| We have a 5-year-old maple tree started from a seed that is now quite tall, but still looks like a bush with ground level branches. Do we need to cut these off, and when is the best time? |
| What fun to grow a maple tree from a seed! Maples should be pruned when the sap is not flowing, which is generally late fall. You can limb up your sapling so it has a bare trunk and a topknot of branches and foliage. As the tree increases in height you can continue to cut off the lower limbs until you're happy with the height of the lowest limb. It's better for the tree if you prune the branches off while they are still small. They won't leave much of a scar and any they do leave will callous over in a short time. If you see new sprouts along the trunk, rub them out right away rather than waiting for them to develop into branches. This way there will be no scar at all. Best wishes with your maple! |
