I've heard that you should trim all the leaves off in spring, to
encourage smaller leaf regrowth. Is that correct? Is it too late to do
that now (live in Austin, TX)?

Thanks!

I've heard that you should trim all the leaves off in spring,
to
encourage smaller leaf regrowth. Is that correct? Is it too
late to do
that now (live in Austin, TX)?


Spring is too early. Do it in spring and the leaves that grow
back are likely to be *larger* than the ones you cut off.

Foliage should have completely hardened off before leaf trimming.
When you trim, leave at least 1/2 of the petiole (leaf stem) on
the tree.

There is absolutely no point in doing much leaf trimming until
your tree is pretty far along in its life as a bonsai. Big
leaves don't bother a tree under development, and since you don't
NEED smaller leaves then there's no point in stressing the tree.

And leaf trimming DOES stress the tree! Don't do it unless your
tree is VERY healthy.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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Hi Patrick,

Defoliation can offer more benefits than just minimizing leaf size. It
can help improve ramification and allow light to penetrate to the
interior of the tree to help promote backbudding and ensure the
continued health of weaker, interior branching, an area which you might
choose not to defoliate at all.

This site has a good description of maple defoliation.

http://tinyurl.com/ypz5z

I have seen the caution concerning leaving part of the petiole but
haven't seen the reasoning. Maybe Jim Lewis knows? I can see it might
help avoid trauma or delay the re-foliation by a week or two, but to
tell you the truth, I have cut leaves and I have stripped them, but I
have never really seen any significant difference. Of course, I could
be overlooking the obvious!

Regards,

Matt


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TreeBay wrote:

Hi Patrick,

snip

I have seen the caution concerning leaving part of the petiole but
haven't seen the reasoning. Maybe Jim Lewis knows? I can see it might
help avoid trauma or delay the re-foliation by a week or two, but to
tell you the truth, I have cut leaves and I have stripped them, but I
have never really seen any significant difference. Of course, I could
be overlooking the obvious!

Regards,

Matt


Matt:
I'm not an expert, but the reasoning as I've understood it is to protect the bud at
the base of the leaf. I've actually damaged buds by simply removing a leaf, petiole
and all.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37


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I have seen the caution concerning leaving part of the petiole
but
haven't seen the reasoning.

If you cut or pull the petiole off you risk damage to the paired
leaf buds which are immediately beside the base of the petiole.
It is these paired buds (and others) that you want to break out
into new leaves.

By removing the leaf and leaving the at least part of the
petiole, you "fool" the tree into thinking it is fall, the
petiole withers and the emerging buds PUSH it off.

For aesthetic reasons, you might cut all but a stub of the
petiole off, but aesthetics should play a small role at this
stage of work on a tree.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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I'm not an expert, but the reasoning as I've understood it is to
protect the bud at

This is exactly the reason why it's done this way. Thanks for posting
Craig.


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Hey Patrick,
I am in Dallas and was advised by club members against leaf defoliation
on japanese maple because of our intense summers.
You being considerably South of me may wish to consult with club
members in your area before performing this.


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Hey Patrick,
I am in Dallas and was advised by club members against leaf
defoliation
on japanese maple because of our intense summers.
You being considerably South of me may wish to consult with
club
members in your area before performing this.

That may be a good point, but we routinely defoliate here, and
the only real difference in our climates may be the humidity.

I certainly would keep the tree in shade after the operation.
And misting wouldn't hurt, either/

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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Craig Cowing wrote:


I have seen the caution concerning leaving part of the petiole but
haven't seen the reasoning. Maybe Jim Lewis knows? I can see it might
help avoid trauma or delay the re-foliation by a week or two, but to
tell you the truth, I have cut leaves and I have stripped them, but I
have never really seen any significant difference. Of course, I could
be overlooking the obvious!

it is so
the half stem will wither and fall soon after
tearing might damage the dorment bud in the leave pit
but on zelkovas you can tear as the leave is directly attached to the
branch..
as usual there is an exception


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Ralph wrote:

Hey Patrick,
I am in Dallas and was advised by club members against leaf defoliation
on japanese maple because of our intense summers.
You being considerably South of me may wish to consult with club
members in your area before performing this.

in temperate zones normally is done in late june
but in your zones it should be done maybe far earlier
otehrwise it will not make leaves again

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I leaf prune my Maple sometimes. Matter of fact I just did some of my trees
this past weekend. It does reduce the leaf size and it forces a second
growing season. I never do it after mid June.

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