Do you feel the same way as a hobby gardener? No sooner does a time window open in the schedule to devote time to pruning the maple tree than the thermometer falls below freezing. Now the question is whether cutting in frost harms an Acer platanoides globosum. Read an informed answer.
In light frost, the maple can certainly be cut
Light frost is not an obstacle
As the profile informs the interested house gardener, the spherical maple is a refined breeding of the Norway maple. Typical of this maple species are early budding and strong sap flow during the growing season. These two characteristics dictate the time window for a pruning. The following criteria should be considered when choosing an appointment:
- The autumnal leaf fall has unmistakably begun
- The crown has shed at least half of its leaves
- Temperatures no longer drop below freezing to - 5 degrees Celsius
- Dry, slightly overcast weather without blazing sunshine
In the Central European climate, the period for pruning the maple tree thus extends from October/November to the end of January/mid-February. The mark of - 5 degrees Celsius is considered the lowest level of the possible temperature scale. If this limit is undershot, consequential damage is inevitable, such as frozen shoot tips. The plant sap freezes, expands and causes the tissue and bark to burst.
Wound closure only in exceptional cases - this is how it works
The professional shape and maintenance cut includes the thinning out of dead wood. This can result in cuts with the diameter of a 2 euro coin or larger on older maple trees. Although tree pruning experts are increasingly critical of wound closure, it is advantageous in this case.
To protect the valuable cambium wood under the bark from frost damage, apply a thin coat of tree balm to the edges of the wound. The inside of the cut remains open because fungal infections are to be feared under an airtight seal. As soon as growth begins in spring, the divisible cambium wood overflows the wound and thus starts the natural healing process.
tips
The temperature level is one of the fundamental criteria for determining the ideal time for maple trees to be relocated. Every transplant is accompanied by a pruning to compensate for the lost root mass. In this case, too, choose an appointment with temperatures around freezing point or warmer.