I want to plant this tree in front of my house, but need it to stay small. Any suggestions on pruning? My tree is very small right now / under three feet- just thinking into the future.
Maples react well to pruning. You can either let the branches grow to 4-5 internodes and prune above the first set of leaves in spring. The second growth will give a "fork". You can also wait until the leaves are gone, in autumn, and prune according to the shape you want to give it. In that case, it is advisable to use a treatment against fungus and diseases. For larger cuts, they can be done (almost) any time, with a treatment as mentioned above, and using wound sealant. When done during the growing season, and with proper care, they heal faster. If you fertilize it during the growing season, your tree will have long internodes. If you wait until late summer, the internodes will stay shorter, the autumn colours will be better, and the tree will gain strength to go through the winter. These are basic operations for growing bonsai: although you don't want to keep it below 50 cm, I think these techniques can apply the same, just like the techniques for Niwaki on (mostly) conifers are very similar to those used for bonsai, except one doesn't prune the roots. ...and I agree with what Maf wrote in another thread: Tsuma Gaki/Beni are among the most outstanding J. maples, so good luck with it ;-)
