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I planted this red maple tree in the fall of 2018. It was fine the first year. But, last summer during a dry spell, an animal decided to chew on the trunk. I was told to leave it alone, and it might be fine this spring. Well, it's partially OK. I'm wondering if I should keep waiting, to see of any of the upper branches come back to life, or just lop off the main stem above the last live branch. I did a scratch test, and the main stem seems to be green. But the branches mostly seem dead, or if they are still flexible, they only have tiny buds on them. (like what you'd see during winter) Any advice is appreciated.
I'd just cut off the dead top. It seems to have a nice shape without it, which is great. I'd see if it ends up looking weird for some reason. You can always take it out later, if it doesn't shape up nicely. Sometimes when you lop off a top, the main trunk grows up sideways and is ugly. But, yours looks really hopeful.
I agree with the above post. Cut off the non-productive part of the top, the tree will grow one or two more vertical leaders and from the looks of the productive part where new foliage is now I think it will all continue to grow out in a nice spreading shape as it matures.
I would wait. I have a Chickasaw plum that leafed out except for one large branch. I took me a few weeks to remember to bring my pruning shears out to that part of our yard. I was surprised to see it had leaves and I was glad I hadn’t pruned it. You would think I had learned, but no. I have a little strongback tree that had a bare branch I was going to prune. The same thing happened. By the time I remembered the shears, it had leaves.
I would wait. I have a Chickasaw plum that leafed out except for one large branch. I took me a few weeks to remember to bring my pruning shears out to that part of our yard. I was surprised to see it had leaves and I was glad I hadn’t pruned it. You would think I had learned, but no. I have a little strongback tree that had a bare branch I was going to prune. The same thing happened. By the time I remembered the shears, it had leaves.
LOL, thank you for your input. But I lopped the top off last night. I did a couple more scratch tests further up the main stem, and they weren't green, anymore.
As I said above, I trimmed down to where there were living leaves last spring. That summer, I got a little more growth, but nothing special; it just sort of got bushier. So later in the fall, I trimmed the former center leader all the way back to the next lowest branch. In the image in my OP, those branches are sticking out, on the left.
Well, this spring, the tree had a major growth spurt, and both of those branches grew, and the tree is now about as tall as it was in the original post.
But now I have a new question: both branches are close to equal in size, and I wonder if they're competing with each other to be the main leader. (I'm sorry the picture doesn't show this well, and I don't have a better photo.) Should I let it go? Or should I trim the slightly less dominant branch? If I should trim, can I do it now, or should I wait until fall?
BTW, I'm also surprised at how much my eastern redbud has grown over the last year!
Well, this spring, the tree had a major growth spurt, and both of those branches grew, and the tree is now about as tall as it was in the original post.
But now I have a new question: both branches are close to equal in size, and I wonder if they're competing with each other to be the main leader. (I'm sorry the picture doesn't show this well, and I don't have a better photo.) Should I let it go? Or should I trim the slightly less dominant branch? If I should trim, can I do it now, or should I wait until fall?
Nice to see its back to life. Those growth spurts are fun to watch. Think of trees like your canvas. You make the design however you want.
Me personally I would just cut one of them but not all the way, just like 6 inches down and do it now while its growing season so it can use energy to heal and strengthen the other leader.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR_C
BTW, I'm also surprised at how much my eastern redbud has grown over the last year!
Not sure if you saw what I did to mine but Eastern Red Buds are so resilient! All trees are actually.
Nice to see its back to life. Those growth spurts are fun to watch. Think of trees like your canvas. You make the design however you want.
Me personally I would just cut one of them but not all the way, just like 6 inches down and do it now while its growing season so it can use energy to heal and strengthen the other leader.
Thanks! I'll probably do this. But, this branch shape reminds me of another tree experience I had.
My mom bought a house in December 2005. The next spring, I went home, and we bought a lot of new perennial flowers for the around the house. On the way to checkout from Lowe's, they had some Cleveland Select Pears on clearance, for something like $5/ea. So we picked one up on a whim. (They were just declared invasive in Ohio recently, but I didn't know that, then, LOL.) The whole tree was something like 4' tall. At about 2', a second major stem sprouted from the main stem, and they grew parallel, about 2" apart. I didn't want to eliminate almost 50% of the leaves, because we just planted it. I figured we could prune the second stem off in a couple years, after the tree was established.
Well, I sort of forgot about it, because I typically only go home for holidays. And, Mom never got around to pruning the tree either. When I finally remembered to look at it on one of these holiday visits, about 5 years later, I saw that it still had a very nice symmetrical form, but with two main stems that came together in a u-crotch. So, we just continued to let it go.
Sadly, Mom passed away 5 years ago, and the house was sold. So I haven't been by since, to know how the tree is doing.
(I didn't realize this was going to get so long, when I started writing it...)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cambium
Not sure if you saw what I did to mine but Eastern Red Buds are so resilient! All trees are actually.
I'm not a regular on this forum, but I did see your thread before, when searching for info about Eastern Redbuds, but before the 11/21 bump. I hope it makes it! I wonder what form it will take?
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