Up until now my experience has taught me to keep trees, not make them beautiful bonsai. My trees are now much taller than they should be and have been allowed to grow freely in the field for some time. Now potted and in my backyard sanctuary, I feel this year, I am ready to start experimenting.
A couple questions,
1. Do all deciduous trees respond well to defoliation?
2. Can I get away with defoliating some of my trees this time of season (its not fully summer hot here yet at all, still have cold nights and rainy days)
I have one specific tree (Not yet identified, but leaning towards a red mulberry) with two dominating trunks. This is my experiment tree, I created a shari on the base of the tree that leads up into the smaller of the two trunks. The leaves on the small trunk are wilting now while the main trunk seems fine. Should I defoliate the smaller trunk to allow the tree to focus on "healing" its shari and promote new growth? Or should I let the leaves drop themselves?
It might be helpful to note I have repotted my trees late this spring (has been less than 2 weeks)
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Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
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Ziplock,
Not all deciduous trees will respond the same. I suggest that you do some research once you identify your species. One thing that raises a red flag to me though is that you have re-potted very recently. Defoliating is very stressful and is not usually done the same year as re-potting. Also keep in mind that defoliating is a finishing technique, usually reserved for trees that have their trunks an primary branches in place.
Norm
Not all deciduous trees will respond the same. I suggest that you do some research once you identify your species. One thing that raises a red flag to me though is that you have re-potted very recently. Defoliating is very stressful and is not usually done the same year as re-potting. Also keep in mind that defoliating is a finishing technique, usually reserved for trees that have their trunks an primary branches in place.
Norm
Thanks Gnome, I have left them be for that reason. Thanks for confirming. As far as it being a finishing technique, my question to you then becomes, how do I encourage smaller leaf growth aside from defoliation? I was not aware this is a finishing technique.
My tree has a very thick trunk with nice taper however as I said has been growing in the field for at least 5 years. Therefore it is pretty tall and has not developed a lower branch system that can be used as the apex of the tree. I understand that I should leave it be for the rest of the season as it is recovering from being re-potted. But when and how should I be cutting this tree down to size. Should I be pruning leaves around the apex to encouage backbudding before I chop the trunk?
My tree has a very thick trunk with nice taper however as I said has been growing in the field for at least 5 years. Therefore it is pretty tall and has not developed a lower branch system that can be used as the apex of the tree. I understand that I should leave it be for the rest of the season as it is recovering from being re-potted. But when and how should I be cutting this tree down to size. Should I be pruning leaves around the apex to encouage backbudding before I chop the trunk?
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Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Ziplock,
You're welcome. If you are satisfied with the trunk then the next thing to develop is the branches. Don't worry about ramification until the branches are in place. Pruning in the spring is usually how this is begun. It is hard to say exactly where to prune without seeing the trees in question.
Research the various species you are dealing with since they don't all behave the same way. A Chines Elm for instance will back bud pretty much anywhere on the trunk so by removing all branches you will stimulate many buds. Maples will usually only bud at previous leaf nodes. The good thing is you have until next year to sort out the particulars.
Norm
You're welcome. If you are satisfied with the trunk then the next thing to develop is the branches. Don't worry about ramification until the branches are in place. Pruning in the spring is usually how this is begun. It is hard to say exactly where to prune without seeing the trees in question.
Research the various species you are dealing with since they don't all behave the same way. A Chines Elm for instance will back bud pretty much anywhere on the trunk so by removing all branches you will stimulate many buds. Maples will usually only bud at previous leaf nodes. The good thing is you have until next year to sort out the particulars.
Norm
. As I continue my research, might you be able to suggest a good resource for tree identification? I enjoy the dichotomous key method however I find only ones for college projects that don't seem to be too accurate and plentiful.-
sean117Ply
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- Location: Melbourne, Australia
I highly agree with this! I have had bad experiences with this situation, one time the leaves didn't even grow back on a tree! I think maybe the tree is laking energy so is unable to generate a whole new crop of leaves. But I have had success with a green leafed Japanese maple but the leaves were not ANY smaller at all. But the tree kept green leaves well into fall, much longer then usual.Gnome wrote: One thing that raises a red flag to me though is that you have re-potted very recently. Defoliating is very stressful and is not usually done the same year as re-potting.
Norm