Question

Can I trim my acers now?  

Answer 1

Always prune back to a well-placed side branch. Do not leave a stub as this is often prone to decay and dieback

Comments

@despite6 will check mine for stubs tomorrow thank you, love my acer.  

Answer 2

I want to know this too!  

Answer 3

Yes. Between November and end of March

Comments

@wamsley178 Not a problem.  

Answer 4

Yes, bows the Best time to trim your bushes

Answer 5

How do. you trim acers please? They are the ones with feathery leaves aren't they? In different colours? Thanks x

Answer 6

Mine have lots of new buds on. Should I still trim them?  

Comments

Yes mine have new shoots coming hence y I asking if ok to trim now.  

Answer 7

Could I move mine now ?  

Answer 8

Japanese maples are best pruned when fully dormant (November to January), as maples bleed sap from pruning cuts at other times, weakening the tree. However, pruning is still best kept to a minimum as the most graceful shape comes from a tree that has been allowed to develop fairly naturally. As a result, just remove badly-placed or crossing shoots to encourage a good framework of branches to grow.  

Comments

@despite6 not very up on pruning in general. But managed to take some branches out of my Japanese acer today. but only because there was no buds on it, but moss was growing on them so cut those out as I lost a ko jo no mai to moss growing on it. Do you think a very light pruning of said branches will harm it ?  

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@beckwith that’s a beaut! I think if you just take the ones with no buds it’ll be fine. Did they snap easily? If so, they were dead anyway, I go through mine every year and snap out the dead stuff just to keep it looking neat. I don’t consider that as pruning though.  

Answer 9

Also, if you take the risk of trimming it now it’s got buds, bear in mind you’ll be removing this years new growth. If I take anything off mine, I do it in December when it’s fully dormant. It’s 20 years old and I’ve trimmed it maybe 3 times