When to trim maple trees

[FishandFowl]

Is it better to trim them in the winter or does it matter?

any help would be appreciated.

FnF

[Charley]

They say winter is best. Like this weedend before the sap starts to run.

[Quetico]

Late winter is the best time for tree trimming and removal. That applies to most tree and shrub species.

Remember you should never prune Oaks and a few other trees between April 15th and October 15th. I know of a Stillwater based tree service that loves violating that rule because it helps them spread Oak wilt resulting in more work for them.

[Charley]

Quetico--You are right and the reason is all about disease with kind of tree.

[Powerstroke]

Maples in general are not particular about when you prune them, but like quetico said, dormant pruning is ideal.

[Bowfin]

In general, pruning most trees in the dormant season is safe. However, pruning maples in Feb/March will result in a lot of "bleeding" - sap flow out of the wounds. The sap is starting to flow within the maples now. If they are healthy they should make it but I can't help but feel a "large" amount of sap loss stresses a tree.

I like to prune maples in late summer (i.e. late August). The tree is a couple weeks from going into dormancy but just enough time to begin to heal the wounds so sap flow out of them is minimized in the spring.

[FishandFowl]

Thanks for the replies. I dont want to lose this tree. The county just removed one of the ash trees on the blvd because it split down the middle and it has left the yard somewhat bare.

I have heard that on oak trees you have to paint over the trimmed areas, does this apply to maples as well?

Fnf

[Bowfin]

Painting is mainly cosmetic - it doesn't help the tree heal any faster or prevent decay. Only possible benefit is if an oak gets wounded between April and August - paint could possibly protect the tree from the nitidulid beetles infecting it with oak wilt.

[paul pachowicz]

trimming trees is best done when the loppers are sharp. We trim our golf course trees in late fall after leaves fall and early spring before bud out so we can see into the crown better and get the cross-overs, water shoots, dead, dying and rubbing limbs. It's alot easier for the ground man to point out what's needed and easier to climb around in if the bucket can't get at it. Besides that, it's cleaner when you are running bare branches thru the chipper.

[Quetico]

I've always been taught that paint for trees is called Dummy Paint because its only for dummies. Tree paint is basically black spray paint you can get at any hobby shop. Its useless, a waste of money.

The only exception is when Oaks are wounded out of season. If you prune your trees in the proper season you should never waste time painting. If your Oak is wounded due to storm damage or incompetent tree company, then painting the wound MIGHT prevent some disease.

I've heard some research arborists argue that painting may even slow the healing of wounds.

[Powerstroke]

Maple sap flow doesn't harm the tree. Seriously. How do you think we get maple syrup. Those trees are tapped for sap flow every year and allowed to flow as much sap as possible. It is unsightly, but sap is not the "blood" of a tree.

[Bowfin]

Powerstroke,

Your right about the maple tapping but don't they recommend a maximum of taps per tree to minimize stress? I don't know but a heavily pruned tree can kick out some serious sap and it seems like it would stress a tree. Isn't the sap being drawn up to provide nutrients to the newly budding tree?

[WaveWacker]

I'm going through everything with the loppers and the pole saw this weekend!! Hopefully enough snow sticks so that I can just push a pile of snow and branches on the burn pile instead of picking up every single one.

[Powerstroke]

Typically yuou want to space out the taps a certain distance in order to keep up the pressure in the tree.

Again, it may "seem" like it, but the fact is it doesn't matter. I'm not trying to argue with you. I know this for fact. I was an arborist for 6 years before changing careers. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I'm just trying to point out that you think its one way, but I know its not that way.

All maples will flow a sweet sap. SOme don't need to be tapped. If there is sunscald or frost cracks in the tree, those wounds will flow sap. If a branch broke over winter, that will flow sap. SOmetimes excessive growth the year prior will leave gaps in the bark, this will flow sap.

Sap flow can "seem" worrisome and unsightly, but the reality is it does not harm the tree.

If anyone is interested in maple syruping, the Landscape Arboretum in Chaska does a great event in the spring. A pancake breakfast and they use the homemade maple syrup from the year before.

[toughguy]

I've always heard to trim trees in months that have an "R" in them

[Bowfin]

Powerstroke,

Can we agree on this?

If you want to minimize sap flow due to pruning in species such as maple(or white pine)for whatever reason, one way to do this is to prune in late summer when the tree can get a start in the healing process instead of spring. I'm not saying you can't prune in spring.

[Pickelfarmer]

Bowfin I agree with you as well as Powerstroke. I own a tree moving bussiness and I have always seen the best results from pruning in Mid winter (though Late summer is OK as well after the growing season Sep-Oct). Sorry Powerstroke I am sure you are correct with your statement in that pruning a Mapel pretty much ANY time of year is not going to hurt it. Although the sap flow in the spring will be much heavier and will result SOMETIMES in a Clought that will heal over and at the worst produce an unsitely bulg on the tree that will in time go away. It is best to prune ANY tree in Feb-March..... period.

Maples are not really a hard wood and can stand alot more then say an oak or other hard wood tree but IMO its best done a month or 2 before the sap starts to flow.

As far as white pine go the earlier the better, Feb 1st??? They do not have the sap flow that a maple has and if done to late you might end up with a open wound that takes away from the trees health. I think the main thing to remember is cut during a dormate period. Late summer early spring.Even though Mid winter is not a growing period its best to leave them be. No cutting Dec 25-Jan30th and again from May 1st- Sep 1st. Other wise Game on!!!!

Also do NOT get pruning mixed with shearing. When you Shear a tree it should always be done during the growing season. Pines should be sheared in late June to early july. This is when you cut half of the new growth off and in affect cause the tree to bud at that brake.. If you want to shear a pine, during the growing season is the only time to do so.

[Powerstroke]

My argument is not about when to prune. I think that is pretty obvious. Dormant season pruning is best. NO one will argue against that. Maples, ash, locusts and some others are generally not affected by insects or disease unless they are already weak or sick and are safe to prune during the rest of the year.

Open wounds do attract insects and disease, especially fungal disorders, but most diseases are specific to their hosts. Hence the concern for oaks, elms, white pine, birch, apples and other Malus species trees. These are especially sensitive and should never be pruned between April and July and some not outside of frost season just to be safe.

The reason for shearing evergreens in the mid summer is they are strongest then, the new growth is out and any new growth that is stimulated by the trimming will have time to harden off before winter season reducing the risk of winter burn or frost damage to new growth.

The question was when to trim maples. We agree on the best time and I added that they can be trimmed year round for those who don't get around to it, or forget and who search for this in another month or two. I just want people to understand that having sap flow is not a concern as to why they shouldn't trim their tree.

If you don't want to see sap then don't prune. Even if a tree is pruned in the winter, every one of those wounds will flow sap in the spring because the live tissue hasn't had a chance to heal because the tree was dormant. It is inevitable, it may cause you concern, but it is not harmful to the tree and that was the point I was trying to make. Mentioning the sap only complicated the discussion when its point was irrelevant.

[Pickelfarmer]

Hear ya loud and clear powerstroke and agree %100. Sorry I got off topic a little there.

[Powerstroke]

no biggie, I'm trying to be clear. I don't want to be a jerk. I get to help moderate this forum so I want to make sure we get the best info out there, but still allow everyone to participate.

Its great to have so many people involved on a site like this because its a great resource and its the people involved that make it what it is. I don't have all the answers either, but I try to share what I do know.