Box Elder question (acer)

Can anyone tell me the best time to repot my acer..its looking rather floppy and unhappy :(

 

I assume you are speaking of the tree from the other thread. I think I would shorten up some of those branches and go ahead and repot it. The timing isn't going to matter much.

 

Thanks flower.. the repotting will go ahead..but why do I need to shorten the branches?

 

You kind of answered your own question. Cultivating what can become a large tree in a pot like this requires a little bonsai type work (training, actually). If you shorten up those branches it may fill in more and get a nicer branching structure. I took the liberty of downloading your photo from the other thread, I hope you don't mind. I put a black line in the general area of a light haircut and a gold line showing a more severe haircut. If it were my tree I would use the gold as a general guideline towards not making it so floppy and unhappy looking.

 

Thanks so much! this is such a help flower..I never thought about pruning it That picture is perfect, I can see exactly where you are coming from now. Thanks again