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Home » Plant Care » Pruning Japanese Maple Trees

Pruning Japanese Maple Trees

Updated : November 25, 2014

38 Comments

Find out when to prune Japanese maples here.

Take a gander at these posts...

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Comments

  1. BJ says

    April 14, 2018 at 8:45 pm

    Dad used to tell me that one should prune what needed to be, then take out some more! He is no longer with us, but he was once a Superintendent for a large Southern Peach company and he knew how to graft and could start a new rose bush with the newspaper and canning jar technique. So much knowledge he had, and I wish I would have listened better!!

    Reply
    • Mike says

      April 15, 2018 at 5:47 pm

      BJ,

      Sounds like my kind of guy!

      Reply
  2. Karen says

    July 14, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    I think you fell short, very short, in the pruning of what had been a beautiful tree, turning it into the standard yard blob. Disappointed.

    Reply
    • Mike says

      July 14, 2016 at 3:13 pm

      Karen,

      You’re dissappointed because
      1. You completely missed the point, the tree had to be removed or trimmed hard.
      2. You don’t have vision. This tree is already looking considerably better and will only get better in time.
      3. Had the tree been planted in the correct place to start with, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

      Reply
    • Ken says

      April 11, 2018 at 1:46 am

      I have a willow tree that was neglected, so I trimmed it very short in a ball shape. everyone thought That I ruined the tree and some thought that I had killed it, “it will never survive”, some said. It grow back more full and shaped the best it ever looked.

      Ken

      Reply
      • Ken says

        April 11, 2018 at 1:47 am

        Opps, spelling errors.

        Reply
  3. Kim says

    May 12, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    I need your help japanese maple issue will you contact me. I follow your advise only

    Reply
  4. Teddo says

    October 22, 2013 at 11:46 am

    Mike
    You have covered most of the Maples, how about a instructional video on the Dwarf Jap. Maples?

    Reply
  5. David says

    October 11, 2013 at 12:25 pm

    Great Video! Trim, trim, trim that’s my motto! Great video encouraging selective pruning throughout the year. I just love the Bibs…are those Wells? I want to buy a good pair that you would recommend…I watch you use that chest pocket and think to myself, “I really need to get one of those!” Thanks again for an informative video! DirtBoy, DAve

    Reply
  6. ottawa bathroom renovation says

    April 19, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    Hello to all, it’s in fact a good for me to pay a visit this website, it includes priceless Information.

    Reply
  7. Joe says

    March 30, 2013 at 11:27 pm

    Natural is certainly NOT unsightly in a Japanese Maple… Quite the contrary! Did you ever hear of Aesthetic Pruning? It brings out the true beauty of JMs. You are making lollipops, not beautiful Japanese Maples. I’ve learned not to trust people that always say “trust me”

    Reply
  8. Marsha Torello- LaVere says

    March 29, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    Just getting ready to go out and do some pruning on my Japanese Maple. So glad I watched this first! Thanks for the info!

    Reply
  9. Dana harness says

    January 15, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    THANK again MIKE alway go info on your v-d-i-o we got six JM so far going to keep them prune up to about six feet high THANK again

    Reply
  10. Joyce says

    November 9, 2012 at 8:27 am

    When is the best time to prune?

    Reply
    • Mike says

      November 12, 2012 at 6:09 pm

      Joyce, I prune just about everything year round. If it needs trimming, it gets trimmed. No matter what time of year it is.

      Reply
  11. Lisa says

    August 30, 2012 at 9:36 am

    Is there a certain time of year I should prune my weeping Japanese Maple? Is fall or spring a better time. I just got mine this year after getting landscaping ideas from you. I love it! I got some great planing ideas from your videos. Keep them coming!!!!

    Reply
  12. Bridgette says

    July 17, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    Mike, i need your help on a project, i have a large cemet texas star and in the middle of it is the flag pole, i want to plant this winter some small plant that have red, white and blue colors, and bright colors, and are low to the ground and low maintenance. and i love in central texas. please help

    Reply
    • Mike says

      July 19, 2012 at 7:29 pm

      Bridgette, I’m the wrong person to suggest plants for Texas, but somebody will probably chime in here with some suggestions for you.

      Reply
  13. Ron Kiecker says

    June 10, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    Mike, This a GREAT Video, You do a gtratjob explaining.
    I purchased a Japanese a year ago and it is 5Ft tall. Can I use the trimmings from it to root and start new plants? Keep up the great Work.
    RK Tennessee

    Reply
  14. david says

    July 21, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    mike i have a 2 yr old fancy leaf maple. needs trimming real bad i think. it hasnt grown very tall since planting looks much healthier but not much heigth any suggestions. watched your video on trimmimg so am going to try that.
    also can i do cutings off my fancy leaf maple when i trim it so i can make more trees. and if so how. thanks nd really enjoy your videos and information given to us. thanks or the time and hard work you have doen to make it easier for the rest of us. my wife and me plus couple friends have been watching and talking about starting and doing root cuttings and other things not great big but what we can handle. look forward to hear from you if you have time. thanks david

    Reply
  15. Jaik says

    June 29, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    I have been receiving gardening books in the mail for a while now and about two years ago, I purchased a Japanese Red Maple. I bought this seeding because the mature species is so beautiful. My problem is it seems to be growing very slow and the leaves tend to brown around the edges. Not to mention there is not much folliage on the plant. Do you have any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Ken says

      April 11, 2018 at 1:54 am

      Seems you might have the same JM that I have. The leaves are probably getting brown on edges due to lack of water and consistently. Mine is on a hill so the water runs away and as soon as I started to water ‘slowly’ it picked up in the hot summer days. It doesn’t grow fast, or appears, not at all. Other trees have grown a lot, but perhaps this is a dwarf hybrid, will never grow fast.

      Reply
  16. sylvia says

    June 15, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    My blackberry bush has lushious red berries but they turn hard and brown. What is wrong with it?

    Reply
  17. fuji says

    May 1, 2011 at 1:59 am

    Hi Mike, I have a new 5′ redbud weeping lavender twist.How do i prune this? Also some of the branches are crossing each other.Please Help thank you.

    Reply
    • Carmie says

      May 13, 2011 at 1:10 pm

      fuji – check out Mike’s thread “Trimming & Pruning Tips” from last July. Mike gave me a few tips about pruning as I had just planted one of those. His info helped, plus there is more information out there on the web. After 1 year my little tree is full of flowers and sending out shoots! Have fun

      Reply
  18. Anonymous says

    April 12, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Thank you very much for offering the FREE gardening handbook.

    Reply
  19. James says

    April 11, 2011 at 2:37 pm

    How to prune a varigated beech tree?

    Reply
  20. Anonymous says

    April 11, 2011 at 12:18 pm

    Mike, great information,… I am wondering how do you trim back an old, overgrown japanese maple? Poor thing had died our on areas, but has new growth, .. unfortunately, it is so out of shape, I am not sure what to do…. help????

    Reply
  21. Meg says

    April 9, 2011 at 8:46 pm

    Hi Mike,
    We have a hedge which doesn’t get much sun on its bottom. The top looks good but it doesn’t grow any leaves on the bottom. Is there anything we can do?

    Reply
  22. Charlie White says

    April 8, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    Thanks Mike,
    Another really helpful video like all the rest. I always look forward to the next one. Where do you buy your farmers overall’s?? I can’t find them anywhere. They are so comfortable to work in.
    Thanks Mike.

    Reply
  23. Kathy Ashcraft says

    April 8, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    I’m afraid I have one of those “unsightly” maples, but I love it anyway! I really liked your video, you made it look easy… very inspiring!

    Reply
  24. debbie says

    April 8, 2011 at 5:22 pm

    Always enjoy your videos. I appreciate the fact that you approached both weeping and upright JM’s.

    Reply
  25. Ann Marie says

    April 8, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    Good info any hints on pruning a crepe myrtle to appear as a tall open umbrella mine is 2-3 yrs old and I would like it to be about 8-10 ft or more and have an umbrella type canopy of bloom and branches

    Ann Marie C

    Reply
  26. Carol Fye says

    April 8, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Mike: I’ve been watching your videos with interest. I’ve learned a lot.
    I don’t think I ever saw one on Japanese Maples like this one. Great information.
    Can you root a new tree from a cutting on the Japanese Maple. If so, how do
    you do it.

    Reply
  27. Randy Kramer says

    April 8, 2011 at 1:23 pm

    I’m sure I’ve mentioned this to you before–what I call “third party videos” don’t work on my computer. What I mean is, for example, videos hosted at youtube but incorporated in your page.

    For anyone else who has the same problem, here is

    (Hope I got that right!)

    Reply
  28. Julie H. says

    April 8, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Nice video. Is it OK to prune when the plant is leafing out?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Prune a Japanese Maple Tree says:
    May 20, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    […] Here is a video Mike made for you on how to prune Japanese Maple trees. Click HERE! […]

    Reply
  2. Spring Pruning Tips. Should I Prune Now? – Mike's Backyard Nursery says:
    March 30, 2013 at 8:45 am

    […] More on Pruning Japanese Maples. […]

    Reply

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