A 'slow but steady' approach is always better, especially with a specimen shrub or tree @Allotment Boy -I think the main reason for saying pruning when dormant is because it's easy to do too much and end up with a disaster which can't then be retrieved. I'd never recommend pruning in the growing season to anyone who has no experience of Acers. Too easy to ruin them. For those with experience - yes, pruning at other times is fine, within reason, and if care is taken. I agree totally @Liriodendron. There's a few gardens near here with owners who are trigger happy with the hedgetrimmers. Everything is a blob. Looks dreadful. One in particular that I pass regularly, is really hideous. You can't tell what half the shrubs are. It's often an 'old man' thing. They can't seem to leave anything alone to grow
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
For all those thinking about pruning in the dormant season, you may be too late already. I was working on a specimen where I volunteer today and sap was evident already. Luckily I was only taking off a few "straggly" tips and nothing large. The tree is in a sheltered position near a building, so those in more exposed areas may still be dormant.
How strange @Allotment Boy. I expect everything's much earlier anyway where you are, and certainly against walls or similar. Just shows the difference though - nothing moving here as far as Acers are concerned, and I have a young one up against the house wall which I was looking at yesterday. Good job you know what you're doing too This is the sort of thing gardeners are having to re evaluate though with all the climate and weather changes, especially when it swings back and forth so readily.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The expert I work with at Capel says you would normally expect to be OK till the end of Feb or mid March. Worth checking on something small and insignificant, if no sap shows then go ahead. The problem down here is appart from the one week with snow in December, and now the current cold snap, it's been very mild. Some still had leaves on into the end of November so I think you just have to get on and do it anyway.
@Allotment Boy I think there are alot of plants that haven't completely shut down for the winter. The gardening books no longer give the information needed to make a good judgement when it comes to the winter months. What is happening at that moment in gardens around the UK is more useful information. This time last year I dug out a new border in my lawn. It was very dry and of course the season continued in the same way. Call me crazy but I had this thought, we could see many trees with both their old leaves and new buds at the same time in the future scary. It is a case of seize the moment when conditions are right, or the opportunity to do alot of things has soon gone.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I done some light pruning on my A. palmatum dissectum last week. We had a long freezing spell in Dec and as AB mentions it's been frosty again recently. I only take off bits that are overhanging the footpath, but I noticed this morning several stagmites of acer sap on my front wall and most of the cut branches are still dripping. I know from previous recent years the leaves on those branches will be smaller than the rest. Years ago I pruned it every winter without noticing any sap - that was when we had proper winters, and it wasn't long ago.
I read somewhere that in order to go properly dormant they need about 4 weeks when the average temperature is no more than about 4C. I've no idea if there's any truth in that.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
As @GardenerSuze says @""Pete.8", the books were written for another time. It might be useful to see how gardeners in warmer, drier climates go about it.
Posts
@Allotment Boy -I think the main reason for saying pruning when dormant is because it's easy to do too much and end up with a disaster which can't then be retrieved. I'd never recommend pruning in the growing season to anyone who has no experience of Acers. Too easy to ruin them. For those with experience - yes, pruning at other times is fine, within reason, and if care is taken.
I agree totally @Liriodendron. There's a few gardens near here with owners who are trigger happy with the hedgetrimmers. Everything is a blob. Looks dreadful. One in particular that I pass regularly, is really hideous. You can't tell what half the shrubs are. It's often an 'old man' thing. They can't seem to leave anything alone to grow
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there."
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Good job you know what you're doing too
This is the sort of thing gardeners are having to re evaluate though with all the climate and weather changes, especially when it swings back and forth so readily.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This time last year I dug out a new border in my lawn. It was very dry and of course the season continued in the same way.
Call me crazy but I had this thought, we could see many trees with both their old leaves and new buds at the same time in the future scary.
It is a case of seize the moment when conditions are right, or the opportunity to do alot of things has soon gone.
We had a long freezing spell in Dec and as AB mentions it's been frosty again recently.
I only take off bits that are overhanging the footpath, but I noticed this morning several stagmites of acer sap on my front wall and most of the cut branches are still dripping.
I know from previous recent years the leaves on those branches will be smaller than the rest.
Years ago I pruned it every winter without noticing any sap - that was when we had proper winters, and it wasn't long ago.
I read somewhere that in order to go properly dormant they need about 4 weeks when the average temperature is no more than about 4C. I've no idea if there's any truth in that.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."