Attached are two pictures of my Japanese maples. I moved into my place a couple of years ago and inherited these trees. At first I was just climbing and hacking away at them (the frontyard photo top and right, you can see where I have cut the branches that go over my neighbors hedge--the backyard one I mainly cut out a few big lower branches to open up the stump area). As time goes by, I have really grown to appreciate the beauty of these trees and the way that they change. The backyard one has a large rodo behind it that is crowding it out--as well as my neighbors hedge. Basically, i don't have a clue how to prune these things. I am kinda hoping I didn't already ruin them by hacking away with a dull saw. Any advice on how to prune the attached pictures???
OOps! The "backyard" one is the one with the tree stumps under it. You can see it is growing to the left--which is good because I have a path under that side. I am more worried about the front one as it seems to want to grow up. Any ideas???
to answer the question of why or how to prune first you must decide why you are pruning. http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/pruning_mature.aspx can be a good place to start learning about the pruning of mature trees. http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/books-978076682271/0766822710/An+Illustrated+Guide+to+Pruning?ref=Search+Books%3a+'Edward+F.+Gilman' is a great book to take the beginnger to novice and expert level. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Powerpoints.htm is a place to watch a powerpoint by Mr Gilman.
