How to Trim Red Maples
Red maples (Acer rubrum), sometimes called swamp maples, are deciduous trees with bright scarlet leaves. The best time to trim red maples, according to horticulturist Ron Smith, is "late winter...because it is easier to get to the branches that need pruning, you have better working temperatures, no biting bugs and there is less chance of disease spread."
At certain times of the year, cuts may cause maples to drip or "bleed." Arborists at treeboss.net explain that "bleeding doesn't hurt the tree." To trim a red maple without causing bleeding, "prune it when it is fully dormant in...winter, or during late spring or summer when it's in full leaf."
Healthy red maples need little trimming; even necessary pruning should not begin until your red maple has gone through a full growth season.
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Things You'll Need
- Safety glasses
- Work gloves
- Pruning shears
- Lopping shears
- Pole pruner
- Rake
- Bleach and water solution
- Soapy water
- Soft towels
- Lubricating and linseed oils
Instructions
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Trimming Unhealthy Stems, Suckers and Branches
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1
Check the trunk of the tree and remove root suckers by unearthing each sucker's origin and using hand pruning shears to cut it off at the base. Hand pruning shears cut stems up to 1/2 inch in diameter.
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2
Examine the red maple's canopy for dead, dying, damaged, diseased or deformed branches. Gardeners, such as Ed Lawrence, from "The Gardener" on PBS, call these the five D's of pruning.
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3
Put on safety glasses before trimming branches that might fall, and gloves to protect your hands.
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4
Prune affected branches, using appropriate tools for removing each branch needing trimming. Most lopping shears easily cut material 1/2 inch to one inch in diameter; good ones cut through two-inch-thick branches. Pole pruners, best for high branches, cut with one hooked blade above and a cutting blade below.
Pruning Techniques
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Cut back each stem to a bud or branch. By cutting to a bud pointing to the outside of the tree, new stems will not grow toward the tree's interior and cross or rub against other branches.
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Trim lower branches with pruning or lopping shears, depending on the branch's thickness. Cut branches at a 45-degree angle approximately ½ inch to one inch from the main stem or branch. To prevent water from collecting in the cut, make slanting cuts when removing upward growing limbs.
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Prune branches two to four inches in from the tip, above a leaf or branch juncture. To shorten a branch, cut it back to a side branch and cut 1/2 inch above the bud. The bud nearest to the cut usually produces the new growing point.
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Trim branches at different lengths, 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch above active buds. Reduce overcrowding by removing twigs and branches selectively. Thinning is preferable to topping for reducing the size of a tree. Landscape-America.com arborists say that "topping ... is the worst thing you can do for the health of a tree, because it leaves [it] more vulnerable to pests and disease and starves the tree by reducing its ability to make food."
Proper Cleanup
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Rake up branches, twigs, stems and leaves that have fallen around the tree. Remove and discard diseased branches. Never leave them near the tree or use them for composting. Put healthy debris into a yard waste bin.
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Disinfect pruning tools in a 1:9 bleach to water solution. Clean tools with soapy water and dry thoroughly.
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Lubricate metal tool parts with motor oil to prevent rust, and use linseed oil on wood. Keep tools sharp and in good condition, and store them in a dry location.
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Tips & Warnings
Use tools for their intended purpose only. Trying to trim branches larger than 1/2-inch thick with hand pruning shears risks making a bad cut and ruining your shears. Never use hedge shears for trimming or pruning trees.
Pruning a tree during the first year of growth will stress it at a time when its energy should be focused on building a root system and not diverted to healing cuts.
