Help with gangly? Acer

Hi all,

I've planted this Acer (palmatum astropurpureum) this year, against a north facing fence in a south facing garden, gets some sun mid afternoon-later afternoon in high summer from the west but mostly it's dappled due to other tall shrubs. Mentioning in case light levels are important in this issue.

As you can see from the attached photo, it has one particularly vigorous branch to the right (west), I've had to support it to stop it hanging on the ground at least when wet. I've read you have to be quite careful when pruning acers and leave it until winter but does anyone know why its growing in this asmmetrical way? I think it was a bit like this when I bought it and at the time I pruned it shorter to make it more symmetrical but it appears to have carried on in the same vane. It is growing ok on the left side, bit more sedate perhaps, just wish the right would fall in line.

Thanks for any advice

 

My first thought is that it needs a bigger pot, preferably a thick ceramic one to helpinsulate the roots against frosts tho better still if you can get it in the ground.

This would give better access to nutrients and moisture and may help even up the growth. i would pinch out the ends of that long stem to encourage it to bush up with new shoots lower down. Keep pinching end buds out and it should get the hint.

 

Hi Obelix-Vendee,

Thanks for the tips. Sorry my fault for chopping the bottom of the Acer off the photo and the busy picture but it is actually in the ground I put gravel on top. I guess pinching out would include shortening that long stem by a considerable amount given it can't support it's own weight?

 

Oops. yes, it does look like it's coming out of that grey pot.

Pinching out is done with your thumb nail so no, not cutting short. It will support itself as it matures and the bark toughens up but may always be droopy. Nothing wrong with that as many are grown for their hummocky effect.

 

Ok thanks, sorry if this is a stupid question and I'm sure pinching out and Acer is no different to any other plant but would I then remove this bud (circled yellow in attached) where a new set of leaves are about to emerge? Just hard to believe this would have much impact overall or do I need to remove some of the leaves just behind this too. There's no new buds as such other than what I have shown.

 

Yes, that's the bit to pinch.

Plants have something called apical dominance which means all the growth and vigour can be concentrated in the tips. Thay actually have a message system taht turns off growth buds lower down. If you keep pinching out the tip the dormant buds lower down can wake up and grow.

 

I see thanks, I will do that and continue to monitor then as no doubt that leading bud will try to grow back once I pinch it and will need doing again.

Thanks for the advice!

 

Hope it works. Let us know, tho you may need some patience.

 

In essence it's growing towards the light, although Acers are woodland edge plants and like dappled shade the red leaved ones can take quite a bit of sun. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN trim Acers at other times just not early spring when the sap is rising. You could, if you wish, cut this branch back to 2-3 pairs of leaves, but I understand that may be a bit too drastic, so do it in stages. As mentioned this should encourage back budding, so you get more compact growth. That said you may want to train it into a nice interesting asymmetrical shape. Remember to cut straight across between pairs of leaves not at an angle.
An asymmetric shape can be very pleasant, but it's your choice.
You are aiming for nice short branchlets as in 2nd pic.

 

@Allotment Boy, why a straight cut rather than an angle? Is that just an acer preference? I almost always do slanted cuts on plants (though I have no acers) as I thought this was best practice.

 

Use a straight cut on Acers because they have fine branches and very fine bark, you want it to heal over as quick as possible. The Japanese trained gardeners use Bonsai clippers even on outdoor plants they make a slightly concave cut leaving even more bark to help healing. I often use flower snips on the thin branches rather than secateurs because it's easier to get in between a pair of leaf stalks.
The big thing with Acer pruning is, very little is written in books because the Japanese still train their gardeners by example and practice with an aprentice working directly to a master gardener.

This cut was made with Bonsai clippers.

 

Well, I never knew that! Most informative.

 

Thanks for the tips @Allotment Boy, I will bear all that in mind. It has two main arching branches one to left and one to right so was thinking to have it fairly symmetrical but I think that's because I have no artistic eye that's a very nice colour on that Acer. A bit rarer to see that orange/yellow colouring. We have a Osaka zuki in the front garden which we didn't realise was green most of the year when we bought it in autumn but actually it's quite interesting green/orange colour most of the year.

 

The Acer I showed is normally green, but it has put on its Autumn colour a bit early in this very mixed up year weather-wise.
If you prefer your plant to be symmetrical then that's perfectly fine, it's your garden after all.

 

That's very interesting @Allotment Boy re the straight across/angled cuts. I can't say I've ever noticed how I do any cuts, but it's worth noting for future.

Re your acer @Mattyp - that red palmatum is one of the easiest to grow, and is quicker than many, but that's where it can become a problem if there isn't room for it to do it's thing well. They naturally grow in that fashion seen in the pic, and become very large trees, so a lot depends on how much room there is to let it do that. If there isn't room, then it'll need regular trimming. They do make lovely single specimens in the right site.