We have a Japanese Maple in our courtyard that is about 7 years old and 3.5M high. Is it safe to take off the lower branch marked in the photo? I realise I should have done this better as it was growing but I was always too worried about irreversibly damaging it.
The intention is for it to form more or a canopy higher up, which has started to happen on the left side. I plan to trim it just before spring.
by JBaraus
3 Comments
Yes, but not so much at once.
Better to start pruning the tertiary branches one at a time (in winter).
That whole branch will be fine. Trim back to the trunk. Winter is best.
Also. Find a new spot for your bin đź«Ł
If your plan is to sit under it I can understand why you want to remove that low hanging branch. but, otherwise I wouldn’t do this. Yours is a nicely balanced tree, I’d leave it the way it is and only trim the tips of the right hand branch you’ve highlighted away from the pathway to the right.
Many trees develop physically different branches lower on their trunk compared to in their upper canopy. By removing side branches like this now you’ll likely only retain the vertically growing ones, I.e they won’t grow sideways, just upwards to their terminal height.
I have a Japanese maple that I trimmed the lateral side branches to encourage it to have a smooth trunk and hoping to get it to arch over, but it now looks fairly peculiar with only “V” shape growth shooting for the sky. I may have to graft a lateral bud from another tree to recover an attractive appearance.