Japanese maples 'grow faster' and be brighter with 1 simple task this month

Japanese maples are amongst the most beloved trees globally, and with excellent reason. Not only are they incredibly attractive to look at, but they're also amongst those trees that can completely transform any garden's appearance.

Japanese maples are available in an extensive range of colours, textures, shapes, and sizes, whilst being fairly straightforward to maintain. For gardeners wanting to give their maple tree a summer boost, there are two approaches they can take.

The first approach involves applying a substantial layer of mulch around the tree's base to retain nutrients and keep the roots hydrated, reports the Express.

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The second involves giving Japanese maples a trim, as this "can actually make your tree grow faster" and provide a "better display", according to the specialists at Mr Maple.

They explained: "If you trim the smaller branches back, leaving larger and thicker branching with buds, your tree will often grow very quickly.

"This is because you get a cleaner flow of nutrients from Japanese maples that have been trimmed. It is like exercising your Japanese maples."

The key technique for pruning involves never removing more than 45% of your tree, whilst remembering to clean your pruning equipment with rubbing alcohol.

This helps maintain sanitised pruning tools, which assists in keeping your Japanese maple in good health.

The gardening specialists at Planting Tree suggest giving Japanese maples a summer trim whilst saving major pruning for winter or early spring. Bear in mind, however, that during hot weather, you should avoid pruning, as it causes more shock damage to the tree.

How to prune Japanese maples

Begin by removing branches you dislike on your Japanese maple along with smaller, twiggier branches. Smaller branching only produces more smaller branching.

This means "these will make the tree grow slower". By pruning your Japanese maple whilst retaining the larger branching, you will "get a larger tree quicker".

Cut away conflicting branching on your Japanese maple. This means if two limbs are touching and positioned too closely, one of them should be removed.

If you are trimming an upright variety, ensure you maintain one branch as a central leader. This is typically the tallest section of the tree on most upright Japanese maples.

If you are trimming a dwarf or a lace-leaf Japanese maple, you can prune the Japanese maple to enhance the natural form of the tree.

When three small branches emerge from the terminal buds at the end of a branch, it is often beneficial to remove the middle branch. This provides space for the other two branches and enables them to receive more energy.