When a spherical maple gets old, it sometimes loses its harmonious crown shape and becomes noticeably wider or taller. If this growth isn't what you want, fix the aesthetic issue with a topiary. This guide explains when and how to properly trim an Acer platanoides globosum.

The maple should be pruned in autumn or winter

Sap flow determines the choice of date - tips for the right time

In the profile it can be read that the maple is a breeding variant of the Norway maple. Characteristic of the variety and pure species is an intense stream of sap during the growing season. If a cut is made at the wrong time, a globosum will literally bleed out. Therefore, cut a maple into shape in autumn by the end of January at the latest.

Cutting guide for the perfect shape - this is how you do it right

As a spherical crown expands over the years, it becomes more like a pancake. This growth can definitely be an advantage for the shadow cast on the cozy perch. Under the influence of lateral shading, the crown stretches towards the sky and assumes a pyramidal silhouette. If you don't like the shape, pruning shears and a hand saw can be used. How to proceed correctly step by step:

  • In the first step, thin out the entire crown
  • Cut out deadwood, stunted, diseased shoots that are directed towards the inside of the crown
  • If the crown is too wide and flat, cut back the side branches by a third
  • If the crown is too slender and narrow, trim the height by a third

Please position the scissors or saw in such a way that a knot or a dormant eye is located a few millimeters below the cut surface. With this technique you promote vigorous budding and bushy, compact growth. An exception applies to deadwood and other shoots, which are completely removed. The right cut leaves neither long stumps nor injuries on the branch string. The bulge between the branch and the trunk, from which the cut wound later heals, is called the astring.

tips

If you are planting a maple, the secateurs can stay in the shed. Cultivated as a top graft on a Norway maple (Acer platanoides), the Globosum variety is a perfect addition to your garden without the need for pruning.

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Trees