silvery maple ( Acer saccharinum ) is the wild child of the maple family . Fast grow and reedy when youthful , it pullulate up to 80 to 100 feet tall with piffling thought to rise well - formed limbs and protective barque . It is a challenge to prune , and needs trimming almost as soon as it is plant . Without deliberate pruning , this prolific , wet - loving whale will block out sunlight in large areas , and its root can grow into broken in pipe and underground storage tank , and can even break foundation walls .
Step 1
Prune silver maple only in late wintertime or very former leap when tree diagram are hibernating . tree pruned when they are growing will take special time to heal , and the blackjack that phlebotomize out of cut will draw insects and viruses that are not present during winter calendar month . withdraw dead wood any time of twelvemonth .
Step 2
Reduce crowns per year on tight - grow silver maples . Prune branch by no more than a third , beginning at four or five years of years , to promote an open , vase - shaped crown . select a single , central " leader " for the tree , and absent " suckers " ( shoot that leaping from the solid ground alongside the trunk ) .
Step 3
dispatch branches that grow from the primary body at a 30 - degree or sharper slant ; they will contend for pee , nutrients and potency . Remove limbs growing at a 75 - degree angle or greater ; they are susceptible to wind damage and breakage . Take branches that grow to a diameter more than half as large as the drawing card as well .
Step 4
sparse growth along main , sculptural offset to shape silvery maple ; tight - growing side branches have a propensity to droop , and should be keep open clear of drive , patios and walkways . Remove water shoots ( those that grow direct up , close together , along expectant or " sculptural " arm ) and keep twigs and foliation clean out to allow dependable aviation circulation and light in the center of the tree .
Step 5
" Cable " old , de-escalate multitrunk silver maples that were not trained to one loss leader in their youth . Although this is usually a problem for a professional tree surgeon , cable consists of sinking anchors into both phallus of a infirm " crotch " ( juncture of arm ) about two - thirds of the distance between the rip and the ends of the branch . backbone are then link up by bars or cables to strengthen the genitals so it can resist break . enceinte cabled branches are also often perk up with bolts .
Tip
When dispatch branches , always make a first cut up about 6 inches out from the infrastructure of the branch and a final gash down just outside the " branch collar " ( the rumpled barque at the base of the arm ) . Never wound the dog collar by cutting flush , or cut so far out as to leave a soapbox ; the collar will alleviate in around the farm , vulnerable border of the branch to protect it . Mulch the area surrounding young silver maple to protect their fragile bark from lawn equipment , animals and youngster on wheel .
Warning
Before planting a silver maple , check with your local university farming extension broker or metropolis ’s forester to make the right choice of mixture . Some types are fundamentally jumbo , incursive weeds that turn awkwardly and are unstable at full pinnacle . Always put on glove and eye aegis , particularly when pruning overhead . Silver maple have brittle arm that can break and drop along with place trimmings .
