Ball maple cut in frost

Light frost is not an obstacle

Again Characteristics tells the interested home gardener, the ball maple is a refined breed of the Norway maple. Typical of this maple species are early shoots and a strong flow of sap during the growing season. These two properties dictate the time window for a cutback. The following criteria must be observed when choosing an appointment:

• The fall of leaves in autumn has unmistakably started
• The crown has shed at least half of its leaves
• The temperatures no longer fall below freezing point to -5 degrees Celsius
• The weather is dry, slightly overcast and without blazing sunshine

In the Central European climate, the period for the pruning on the spherical maple thus extends from October / November to the end of January / mid-February. The mark of -5 degrees Celsius is the lowest level on the possible temperature scale. If this limit is not reached, consequential damage is inevitable, such as frozen shoot tips. The sap freezes, expands and lets the tissue and bark burst.

Wound closure only in exceptional cases - this is how it works

The professional shape and maintenance cut includes the thinning of dead wood. This can result in cuts with a diameter of a 2 euro coin or larger on older spherical maple trees. Although tree pruning experts are increasingly critical of wound closure, it is advantageous in this case.

To protect the valuable cambium wood under the bark from frost damage, coat the wound edges thinly with tree balm. The inside of the cut remains open because fungal infections are to be feared under an airtight seal. As soon as growth begins in spring, the divisible cambium wood overwhelms the wound and thus sets the natural healing process in motion.