Should I cut the trunk above the new growth on my revived Japanese Maple? - Ask Extension
Last Fall, I had my landscaper move my 30+ year old Japanese Maple. This Spring it never produced any new leaves. I pruned some of the dead branche...
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Should I cut the trunk above the new growth on my revived Japanese Maple? #671004
Asked July 30, 2020, 9:24 PM EDT
Last Fall, I had my landscaper move my 30+ year old Japanese Maple. This Spring it never produced any new leaves. I pruned some of the dead branches and still nothing. I continued to water and fertilize all Spring and Summer. About 2 weeks ago I noticed new leaves on the trunk down by the ground. A week ago another side of the tree sprouted new leaves. Should I cut the trunk above the new growth and if so how high up?
Middlesex County Massachusetts
Expert Response
It does not appear like the main stem will ever come back so just cut is as close to the ground as you can without damaging the next growth.
Thank you. So I should continue to water and fertilize? Any thing else you can suggest?
If you have already fertilized, you don't need to do so again until next spring. Do continue to give it a deep watering once a week if we do not get rain and then, just hope for the best.
