I have some maples putting out very long sprouts, it just keeps going until it arcs around and droops. Fertilization has been kept to quite minimum, as far as nitrogen goes. Namely, my Sango Kaku is doing this. I am not sure if this kind of long leggy growth would harden up and look more upright in the future years as the branch thickens, any ideas? The other one that is growing very strong is Katsura, it send sprouts in all direction and did not droop yet. Actually look quite vigorous. It stopped growing for about a month and now the end of some branches are unfolding again. I would like to know what you guys deal with this kind of growth.. from a cosmetic point of view maybe such sprouts should be pruned, especially if the internodes are much longer than old growth. But my internodes spacing are ok and I just don't have the heart to prune away healthy leaves, as messy as they look. Here is a couple pictures of my Sango Kaku to illustrate what I am talking about http://www.sfu.ca/~rhui/house/maples/sango_kaku/DSC01334.JPG http://www.sfu.ca/~rhui/house/maples/sango_kaku/DSC01339.JPG
Okay, I'll chime in. There are two kinds of pruning: Maintenance pruning where you cut out dying, dead or crossing branches. And, comestic pruning. Regarding the second, it's all up to you and what you like or don't like. Layne
Yep, that's what my Sango Kaku looks like too. Seems to be the way it wants to grow - leggy and spikey. Mine is going in the ground this fall, I think it will be too hard to keep in a pot, with the amount of growth it puts out. Wanda
I have done it both ways--prune out the vigorous chutes or leave them be. If you intend to keep the plant in the pot, you might consider pruning. It is easier to cut back sooner than later. If you cut back in summer, you can redirect some of the energy to see new growth in other areas of the tree before fall. You need to determine what you might consider a leader before you prune. Inadvertently or thoughlessly purning out primary and structural branches in the plant can be very detrimental to form and health. Also realize that in pruning these very vigorous chutes, you will create multiples at the purning site in most cases. One cut will lead to two to 4 chutes. It will look more pleasing cosmetically if you purne closer to the body of the tree rather than farther out on the new chutes. That way when the new chutes emerge at the pruning site they will blend with the tree. A good rule for potted plants that will remain as such is to purne back to or on the trunk side of where the chute starts to droop. This seems to lead to a very pleasing structure. I bought a Koshibori nishiki that looks a lot like your Katsura. When I bought it this spring I was happy to see the size and vigor, but the very long drooping chutes from the previous years growth never quit drooping, but instead drooped and then started to turn up at the ends with this years growth. Very displeasing. Eventually I could not take it anymore and did a hack job to get it back into check. That was a couple of weeks ago and now I have new buds breaking all over the tree. If nothing else, it is a good way to stimulate growth. Now I will have to see what I get and it will take a few more corrective prunings to fix things. Try to picture what you want the tree to look like and maintain it. Corrective pruning is not the best way to do things. 9 times out of 10, those drooping branches will always droop at the same point. It is up to you how you handle things, but I believe the correct thing to do is to prune back or pinch overly vigororous non-leader chutes that do not add to the overall form of the tree--especially with potted trees. Form is for you to decide but even with a potted tree you will want to mimic form in nature. Otherwise you will not be pleased. You asked the question because you are displeased with the appearance--correct? MJH
Thanks for the advices, I have pruned back the long spouts. It sounds like the correct thing to do would be prune and then follow up with pinching of new buds and redirect energy to other branches, that should make a fuller tree.
