Japanese Maple in December: monthly care

Japanese maples require very little pruning and are best left to develop their natural shape. Over-pruning or cutting at the wrong time can spoil their elegant form and cause dieback. If pruning is necessary, do it in November or December when the tree is fully dormant and sap flow has stopped. Pruning during active growth in spring and summer causes excessive bleeding of sap, which weakens the plant and invites disease. Use clean, sharp secateurs or a pruning saw for thicker branches. Focus on removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood first, cutting back to healthy tissue or a main branch. Next, look for any branches that cross or rub against each other, as these create wounds that invite infection. Remove the weaker of the two, cutting just above a bud or back to the branch collar without leaving a stub. Thin out overcrowded areas in the centre of the canopy to improve air circulation, but take care not to remove more than about one-fifth of the total growth in any one year. Japanese maples respond poorly to hard pruning. If a branch has grown too long or out of place, trace it back and remove it at its origin rather than shortening it partway, which leaves ugly stubs and encourages weak regrowth. Avoid shaping or hedging Japanese maples. Their beauty lies in their natural, layered branching habit. If you've inherited an overgrown or misshapen specimen, resist the urge to renovate it heavily in one go; spread corrective work over two or three winters to minimise stress.