Monique CapanelliPlant Specialist She provides plant and botanical design experiences, from small gifts to entire transformations, to shoppers as well as commercial clients including Whole Foods Market and The Four Seasons. Removing too much top affects the production of food energy (carbohydrates) and can result in poor root development. Step 2 Water your maple often enough that the soil stays moist. idea to talk with a Certified Arborist. Japanese Maple. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Pruning … ", step-by-step guidance. To prune a Japanese Maple, wait until it's at least 15 years old so you're not interfering with its natural shape. The branches or bones of maple tree is more important for its aesthetic appeal. ", one side. The trees should not be pruned during early spring when buds are breaking, during leaf expansion, or in late autumn because the wounds won’t have enough time to heal before winter conditions of freezing or dampness. Expert Interview. Your site gave me all the info I needed to make my new tree beautiful without killing it. Support wikiHow by Thank you for help. Laceleaf Japanese maples require very little pruning. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Thanks! I feel ready to proceed. The problem was the limbs were hanging too low. Is this normal? This article was VERY helpful. With young trees, leave some of the lower limbs and sprouts even though they will be removed later. I have begun to learn how to proceed next year to help it be the best tree it can be. Now I have two and it looks like, "I just moved to a home that has a Japanese maple tree, but I've never had one before. People ask about trimming or pruning Japanese maples fairly often and the short answer is yes, you should prune your Japanese maples. "boxy" shape and foliage is thick, providing perfect protection to several kinds of birds. Do not prune this tree in the spring or summer because it causes the sap to bleed. Perfect as specimen plant in cottage gardens, city gardens or for rock gardens and containers. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. This article has been viewed 623,226 times. The best time to prune bonsai Japanese maples is winter, its dormant season. View fullsize. References If we are patient, I am. Can you prune a Japanese maple to keep it small? Pruning the maple several times a year is a great way to keep the maple in good health and looking elegant. Emerald lace has great fall colors that run yellow to orange and finish up with fiery red. View fullsize. {"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":"