The gardener's favorite house tree is called spherical maple. A spherical crown, picturesquely lobed leaves and golden-yellow autumn colors impressively showcase the compact maple graft. Regular pruning and trimming is advisable so that the decorative shape of the crown is retained. The following tutorial explains these and other reasons for expert trimming on the Acer platanoides 'Globosum' in a detailed and comprehensible manner.

The ball maple is best pruned in autumn

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. cutting time
  2. types of cuts
  3. topiary
  4. thinning cut
  5. repair cut
  6. taper cut
  7. frequently asked Questions

    8. Sap flow dictates pruning timing

    The growth of maple is characterized by a strong juice flow. After small and large wounds, the tree literally bleeds out. With its juices, 'Globosum' loses a large part of its defenses against pathogens. This property largely determines the best date for cutting care.

    In early autumn, sap pressure falls to the lowest level of the year. The weeks between the end of September and the end of October have turned out to be ideal for pruning maple. At the same time, the Federal Nature Conservation Act allows from 30. September Pruning all kinds of trees and shrubs so that you act in accordance with the law with this choice of date.

    To find the perfect day for a cut, enter test cut outcrop. Cut back two thin, finger-thick shoots and pay attention to the juice flow. Minor bleeding gives the go-ahead for the planned cutting action. Heavy sap flow suggests postponing the time by a week and doing the test cut again.

    Why cut maple? - Types of cuts at a glance

    A spherical maple forms the round crown on its own, because it is the result of expert breeding and skilful refinement. Over the years, the spherical shape is lost and tends to a flat-oval crown structure, disapprovingly called "pancake crown". With a regular topiary prevent unwanted change. Storm damage is a frequent reason for pruning measures. When Acer platanoides 'Globosum' has shed its leaves in autumn, the bare branches offer ideal targets for strong winds. If a maple tree has not been pruned for many years, the crown will age noticeably. A radical taper cut fixes the problem. The following table summarizes important types of cuts:

    cut type goal/occasion
    topiary Keep the crown small and spherical
    thinning cut Remove deadwood, promote light-flooded growth
    repair cut Repair storm damage
    taper cut aged, shapeless crown rejuvenate

    Cut the crown regularly - topiary instructions

    A spherical maple only retains its spherical crown when it is young. Under the influence of a growth rate of 20 to 40 centimeters per year, the spherical crown flattens out. A crown diameter of up to 6 meters causes space problems in a small garden after a few years. You control the unwanted growth process with a annual topiary effectively counter. At the same time, this has the advantage that the cut is limited to thin shoots in the outer crown area. How to master a topiary with flying colors:

    • The best time is between the end of September and the end of October (at the latest at the end of January)
    • Carry out a test cut to determine the strength of the sap flow
    • Optionally cut back all shoots by a third or shorten branches that protrude from the mold
    • Position the pruning shears at a slight angle 5 millimeters above a pair of buds pointing outwards

    Thanks to a moderate incision and a clever choice of date, you can avoid the dreaded flow of juice. Limit the size of the cut to a maximum of thumb-thick shoots. This reduces stress for maple trees and gardeners alike. In the meantime, step back a few steps to assess the cutting profile so far and plan how to proceed.

    background

    Genetic mutation overrides the law of growth

    A spherical maple's rounded crown is the result of a combination of breeding, grafting and genetic mutation. Wild species thrive with a highly oval to pyramidal crown, because the growth law of peak support governs here. As a result, budding on top buds dominates disproportionately over growth on buds located further down. In an Acer platanoides 'Globosum', terminal buds and side buds sprout almost equally. As a result, a spherical crown forms first, which takes on a broad oval shape with age. Furthermore, without a dominance of the top buds, the tree cannot form a straight trunk. Because of this, the spherical crown is grafted onto the trunk of a suitable wild species.

    Thinning cut prevents senescence

    A slimmed-down form of trimming is done at intervals of 2 to 3 years. The thinning pruning focuses on removing deadwood and taking this opportunity to optimize the crown shape. This type of cut is recommended if there is no lack of space or if a wide-oval crown shape is desired so that your maple can act as a decorative shade for the seat. goal is one light-flooded spherical crown, which also deep inside wears a dense dress of leaves. As illustrated in the figure below, it is beneficial if you devote yourself to branches that are too long with a skillful deflection cut. How to complete the perfect thinning cut:

    • The ideal time window is open from the end of September to the end of October
    • Cut by the end of January at the latest on a frost-free day
    • Saw off dead, bare branches without leaving long stubs
    • Remove shoots that grow transversely or are directed towards the inside of the crown
    • Long branches hanging from the spherical crown or vertically projecting lead to a favorable side shoot
    • Alternatively, cut back the entire crown by a third or a quarter

    The cutting technique of the derivation is advantageous for a round to oval crown shape. The branch in question is not simply pruned back to a pair of buds, as this will create a gap. Look for a strong, outward-facing side shoot near the planned cutting point. Use pruning shears or a saw where old and young branches fork.

    Thin out the crown every 2 to 3 years. Cut out deadwood on a branch. Branches that are too long and protruding from the crown shape can be trimmed down with a deviating cut.

    Wildly proliferating shoots from trunk and tree disc - what to do?

    Below a spherical crown, the wild base draws attention to itself with wildly proliferating shoots. The branches sprout from the trunk and tree grate, endowed with vigorous growth. The wild shoots, known as water shoots or blind shoots, cheekily strive to overgrow the noble crown. With this strategy they want to win the competition for nutrients, water and light. In this confrontation, your maple is dependent on gardening support, because it cannot ward off the vital onslaught on its own. How to act correctly:

    • Remove every wild drive promptly
    • Alternatively, grasp the shot of water with your hand and break it off to the side or downwards
    • Tear off blind shoots from the tree disc with a courageous jerk

    If a wild drive has cheated on for more than a year, you can usually no longer break it off or tear it off. The resulting wound on the trunk bark would be fatal and a welcome target for fungal pathogens and pests. In this case, cut off the Wildling, smooth the wound with a knife and sprinkle stone dust or charcoal ash over it.

    Repair storm damage to the maple tree

    An empty maple has little to counter autumn and winter storms. Without the large maple leaves as a buffer zone, the branches offer unprotected starting points for strong gusts of wind and break. However, storm damage is no reason for deforestation. With a strategically ingenious repair cut, you can bring growth back into balance. How to proceed professionally:

    • Cut back damaged branches into healthy wood
    • Always make a cut a short distance from a pair of buds
    • Saw off completely destroyed shoots on Astring
    • Cut back the remaining branches to restore the round crown shape

    Are you forced to prune significantly thick branches? Then your maple will sprout vigorously at this point. In the following early fall, cut out excess branches from the crown. Ideally, thin out heavily branched crown areas by diverting weak shoots to a stronger shoot. Experience has shown that it will take a few years for your damaged spherical maple to present itself in its old glory.

    tips

    Never cut into the graft area. A spherical maple consists of a straight trunk and a noble crown without a dominant trunk extension. The neuralgic point is the combination of game base and precious part. If the grafting site suffers wounds or is cut off entirely, the game pad will drive through. You will then look in vain for the picturesque spherical crown. At least the head with the branch stumps has to withstand a pruning so that the grafting point remains intact.

    Revitalize aged spherical crown - rejuvenation cut

    Neglected pruning, extreme pest infestation or massive fungal infections are classic reasons for a rejuvenation cut on the maple. How to properly revitalize an aged or diseased spherical crown:

    • The best time is between the end of September and the end of January
    • Cut back all branches to 10 to 15 centimeter short stumps
    • Caution: do not cut into the head-shaped grafting area

    It is not mandatory that you do the radical cut in a single day. The procedure is gentler and more tolerable if you spread the rejuvenation over several dates between the end of September and the end of January. This gives the plagued maple tree the opportunity to regenerate between the cutting stages and gather its strength.

    digression

    The right cutting tool for all branch sizes

    The combination of cutting sensitivity and strong juice flow requires the right cutting tool. Smooth cuts ensure that sap drains quickly. Pruning shears with a bypass mechanism are therefore recommended for shoots up to 3.5 centimeters thick. Here two sharp edges run past each other. With anvil shears, a sharp cutting edge presses the shoot against the blunt anvil beforehand, which can lead to bruising. Branches with a diameter of 4 centimeters and more are a case for the Japanese saw, also known as a folding saw. It is important to note that scissor blades and saw blades are meticulously clean. Thoroughly disinfect the tool with spirit or glass cleaner before attempting the cut.youtube

    frequently asked Questions

    Our house is about 6 meters away from the neighboring house. This is where most of the lines run. Is this distance enough for the roots of a maple tree? Can the roots cause damage to the lines?

    The distance of 6 meters between the two houses is tight, but should be sufficient. An occasional topiary reins in the expansion of a maple's crown. As a shallow root, the risk of cable damage is small, but it cannot be completely ruled out. It largely depends on how well the lines are insulated and how deep they run in the ground. Soil conditions are also relevant. The roots of the maple grow less deep in heavy, moist loam than in loose, sandy-dry soil.

    Today we received a maple in a pot. In our small garden, the crown of the tree must not be too voluminous. When and how often is a pruning advisable?

    A plant pruning is not necessary on the spherical maple. The tree forms its spherical crown even without a topiary. To keep the spherical crown small, you can shorten the shoots by a third or a quarter every year. The best time is in late autumn after the leaves have fallen. Maple trees pruned in spring bleed relatively heavily, which can weaken the trees. If, on the other hand, the pruning shears are used between September and January, a maple tree will bleed minimally or not at all.

    I would like to line my driveway with maple. Does the trunk still grow in height or does it remain at the growth height delivered?

    The trunk height of the 'Globosum' maple no longer changes. Only the crown grows in height and width. Over the years, between 300 and 600 centimeters have been reached in expansion. Regular pruning allows you to keep the crown shape smaller.

    A maple in our garden is 4 to 5 meters high. We can no longer walk upright under his crown. For this reason we want to prune the tree. When is the best time? Will he then expel again?

    The best time to cut back is late fall. During the months of September to January, a maple hardly bleeds and is only slightly susceptible to red pustule fungi. On larger cuts, please apply a thin layer of tree wax to the edges of the wound to protect the sensitive wound wood from frost. An Acer platanoides 'Globosum' can easily cope with cutting back by half or two thirds and will sprout again the following spring.

    I planted my new maple tree in spring. It has grown well and has a lush leafy crown. Now in October I noticed that white powdery mildew is spreading on the foliage. What can I do against it?

    Unfortunately, maple trees are susceptible to powdery mildew in the summer. Under the influence of warm and humid weather, the fungal spores prefer to nest on the large leaves. It is not necessary to counteract this with fungicides in the autumn. Wait for the leaves to fall and collect all the leaves to dispose of in the residual waste. If you provide the maple with sufficient fertilizer in the coming spring from April to the end of June, it will sprout healthy leaves. With increasing age, the susceptibility to powdery mildew decreases significantly.

    Can I use the clippings as cuttings to grow a new maple?

    Unfortunately that is not possible. Ball maple is the refined form of Norway maple (Acer platanoides). The spherical crown is the result of a head refinement by the hand of the master gardener. Against this background, the relatively high prices for a young plant are understandable.

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

    A misshapen, prematurely aged crown is the victim of typical mistakes when pruning maple trees. If the crown does not sprout after a cut or as an unsightly undergrowth, there is also a classic lapse behind it. To protect you from such annoyances, the following table names the three most common cutting errors and gives tips for preventive measures:

    cutting error damage picture prevention
    never cleared senile crown that is balding from the inside Thin out dead wood every 2 to 3 years
    cut into the grafting point Wild base drives through, no more spherical crown do not cut into the graft site
    cut in spring heavy sap flow, sticky tree, increased infestation with diseases and pests cut from the end of September

    tips

    Concerned about the long, flat roots of Norway maple lifting patio and path tiles? Then plant the tree with a root barrier. Line the planting pit 70 to 80 centimeters deep with impenetrable geotextile.(107.71€) To prevent the roots from growing over the barrier, it should protrude about 10 centimeters from the soil.

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Trees