No it's planning. If I get it wrong, I can't stick a branch back on again. If I look at it after the leaves have dropped, it's difficult to judge exactly which bits I need to lose.
No it's planning. If I get it wrong, I can't stick a branch back on again. If I look at it after the leaves have dropped, it's difficult to judge exactly which bits I need to lose.
I agree. I tie a bit of garden twine to a branch where I think I should cut while the tree is still in leaf. When the leaves are gone I can then do a double-check before using the pruning saw.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I'd definitely wait until the foliage is off. Much easier to see. @nutcutlet is right re where to cut. It's not great to leave stumps, and isn't usually very attractive either
I'm amazed at how much foliage you still have. All finished round here, although many have hung on longer than normal due to the very late autumn.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I do the string thing with plants I want to save seed from - especially sweet peas. There's often a rogue colour, so it's handy to make sure I don't keep those. Also handy to mark the ones which flower earliest, and which will give me a better chance of a good seedpod. Not all varieties are as generous with them unfortunately I do it with bulbs too, if I want to move some etc.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If I get it wrong, I can't stick a branch back on again.
Leaves are ephemeral, don't let them influence you. The branch structure needs to be right. Read a book about bonzai.
Its easy to see that yours is a rather ugly shape. The leaves just follow the branch structure. By all means form an early idea whilst the leaves are on (as I have). But which branch you cut, and where, can only be decided on the leafless tree.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I would strongly disagree with your comment about the shape of the acer @bede. It's always looked very pleasing to me when @B3 has put photos on here, but can appreciate that it may need tweaking to suit how she moves around it etc. A beautiful tree.
With you on that @Woodgreen. A totally uncalled for, and unnecessary comment. Bonsai isn't really the same as shaping and pruning larger specimens anyway. You can marvel at a Bonsai specimen [and I do] but out in the garden, most folk want their Acers to look like Acers, and more natural. Not a contorted, constrained, larger version of the former.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
In garden design one should think of form and structure first. It's the same with pruning a shrub. Leaves follow branches.
You'd be surprised at how many leaves will grow after a hard prune. And not always where you would have expected.
Woodgreen and Fairy: B3 says it needs to be pruned, but doesn't say why. We have to guess. I think it's because it's an ugly shape. Of course, I'm basing that on just a few pics. But isn't being frank part of answering a question honestly.
I think the Acer needs a 3 year pruning programme to start with. Followed by a regular annual maintenance programme. I wouldn't try to turn it into a bonzai, but I do yjink that one can learn from bonzai training .
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Posts
I tie a bit of garden twine to a branch where I think I should cut while the tree is still in leaf.
When the leaves are gone I can then do a double-check before using the pruning saw.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I'm amazed at how much foliage you still have. All finished round here, although many have hung on longer than normal due to the very late autumn.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's so easy to look again when branches are bare and have doubts. The twine would give me confidence I think.
I do it with bulbs too, if I want to move some etc.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Its easy to see that yours is a rather ugly shape. The leaves just follow the branch structure. By all means form an early idea whilst the leaves are on (as I have). But which branch you cut, and where, can only be decided on the leafless tree.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
A beautiful tree.
Bonsai isn't really the same as shaping and pruning larger specimens anyway. You can marvel at a Bonsai specimen [and I do] but out in the garden, most folk want their Acers to look like Acers, and more natural. Not a contorted, constrained, larger version of the former.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You'd be surprised at how many leaves will grow after a hard prune. And not always where you would have expected.
Woodgreen and Fairy: B3 says it needs to be pruned, but doesn't say why. We have to guess. I think it's because it's an ugly shape. Of course, I'm basing that on just a few pics. But isn't being frank part of answering a question honestly.
I think the Acer needs a 3 year pruning programme to start with. Followed by a regular annual maintenance programme. I wouldn't try to turn it into a bonzai, but I do yjink that one can learn from bonzai training .
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."