This should be done in advance so that the maple can be moved and planted without delay. Rated 5.0 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. Excavate as much of the Japanese maple's root system as possible by hand. Also, encourage predator insects in the area so that the pest populations will naturally stay in control. Enjoy! Learn more. Even though the mold doesnt kill the maple tree, it brings about other serious problems for the tree. So that your Japanese maples can get all the nutrition they need and get strong. If left to their own devices, overlapping branches from the Japanese maple can rub against each other, chipping their barks and consequently exposing the plant to pests and disease-causing organisms. Pruning Japanese maples is a low maintenance chore if done annually. Pruning Japanese maples is rarely necessary in mature trees, if they have been trained when young. For instance, Because of sooty mold, most of the leaves get covered and as a result, sunlight fails to penetrate into the tree. Pruning when a tree is dormant encourages health and growth in the springtime! You know what we want it to look like and what does not belong on a tree (broken, dying, or dead branches), and that is the most important thing. The milder the weather, the easier the Japanese maple will transplant. Also, moist soil will hold the roots better, which is very important. You can purchase pruning tools at most garden centers or plant nurseries. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. I personally like rogue branches growing in the wrong direction. Plan to prune the Japanese maple as a part of an annual health inspection you do when it's dormant in the winter. Both low-energy times last about 2 weeks. Japanese maples are an exception to the common pruning times of fall and . Young trees need to have the lowest limbs removed to enhance clearance. Mix some slow-release fertilizer into the hole, backfill and water thoroughly. We planted our Japanese Maple and was told not to prune it until it had established. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 726,492 times. This will come in handy later, to improve leverage when pulling out the Japanese maple stump with a truck. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/36\/Prune-Japanese-Maple-Trees-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Japanese-Maple-Trees-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/36\/Prune-Japanese-Maple-Trees-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid2334080-v4-728px-Prune-Japanese-Maple-Trees-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"