Damage to our favorite trees and shrubs can happen. Sometimes the damage is the result of heavy snow fall, sometimes an animal, large dog, horse pony, donkey whatever it might be, decides to eat part of a tree, or small trees are often physically damaged by kids cars or other means.
Recently somebody wrote to me about a precious Japanese maple in her yard that had numerous broken branched from heavy snowfall that clung to the tree weighing down the branches and breaking some of them. So after responding to her concern I decided to address this issue in more detail here on my blog.
In this article I’m going to talk specifically about a Japanese maple tree, but it really doesn’t matter what kind of plant you have that is damaged, the same principles apply.
After a heavy snow storm has hit you notice that your Laceleaf Weeping Japanese maple has one or more sizable branches that have snapped off and are still hanging by the bark. The first thought is to pull the branches back in place and try and wrapped the branch attempting to secure it back together with duct tape of some other kind of binding. Will that work? It could, but in most cases I don’t think you are going to be successful because of a lot of factors. How long was the wound exposed to the air, what are the conditions around the plant like after you make the repair etc.
In most cases, I would suggest that you simply remove the broken branches, then take a sharp knife and trim the bark around the open wound. Remove any frayed edges or loose pieces of bark so water and insects cannot get behind the bark. With your knife taper the edges of the wound so when rain water hits the open wound the water runs off the wound smoothly. This will allow that area to remain clean and dry as the tree heals itself.
Now I realize, that after your remove the broken branches your tree will have large holes where there are no branches and for the most it will look unsightly. But chances are the tree will survive just fine so it deserves a chance to repair itself with a little help from you. After removing everything that has to be removed, stand back and look over your tree, looking to see if you can do additional pruning to balance the tree a little. If so, go ahead and do that pruning so when the tree does bounce back it won’t grow completely out of proportion.
Should you seal the wounds with tree paint or other compounds? Most experts today acknowledge that sealing a wound with tree paint really doesn’t do any thing to help the tree. Most suggest just letting nature heal the wounds just as would happen in a natural setting.
After all of the pruning is done the only thing left to do is wait. I suggest snapping a few pictures of your tree right after you finish pruning it because in one, two, or three years you’ll want to look back in amazement at how well the tree has bounced back. Really. I think you’ll be amazed with the recovery that your tree makes.
Your tree deserves a chance to recover.
Hi, I have a small cut leaf Japanese Maple that was damaged by snow a couple of years ago. The main trunk was broken. Initially it started growing some new leaves at the top, but now there are I my branches right at the bottom – the main leader/trunk has nothing at the top. Is it possible to train one of the healthy branches as the main trunk? It basically looks like healthy Japanese maple ground cover right now… Thanks
Susan,
You can stake it up, it just takes time.
Stupidly snapped my acre trying to secure it to a post… there’s still lots of branches, small, of course I snapped the biggest one with the majority of growth. Please say it can be saved. Probably a 5 year old tree so still potted and small
It can be saved, just going to take some time. It happens, I’ve broken a few trying to stake them.
I’m at a loss, last year a car hit my husbands truck in front of our house. Our tree was the only thing that stopped the car from demolishing my car. The tree was a weeping dwarf red Japanese maple lace leaf tree, it broke it down to the base of the tree. All I have left is a jagged edged stump. Please help I don’t know if it’s worth a try on bringing it back to life or even if it’s possible. I loved this tree.
Oliva,
Weeping Japanese maples are grafted. Often grafted at ground level, but sometimes grafted higher. The higher ones tell on themselves because they shoot out suckers that don’t look like the rest of the tree. If your tree was grafted at ground level then there is a good chance that new growth will come and will look just like what you had. But it will be a slow process for it to look like a tree again. But eventually, it can happen.
Last October a snow storm damaged my Japanese maple. At the Y the front half was on the ground in the morning. At first I tried to lift it back up and tape it together but it was too heavy. After a few days I tried it again and I was successful. I made sure it survived the winter by supporting the branches throughout the winter. Now springtime is here and the good side has leaves but the broken side shows no leaves yet. The wood doesn’t look dry but I wondering if there still is a chance it might mend and begin to grow leaves.
Do you think it might or am I just wasting my time. Don’t know what to do.
Thanks
Thomas, at this point I’d say you are wasting your time. Getting something that large to graft would be next to impossible. Especially since some time has passed.
So even though I was able to reattach it within a week and the wood was still moist, you think because there are no leaves on that section, it probably will not take?
I just think it would be really difficult. Keep in mind, the wood will not bond. The only bonding takes place with the cambium layer, the most likely part to dry out.
We had a late snow on April 20 in SW Missouri. Our Japanese maples has now lost all of its leaves. Is it dead? What do we do?
Amanda,
Nothing you can do but give it time. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
My yard guy was asked to trim
Back our Japanese maple. We came home to a stump. I’m beside myself. It was about 10 feet tall and beautiful and now a stump. How long will this take to come back or will it?
Becky,
It should come back fine but it will be a slow process, probably two years.
Due to the snow storm my japanese tree lost all the branches now I just have a tree stump. Will these tree ever recover? Or do I just pull it out?
Karla,
I say just leave it alone. Prune off any ragged branches so the breaks are nice and clean. It’s going to take some time, but in few years you’ll probably be amazed at how well it recovers.
Thank you!
Hi Mike, we have a very large Japanese maple in our front yard that just broke because of the snow damage. We had been desperately trying to save it by gently knocking of snow, but it was just way too heavy of a snow for it. It was probably a quarter of the tree and it broke off to the ground. Is there a way that I could send you a picture to see if I should paint it was some thing or do something to try to keep the wetness out? It is a very large wound.
Joy,
Just trim the bark with a tapered edge so water runs over the bark and not under it. It should heel just fine from there and eventually the tree should fill back in.
Hello Mike, It has been a while since anyone has posted but thought I would see if this blog is still monitored.
I bought a red bark Coral Japanese tree a few days ago, its about 7 feet tall. My friend just broke off one of the two main branches at a Y about 2 feet from the ground by mistake. We clipped off the one branch thats gone, however it created a split about 4 inches down the center of the truck. We were thinking of some grafting wax, and some twine..
What are your thoughts on this??
Thank you
Tim,
I wouldn’t really apply anything other than tape. Just tape it up really tight and hope for the best. Use electrical tape, but be sure to remove it after one year.
Hi Mike. When is it too late to mend a tree with bolts? My dogwood had storm damage almost 2 months ago. A limb split the trunk almost in half. The leaves and flowers on the limb look healthy. If the tree has already formed a seal over the wound will bolting work? How can i tell if it is too late for yjis repair? Thank you in advance for your response. I hope to do this repair ASAP.
Caryn,
Far too late the wood has hardened and dried.
I have a question I do not see answered here. Our Japanese maple (not sure what kind, we inherited it when we moved in) sustained heavey snow damage and lost an internal limb which we trimmed out. The remaining tree branches were all weighted down and on the ground (even though we knocked snow off once).
The tree looks fine when it is “dry” but after heavy rain all of the remaining branches sag down quite a bit making our front walk impassable.
How do we save this tree, can we “rope” the remaining limbs together in some manner and hope they regain their “strength” to stay in one place and not continue to sag?
Thanks!
Ellen,
Sagging branches on a Japanese maple seems really odd to me. You could tie them up or do some more pruning.
A beaver ate my 5-6 year old Japanese Maple, chewed the trunk right in half above the 2 feet of rabbit wire I thought was protecting the trunk then tried to drag it off into the lake and got it caught under the dock. I pulled what was left of the tree out and have it sitting in a bucket of water for now. Any chance I can put it in soil maybe with some root tone and hope it will root????? By the way, I hope the beaver is frustrated he couldn’t drag off his expensive prize and he gets heart burn!!!
Linda,
There is really a zero chance that you will save or root the top of this tree. Sorry to say that but it’s really true.
Thanks Mike for the quick response. IF I plant another Japanese Maple near the lake, you can be assured it will have at least three feet of rabbit wire to protect it from those nasty beavers. Linda
Mike I am happy to report that new branches are sprouting out of the trunk of my beaver devoured Japanese maple. The trunk now has two feet of rabbit wire around it to keep it safe. Maybe in 10 years I’ll have a tree back, here’s hoping! Linda
Hi Mike,
My spriraling 10 foot tall Japanese maple split at the top Y branch.. By the time I noticed it, I think it was too late to try to do the duct tape or bolt method. It looked very dry on both ends of the split. It lost the middle section. I decided to take the branch away. However this left the remaining spiraling upward top of the tree with a very thin stem base at the broken Y that is holding it all up. I fear that this will crack or break as the top grows up with more weight.
Is there a way to strenthen this base by adding something to fill in the missing section of the Y? Will it help to fill it in with something? It looked very delicate now that the other side of the Y is gone since it split down taking a chunk of the trunk.
It has healed up nicley and the top has sprouted leaves.
Thank you!
Julian,
I don’t know that I’d be concerned. Just prune as needed until the trees back in nicely.
someting similar happen to my japanese mapple but Im concern about the big wound on the trunk, should i use a tree wound wax to cover it?
No, you don’t need a wound dressing. Just take a sharp knife and clean up the wound, remove any loose edges, trim the edges with a taper so water easily runs out of the wound.
Entire top canopy of 25 yr old japense maple and portion of one side broke off during snowstorm today. Clean snow off tree. Should I trim now to level it out. 30 degrees here now. Thank you
Pat,
Yes, trim it up to balance it best you can. After first the recovery will be quite slow, but it will eventually fill back in. Just beware of suckers coming from down low that don’t look like the rest of the tree. They need to be removed.
Mike, I planted a Bloodgood Japanese maple in March. The end of March we had some freezing rain that broke all of the existing leaves/stems. We trimmed off the broken stems/leaves. Now we have a tree that has beautiful leaves below where the original leaves were and a bunch of empty sticks above it. The tree seems to be doing well. Will the leaves come back next spring above the other branches or should I trim all the way back to the new growth?
Chris,
At this point I’d just leave it as is, it should come back just fine. Then you can later prune as needed. But for now just give it a chance. It knows what it needs to do.
Thanks for your help
About 1/4 of main stem of my bloodgood Japanese tree died from severe cold. It’s been in ground 3 years. We pruned the dead out but worry it will rot where we cut it to healthy lateral branches as its a very horizontal cut. Should we cover the cut with something?
Susan,
I don’t think so. Wound dressing is really a thing of the past with trees. It should be fine.
Hi Mike, We have (had) a beautiful Japanese Maple ‘bush’ that is over 15 years old, about 5′ tall and at least 6′ wide. It’s bloomed every spring beautifully through the severe snow storms of the last 5 years or so, Hurricane Irene & Sandy, etc. This year it looks dead. The branches are all in tact but not a bud has come out. Our neighbor has one in their yard and it’s fully bloomed leaves and all. Ours looks like the large trunk/branches still have a bit of color and may still be alive. However all the other branches coming from them look dead. We were told in the past that every year we need to prune the small, thin, white brittle branches on the outer edges. I’m wondering if this has anything to do with it or just a final blow from winter that ruined it. From other posts it sounds like it could come back. Should we leave the whole thing alone and let it be?
Eileen,
Give it another month or so, but I think what you are experiencing is delayed winter damages from two really harsh winters. I’ve seen some of that here. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead. If it’s still worth saving just prune away the dead branches.
Mike,
It is April 2016 in Denver and a week after leaves came out, there was the late snowstorm here that lasted a couple nights with 12 inches of snow. In preparation for the snow, we mounted a san diego sail shade above the tree, but still the leaves and stems were exposed to cold water drips with a few hours each day with temperatures a couple degrees below freezing. The storm is gone, we removed the shade but now bodies of all of the leaves are pointing downward. Will the tree snap out of it or are the stems damaged at this point? I am asking the timely question as the tree is under warranty for another month to 45 days.
Mathew,
It’s really tough to say, but as the weather warms you’ll know more about the condition of the tree. I 30 days it should look a lot better or a lot worse.
Hi, we planted an orangeola jap maple last spring and we live in Utah. By fall the leaves were still on but had gone brown (instead of orange) earlier then they should have. Then this winter we got hit hard and fast for a week and the crown snapped. We still have about 2 feet of trunk and 2 -3 low lying branches. What are the chances it will pull though and what is the best fertilizer ratios to support it on it’s difficult journey?
Minna,
The brown leaves in the fall concern me a bit but you really won’t know until spring. The broken stem certainly won’t kill the tree, especially since it happened when the tree was dormant. If it leafs out in the spring trim it up best you can and it really shouldn’t need any fertilizer. Make sure it’s not planted too deep or in a wet area. Japanese maples do not like soggy soil.
Mike, I have a Korean Maple that lost the two leader branches that broke off when an old lilac brance fell on it.I cleaned and clipped the branches off and just let it go as there are other lower branches on the five foot trunk….I am hoping it puts out new leaders and I can prune the others away from the one most hardy. Did not prune the suckers that have been there a couple years, but will do that also this spring. Even if they are fairly woody , can they be rooted and salvaged to become trees.? Thanks Mike, your email newsletter is great. I tried getting your book during one of your free campaigns,but your site was overwhelmed with requests. I do enjoy checking your email newsletter so much.. Peace and thanks again for any advice. Sue G.
Sue,
Korean maple is going to difficult to root under any conditions so trying to do them as hardwood cuttings is almost certainly a waste of time. Some things are super easy, somethings are very very difficult.
Mike, you’re the greatest. Some day I’ll make it out there to meet you!
I just read your blog about repairing damaged trees, hoping to find some direction to go with my Red Bud Tree that is now a Red Bud shrub.. I had bought it at a church rummage sale from an old gardener that had been growing it in a pot. Put it in the ground 2 years ago and it really took off. It had a nice sturdy trunk with a lot of branches and huge leaves. When I went out to trim off some lower branches it was gone! Like someone had taken an axe to it!! Don’t know what happened!. Next spring it shot out a lot of branches from the root. I let it go hoping that I could choose a dominant shoot to use as my new trunk. No branch ever became dominant, It is a shrub now. Should I dig it up and start from below the ground to trim down the old trunk and choose a dominant shoot to make a new trunk, or give up on thinking of it as a tree? Any suggestions?.
Thanks,
Pat in PA
Pat,
At this point I would grow it as a multi stem tree. All of those branches will grow to a height of 20′ of you let them. Remove the ones you don’t like and keep 3 to 5 that you do like. It will be interesting and bloom just like the original would have.
Hi mike. I have a beautiful osakazuki and a fireglow Japanese maple that I have potted on my deck. I forgot to bring them in last winter and come spring and summer they didn’t leaf out at all.they branches looks like some are dying off also. I don’t know if there is any help for them. I live in buffalo ny and it gets pretty cold here. Not sure if they can be saved or did I kill them?
Mike,
No leaves during the growing season is clear sign that a plant is in serious trouble. But to be sure check the tissue under the bark. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Japanese maples are truly the happiest and safest planted in the ground. Even during the winter, in the ground is the best place for them.
Thank you so much for the info
Greetings from the UK
Hey Mike, I wonder if it is possible to save a small potted Christmas Tree that has lost its lower branches due I suspect to dehydration?
Kind regards and I love your blogs
Eddie Marshman
Eddie,
As long as the top of the tree is still growing and do fine it can be saved. But whether or not you can get the lower branches to come back is really questionable. But maybe some of the other branches will eventually droop down and cover the lower part of the stem.
I have two Alberta spruce trees. One on each side of my porch This year the back side of these have turned brown on the bottom. They are about three feet tall. Is there any way I can trim off the brown and will the branches return?
Joseph,
You can trim off the brown, but the chances of getting new growth at the bottom and the back of an evergreen like where there is little to no sun would be difficult if not impossible.
Last winter the snow was so bad and heavy that a large branch was almost broken off the trunk. I picked up the branch and wound duck tape around the branch and truck. A year later the branch is alive and growing.
Thanks, Mike for all the great posts and videos.
I’ve had branches break on my Jap. Maple and Tiger Eye Sumac. I didn’t want to lose these branches, so, I drilled a small hole (small branch), then I put a stainless steel bolt through the hole, with large washers and nut. I didn’t over tighten it, just enough to pull them back together. It has been 3yrs., and you can barely see the bolt on the Sumac (fast grower), and the Jap. Maple has 1/2 of the washer covered (slow grower). I would hate to lose a branch, when this literally takes 10min. Hope it works for you!
I’ve had branches break on my Jap. Maple and Tiger Eye Sumac. They were still attached by at least half the width of the branch. I didn’t want to lose these branches, so, I drilled a small hole (small branch), then I put a stainless steel bolt through the hole, with large washers and nut. I didn’t over tighten it, just enough to pull them back together. It has been 3yrs., and you can barely see the bolt on the Sumac (fast grower), and the Jap. Maple has 1/2 of the washer covered (slow grower). I would hate to lose a branch, when this literally takes 10min. Hope it works for you!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. As long as part of the bark is still attached this should work. Getting it to graft completely might be tricky depending on how long the tissue was exposed before being repaired.
I live in Utah and heavy snow split a Japanese Maple at the base were the main branches start so I did as above with bolt washers and nut and pulled everything back together and then staked it for awhile. That was about 1993 and there is hardy a bulge in the trunk where the nut and bolt are today.
Lee,
That’s great and thanks for sharing your successful results. At least others know there is hope for there tree.
You keep mentioning “use a sharp knife”. What kind of knife do you use? What do you like most about it?
Thanks!
Brad,
With knives how much you pay for the knife usually indicates the quality of the steel in the blade. The better the steel the sharper you can make the knife and the longer it will stay sharp. With that said, I usually pay about $30 for a knife that does the job. I’d say that’s pretty much middle of the road. The next question is the design and shape of the blade, and for some jobs I like a hook billed knife but most of the time I carry small to medium sized pocket knife with a straight blade.
What about a blue spruce ? Will they ever be able to recover? Most of one side was broken off by a tree falling. Is is a lost cause? It is about 15 ‘ Thank you…
Karin,
With an evergreen, like Blue Spruce, it’s difficult for them to recover from damage because they are so slow growing and with top of the tree shading the bottom of the tree it would be close to impossible for the tree to repair itself.
Hi Mike!
Ive been following you for a few years now.
I need to say this, I planted several fruit trees over the years, and one year there was some kind of damage at some Id planted at my father’s place,,,,,, the tree had been split in two by a bulldozer,, I forget the story, now but,,,,,,
I went down and brought exactly that! Duct tape,,,,, I said to dad, look the duct tape will either hold it all together or the tree will die, and as it is now it can die, so lets TRY the duct tape theory, dad thought I was Insane,,,,,,,,, well,,,,,,,,, several years later that ree bears fruit, and is a pride n joy,,,,,
we live in canada in the outskirts of the city of Montreal,,,,,, we Always have severe weather, this damage was caused by heavy machinery,,, totally preventable and due to negligence,,,,, the tree has survived and doing great ! im proud of that idea and need to say it has only gotten stronger, and better,,,,,, may all of God’s creatures, big n small, Survive,, Amen
Angel
The healing process is very much like grafting. The two pieces actually bond together. It works really well on some plants and is extremely difficult on others.
Hi Mike-
Like many others who’ve posted comments I too live in MA and my poor Japanese Maple was severely damaged by heavy snow this winter (this is the first week I’ve actually been able to get to it). My Maple is (was) about 4 feet tall, but unfortunately every single branch has been broken or ripped off. If I trim off what’s hanging on, there will be nothing but the 1.5″ diameter trunk…is there any hope of something growing back or is it a lost cause?
Bummed, Brian
Brian,
You have nothing to lose but a little time at this point. Remove the broken branches, then trim the tree to balance if necessary and give it a chance. It very well might surprise you.
You have no idea what it’s been like for our poor shrubs and trees. We had 11 feet of snow, here on Cape Cod. I’m worried about my euonymus, my roses, my EVERYTHING…….I moved here from Maine…and have never seen anything like this. Can you come and help us? I know a lot of people who will give you a place to stay and will pay you big bucks to do some classes. (right down the street from Heritage Plantation).
LOVE all your postings, Mike. Thank you. And think about coming here for a week or so. We’ll feed you lobster and clams and other seafood STRAIGHT from the sea! Anything for your help.
: >)
11 feet of snow is a lot, but snow makes for an excellent insulator so in many ways it will help your plants as long as it doesn’t break them down. At this point I wouldn’t be overly concerned. Truth is, not much any of us can do but wait and see what’s damaged and what’s not. We truly have no choice but make the most of what were given. Come to Cape Cod? I’d love to, but not sure when I could possibly get away.
You are correct about the insulating affect of Snow. Years ago there was no snow in Russia and the winter wheat froze and was lost.
Brian, youve nothing to lose as Mike says,,,,,,, I suggest you trim all branches left,,,, a few inches is what id do, but I havent see your plant,,,,,, so Id try that,,,,,,, nothing to lose,,,,,,,, smiles,,,,, all God’s creatures,, TRY to survive,,,,,,,, lol
the tree had a Y shaped branch which got hit by heavy machinery,, what I did was to take the duct tape,, and wind it in a criss cross pattern, to hold the Y shape together and give it strength,, then I reinforced the Y shape,,,, worked like a charm!
Hi Mike,
Just watched your video and I have a Japanese maple that was recently damaged by all of the snow we’ve had in Massachusetts this year. I’m going to try and repair the split however my question is whether or not it should wait a little until it warms up a bit. It’s still routinely below freezing and we are only now starting to see slightly warmer weather in the forecast. Am I smart to fix it asap or wait until early April, etc?
Thanks for any advice.
Dave,
I don’t think it matters. I don’t think you will successfully re-attach any broken branches so the best you can do is remove broken branches, clean up the wound as described in this article. So time isn’t a big factor. Do let us know how you tree looks in a year, two or three. I think you’ll be amazed.
Hi Dave,
I also live in Massachusetts, and like you, had significant damage to 3 of my Japanese maples due to the intense show. I had to shovel the trees out, during this warm up we had this week to take additional pressure off some of the branches. It was a pity to see these three trees lost anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of their branches, as the snow snapped them where they were buried under the snow. The trees are about 4 foot to 5 foot high, so you understand the snow buried them. Regretfully, I realized the broken branches will not come back, so I pruned them today. I read online that the Japanese maples will come back to shape in about 3 years, but to me that is a long time. I do not want to replace them due to the cost, but if they do not look good after the leaves come out, I will have to consider changing them out.
I am upset, as I really like these trees. I trim them and put substantial care into them every year. What a pity the Winter destroyed them.
Joe,
It’s a chance we take and a risk we assume for being brave enough to enjoy beautiful plants that others deny themselves of because they are too conservative to take the chance and enjoy the finer things in life. Keep in mind, the tops are a mess but the they still have a super root system that will allow them to recover faster than you can replace them with something new. Be patient. Time flies, I’m sure they’ll be fine.
Thanks, Mike for your comments.
I will then consider waiting to see how they do this year. I plan to fertilize them as soon as the snow melts, as I hope to give them a little extra push to recover!
Best,
Joe
Joe,
You have to be really, really careful fertilizing Japanese maples. Especially a tree or trees that are stressed or in trouble. They know what to do and it’s pretty much impossible to speed them up.
If I have plants, shrubs or small trees with significant damage, I might not want to leave them in my front gardens if they won’t look good for 3 years. I move them to an area at the back of my property to give them time to heal.
so sorry for you, Joe…..Japanese Maples are so beautiful….and take SO LONG to grow…..I live on the Cape….so I know from where you’re coming. Chin up…and keep gardening!
Hi Mike,
I have a 2 small Japanese weeping red leaf Maple tree.
The snow was so heavy this year that it took off all the branches. The trunk is reddish in color and I’m sad to think of taking it out of the ground if it can possibly grow new branches? Any hope?
Thank you.
Kathy
Kathy,
Chances are your Japanese maples will repair themselves. It won’t happen fast, they are slow growers, but I’m banking that in a few years they’ll look great. I’ve seen it happen. Trim and shape them as the new growth starts to appear so they grow with balance and form.
We had a heavy, wet snow over night. I woke up, looked outside and what I saw made me cringe. 4′ of my 10′ tall Southern Magnolia was laying on the ground, buried in snow. It literally made me sick. Can I make rooted cuttings from it? Is it the type that can be propagated by cuttings? Or can I put it back like a graft? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks Mike!
Michelle
Michelle,
Right now the wood on the tree is really too hard to be used as cuttings. Personally I would not try and put the tree back together. I’d trim it up best I could and patiently watch Mother Nature work her magic on your tree after you clean up some of the damage. You can take cuttings in the summer, use this method. http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
How timely! We have a beautiful Japanese maple and a Red Maple in our front and a short needled blue spruce in our back. All were weighed down by the blizzard’s 3 feet of snow. I will certainly take your advice when I can physically get to the tree. Meantime, is there any help to prevent this the next storm?
Stephanie, other than propping up branches, which I probably wouldn’t do, there’s not much you can do. Most snow falls of unless it’s wet and sticky.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY MIKE! YOU ARE MY FAVORITE GARDEN GUY. I’VE BEEN GETTING YOUR NEWS LETTERS FOR EVER ALMOST AND ALWAYS FIND YOUR INFO HELPFUL AND EVEN UPLIFTING. SOO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU BECOME SINGLE.
To Sheryn…
I had tears flowing down my cheeks just before dark, because of seeing the massive damage to my beloved trees , shrubs, perrenials and all of my front gutters on the house .
I cannot yet go out back to survey the damage. to my precious trees ,etc
Yet your comment to Mike , for him to let you know when ( if ) he becomes single, blindsided me in my forgotten humor part of my personality and I could not stop laughing, and the tears once again streamed down my cheeks , but this time from laughter ! That was a gutsy and bold commentary for Mike to have a laugh too….and to show to his wife, so that she might make his favorite dinner and the favorite fudge of his !
He could be your landscaper/gardener with fringe benefits …!
Patricia
Okey dokey then. I’ll just leave it at that.
Happy Cupid Day Mike! I hope all is well up there in Ohio.
I’d like to thank you for all of your inspiration and big, giving heart. Hey, you are the cupid of the plant world, you bring desiring people to the plants they love.
Thanks Gina, I appreciate that.
Thanks for all of your special bulletins and video’s in the past years.
Glenn
Hi Mike
I saw a kit for sale in a Lee Valley tools garden catalogue that used a pencil sharpener and a drill shaped exactly opposite. You sharpen the branch and drill the trunk then fit them together and cover with wax. Would this have a chance of repairing snow damage? If you caught it say the next morning? I know it is intended for grafting but with the tree dormant could it work?
Happy Valentines day!
Marnie, it could work. But it sounds to me like this method is matching up a very small amount of cambium tissue, but I’m sure it works on some plants.
Mike, for those of us still under snow, what can you tell me about brushing snow off of tree limbs and shrubs?? My Hawthorns are almost laying on the ground! Can’t drive under some of the trees. When they’re not ice covered, is it okay to gently knock off the heavy snow?
Ruth, sure, knocking off some of that snow would be fine, but do be careful because with all of that snow on the branches there’s a lot of stress on the branch and it could break easily.
Still a lot of skiing in Quebec City, but dreaming of gardening! here’s to a wonderful spring ahead.
Good information,and you have a happy Valentines Day.
Hey Mike: Happy Valentines day to you and your family. I love this time of year in Skagit Valley, our world is coming alive. My artichokes poked their little heads out of the trays yesterday. We had a mild winter so the deciduous trees finally lost their terminal leaves last week. So odd because they are about ready to start leafing out for this season. Thanks for the support.
Happy Valentines Day Mike!!!
Hi Mike,
Some very valuable information.
Thanks for caring. Happy Valentin’s day
Thanks Mike, same to you. Each year I have a Valentines Day, but today I was working in my garden the whole day.
Will have a nice dinner tonight.
Regards,
Ronel
Your always looking out for us, Thanks Mike
Just in time as always
thanks Mike……….
Happy Valentine’s to you and your family, Mike.
Thank you CS!
Happy Valentine’s Day Mike. I just want to testify that it is really amazing how a tree can bounce back. We have a very large maple tree in front of our house that is about 80 years old. Five years ago the power company came and mercilessly trimmed half of the top of our tree. They really went overboard and the tree looked horrible! We weren’t sure it would even survive such drastic trimming. Well it looks beautiful and balanced today–all on its own.
Mary, thanks for sharing that. Many people just believe that trees and shrubs know how to repair themselves, but they do.
Happy Valentine’s Day Mike! I feel like I know you thanks to your blogs. Thank you for all the great tips and info.
Happy Valentines Day to all !!! Thanks for all the info.
Hello Mike and Happy Valentine’s Day,
I chose today to thank you for all your informative emails.I live in northern Alabama, but for the past eight years have been working overseas. One of my dreams is to have a small nursery at my home where I have about 2 acres- one acre of space for the nursery. That, hopefully I will be able to start this next spring – 2014, when I come home to work in the US.
I plan to buy your book later to help me get started since I will be fairly new at this, I do have a green thumb though. It will be much fun trying and I hope is successful. Any words of advice I will appreciate.
Best Regards and thanks again for everything.
Judy
Judy, I can’t wait for you to get started. This is one of the most rewarding businesses that I’ve ever been involved in.
A very happy valentines day to you and yours.
Happy Valentines Day to you Mike!