hot and moist.

Thanks.

Temps are in or close to the 80s now.

I've been watering every day and a half.

Here is what it looks like today after I did my initial work and repotting about 10 days ago.



Probably next year, or later this season I should get rid of the left part and keep the part on the right as my main trunk. What do you reckon?

depends on what your plan with it is. Im assuming since you have it in a pot your happy with its current trunk diameter in which case cutting off one side would be an option(removing the right side would provide better trunk taper) If it was mine id put it in the ground and leave both sides on, making one of them into a sacrifice branch. I grow many amur maples and have a problem with them wanting to be basally dominant so badly that the central trunk will even die back, does anyone else have this problem. This problem has occurred only my my oldest two, (30 year old trees with 5" diameter bases) both of them have now had to be turned into clump style.

Well, it's my first amur and I've only been growing trees in pots for 1 year now. So I still have a lot to learn and learning to keep them alive in pots is my first objective, especially over winter.

So I'm learning as I go. I understand it would get thicker faster in the ground, but ill be patient and leave it in its pot. I gave it a pot big enough to grow into.

If I were to remove the right side, how would you style the left side. Would you cut it down a lot and wait for a new main trunk to develop?

Just a question,, You pru all the ned your tree and it looks like it did well.. if you are going to make the right side your tree why not prune the left off now,,prune the right futher down to the set of leaves and let that grow for your new top... only thinking then all your engery would be going to the trunk you want.. take care john

Thanks.

I was debating keeping only my main trunk now but didn't know if it was too much cutting for 1 season

After this quick paint job doesn't the right side look better?

Right side kept:




Left side kept.



My favourite is right side kept.

Hmmm