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December 12, 2013
Vol 2, Issue 12
Down The Garden Path
with Joanne Shaw 
Greetings!
Joanne Shaw
Welcome to the last newsletter of 2013! I am sure everyone is busy preparing for the holiday season.

We had a great US Thanksgiving with my son, Matthew, home from school for 5 days. We smoked a turkey in my husband's new "toy", enjoyed some football and a little bit of online shopping!   Although the weekend away last weekend getting him back has definitely set my Christmas decorating back.

Thank you for all those who filled out my first survey!  The results are very interesting. If you haven't had a chance to do it yet,here's the link to have your say:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RWBYPTL 


I promise it's quick and your answers will help me serve you better and make this newsletter a more helpful tool for you!

I have also been busy putting together some how-to videos, thanks to my videographer and editing son, Dylan. Stay tuned for more on that news in 2014.

If you are looking for a gift idea for a friend or family member, I do offer Gift Certificates for my services. Give me a call and we can work out the details.  
gift certificate

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Joanne


Joanne Shaw
Landscape Designer
Down2Earth Landscape Design


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In This Issue
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
FEATURE ARTICLE
A LOOK THROUGH THE GARDEN GATE
TIP

Tips For The Yard And Garden This Month




1. Drain and bring in your hose
 

2. Prune Japanese Maple (see this month's article)
 

4. Try a Christmas Cactus this year.
 
It likes similar conditions as the poinsettia:
 
-Bright, indirect light and normal house temps.
 
-Keep away from drafts and heat sources.

 
-Water thoroughly but let it dry out before next watering.

 





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For more gardening tips and informative articles, visit my
Newsletter Archives page!

     

 

 

FEATUREARTICLE
Master The Art Of Pruning Your Japanese Maple With These Tips 

Of all things in the garden I think the only thing that makes me really nervous is pruning Japanese Maples.

Acer Palmatum Shigitatsu Sawa (Japanese Maple)
Acer Palmatum Shigitatsu Sawa (Japanese Maple)
Any other shrub or perennial I feel confident that if I did it wrong it would bounce back and the worst thing would be to be without a few flowers. But if I prune my Japanese Maple wrong, it would lose its wonderful shape and could I fix it?

The other thing to note is that when I see a Japanese Maple that has been pruned properly and has grown in so well it is obvious that even though they have a natural beauty and form, they really do need some help from us.

If you have a large, mature Japanese Maple then I am going to suggest you call a professional but if you have one that is under 5 years old and in need of a light pruning, here are some tips.

 

*    Late fall to late winter is the best time to prune. You can easily see the growth pattern, crossing branches or dead branches.

*    Start with sharp and clean pruners. You want them to be sharp enough to be able to make good clean cuts and I recommend sterilizing them with a solution of nine parts water to 1 part bleach.

*    Resist the temptation to start at the top. Work from the bottom up and inside out. 

*    Prune away dead and overlapping branches as shown here in diagram A:
 
japanese maple pruning dead branches

 
*    The goal is not to trim or shape the Japanese Maple like you would other shrubs, instead the goal is to use a "selective heading cut" to remove main branches growing between 2 healthy buds or branches as shown here in diagram B: 


japanese maple pruning dead main branches


*    Prune side branches that come off main branches back to a healthy wood. Make sure to leave the branch collar or swelling where the branch joins the trunk. This is why it is important to use sharp pruners to create a clean cut that will heal nicely.  
japanese maple pruning dead side branches

 
*    Work from the inside out to remove some twigs and create good air circulation and an "open" framework to your Japanese Maple. You should be able to see through a well pruned Japanese Maple to enjoy its form.

*    Once again, do not cut off just the tips of your tree. It will result in rapid, unhealthy and unsightly growth patterns.  See Diagram D:

japanese maple pruning tips of branches 

*    As I mentioned above, if you have a mature tree, please consider a professional.  If you just have a large branch that you need to remove, it is especially important to do it properly without damaging the main trunk. Here in diagram E, is an illustration of a pruning tip to prune a large branch from a tree.

japanese maple pruning large branch

 *    Make a small incision with a small sharp saw, on the top of the branch about 3 inches or so from the main branch. Then make a slightly larger incision on the bottom of the branch between first incision and the branch collar. This will take the pressure off the branch and branch collar when you remove the branch at the base where the branch  meets the branch collar. This branch collar area is important because this is where the tree generates its new bark, which means it heals the wound. It is also important for this wound to heal on its own. Painting or tarring over it contributes to disease by locking in moisture.

This type of pruning should not be done every year and its purpose is to help your tree grow into a beautiful specimen. It is not meant to make a tree that's too big fit into a small space. That is a whole other article.

As usual please send me any questions or pictures you may have about your Japanese Maple.



Sources:  
Canadian Gardening, Stephen Westcott-Gratton  
and The Oregonian, Peter Lynn from Pomarius Nursery  
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-prune-a-japanese-maple-73475


 
GardenGate
A look through the garden gate...

My Weeping Japanese Maple is in need of some pruning:

japanese maple needs pruning

 
You can see with no leaves how uneven the growth is:

japanese maple uneven growth
 

You can see clearly the age and health of the branches based on their colour:
japanese maple branches age and health
 

Close up of the all important branch collar:
japanese maple branch collar


Here is my tree again after some trimming:
japanese maple after pruning

My tree is 6 years old and I must say it was much harder to prune than I thought!


Joanne Shaw is the owner and operator of Down2Earth Landscape Design. A graduate of Ryerson University in Landscape Design, Joanne has 15 years experience in designing gardens and a decade in landscape and related business, both for her own clientele and established local nurseries.

CONTACT
Joanne Shaw
Landscape Designer
Down2Earth Landscape Design
joanne@down2earth.ca
www.down2earth.ca
905.839.1597
905.903.2597