Hi
I just collected a red Japanese maple earlier today. I would like to know
if I can also trunk chop it now. The ground was snow covered but,
underneath to my pleasant surprise the soil was soft enought for me to dig
out the tree. It is 8' tall with a 3" dia base at the soil. I want to cut
it down to about 20" where it is 1" in diameter. The trunk has nice curve
from the base and I want to chop it above it. the top third of the tree
has branches and buds on it. The lower two thirds are branch less. I
posted pics on the IBC Potensai forum;

http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/agora/view.php?
bn=internetbonsaiclub_ibcpotensai&key=1047940369&f irst=1047943940&last=1035
549222

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance

Al Polanco
North Salem, NY
Zone 6, Sunset zone 37

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Al Polanco wrote:

Hi
I just collected a red Japanese maple earlier today. I would like to know
if I can also trunk chop it now. The ground was snow covered but,
underneath to my pleasant surprise the soil was soft enought for me to dig
out the tree. It is 8' tall with a 3" dia base at the soil. I want to cut
it down to about 20" where it is 1" in diameter. The trunk has nice curve
from the base and I want to chop it above it. the top third of the tree
has branches and buds on it. The lower two thirds are branch less. I
posted pics on the IBC Potensai forum;

http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/agora/view.php?
bn=internetbonsaiclub_ibcpotensai&key=1047940369&f irst=1047943940&last=1035
549222

Any advise would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance

Al Polanco
North Salem, NY
Zone 6, Sunset zone 37

Al:
Take it off! Take it all off!! I always do a trunk chop when collecting a deciduous
tree. Cut it off where you have suggested, and when you get new shoots coming out
of the trunk, cut it off lower so that one of those shoots becomes the new leader.
You need to keep in mind the goal of the height of the tree, and the big part of
the trunk should be the lower third. So, it you want the tree to be three feet
tall, the chop should be at about a foot, and so forth.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Evergreen Gardenworks++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++