Jap maple question

[Ray_Lawns]

I have a jap maple at a doctors office I took over last year that has been trimmed into a sphere by the previous lco. The Dr wants it in tree form as it is supposed to be. Is there anyway to do this and how? I will add some pics tonight when I can resize them.

[KrayzKajun]

Just leave it alone. Only time can help reverse the crap pruning.
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[Ray_Lawns]

That's what instinct told me and that's the initial answer I gave. I told him if he wanted a tree we would just have to let it grow and work with it in a while and maybe get a tree back out of it.
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[Florida Gardener]

Originally Posted by Ray_Lawns

That's what instinct told me and that's the initial answer I gave. I told him if he wanted a tree we would just have to let it grow and work with it in a while and maybe get a tree back out of it.
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IMO, if he wants a tree, rip that one out and put a new one in. Maybe I'm speaking too soon as I don't know what a jap maple looks like at all, but if its a spreading tree naturally, the sphere that is there let grown out is going to have goofy looking growth. It's like an oak that is trimmed into a ball. If you let it grow its going to be a lot of sporadic growth. Better to start over.
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[P.Services]

Doesnt that just make you sick!! I talked to a lady we did a clean up for about a lace leaf she has. Its every bit of 6" across at the trunk, absolutely HUGE. But it looks like hell, just one flat waffer and thats it. She told me the old company took a hedge trimmer to it and all at once loped everything off.

[Smallaxe]

I resized an oak tree in my new front yard that went from 30' to 12' when the electric company came through... I needed sun for the garden but this one I kept at a smaller sixe and as a result I got to continue pruning every few years to shape it to fit the garden like a glove...

From that experience I learned that lots of sucker growth will continue to grow striaght up and those need to be taken out,,, anually... With lots of water/drainage and good sun it should look better by next Fall as long as you don't waste the tree's energy by allowing that sucker growth... good luck and keep us posted with more pix...

[Kiril]

Originally Posted by KrayzKajun

Just leave it alone. Only time can help reverse the crap pruning.

This is true, but it will need selective thinning with a trained eye.

[Ray_Lawns]

Here is the ol gal in all her glory.

[Smallaxe]

At that location you really don't want it to get 10' tall with a full crown... Lokks like tome, that shaping it as a 'columnar' would be the way to go... or some sort of topiary, like a bird or dinosaur would be cool... it is healthy and thick, but you'll want to prevent the interior of the branches dying off...

Keep the light and new growth, continuing at the trunk...

[headz77]

That tree is too small to be worth saving. It will take at least 3 seasons of skilled pruning to get it looking right. I would suggest replacing it.
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