HI Steve

Steve wachs wrote:

In a message dated 10/25/2004 1:15:23 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:


I have been tip pruning all my maples (and most other deciduous trees)
before I put them away for the winter. I wait until they are truly dormant, a few
weeks after, leaf fall, when danger of sap rising on a warm day is minimized
(Late Oct.-Mid Nov. here in zone 5). I think mid-too-late Winter would be
better but most of my Winter stored trees are hard to get to by then. Late Fall
before I put them away just works for me. I make a point to trim all the
dominant tip bud pairs, I believe these buds send a chemical signal down the
branch that keeps the dormant buds dormant. I think by removing the dominant bud
pair and stopping that signal some of the dormant buds are spurred into
growth. By doing this, late fall I think those dormant buds get a signal to grow
the whole Winter, a long steady push to grow. When Spring comes I have found I
have many choices of buds to leave and ones that need to be removed,
sometimes I find more then a dozen from certain growth points. When I tip prune late
Fall I prune at least an 1/8 of an inch above the pair of buds (horizontal
bud pair not perpendicular pair) that allows for a little sap withdrawal, die
back. The die back always seems to stop at the first bud pair after cut
point, like I want it to.
it sounds interesting .. but do you notice something different in
spring ? a better growth of beck buds on the branch or trunk?



Doug Taylor


my problem is that in the fall i have some great ideas for the spring. The
problem is My brain does not work as well in the spring. What I do for this is
I use rwist ties and tooth picks.
i use the twist ties to matk branches that need to be removed or shortened.
I use toothpicks to mark the fron of the tree I am going to pot or work on


so do I
I put red wire rings on twigs that has to be removed or shortened ,
and I use a wooden skewer to remove unwanted buds when still dormants

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