On 3/14/2009 1:30 PM, mullibum wrote:
Thanks for your replies!

I'm in England, and the tree is a Japanese Maple, I'm pretty sure...

Does that make any difference?

Maples are pruned only for aesthetic purposes. They do quite well
without any pruning.

If temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods in the
winter, prune maples from summer through January. If freezing is
intermittant or rare, prune from summer to the beginning of October.
Thus, it is too early to prune now.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary