Jim,
Is that your pic on the gallery? It doesn't come all the way through, but I
thought I'd relate this story and you can take it for what it's worth.

Nine or ten years ago I was given the chance to "collect" two Japanese
maples from a medical office that was going to add an extension to the
building right were the trees were. They were going pull them out with
back-hoe and throw them in the garbage. These were mature trees, over 12
feet tall, with trunks the size of my thigh. IN JULY. HERE. I accepted
the offer (feeling like Kevin (another thread running now) that what the
heck, they will surely die if I don't try). The rootballs wound up to be
about 56 inches in diameter and 26 inches deep (had to use piano trolleys to
move them).

Anyway, BOTH TREES LIVED, and are beautiful today.

So, with Acer p. you can do things that go against the normal grain and
succeed as long as you use common sense and all the post-stress care you
can. The trees don't want to die and will fight like crazy to live.

FWIW,
Regards,
Shelly Hurd Central CA - Sunset Zone 8-USDA Zone 9


"Jim S" wrote:

I have a Japanese maple that I trunk chopped, leaving no foliage. The
tree
is in aweful clay. Which got me wondering...

What is the difference between now and early spring with bare-rooting and
repotting IF all the foliage is removed now? There is no loss of moisture
since there is no foliage. I have a feeling there are solid reasons not
to
do it now, but I was wondering what they were.

Thanks,

Jim