Hello! I was given this Autumn Blaze maple from a friend that had it dug up from their yard. We planted it about 2 years ago in our backyard. They tree doesn't have a straight lead branch and the branches just go out to the side. I've contacted many arborist in my area for a paid consultation but no one has replied. If you could please give me advice on how to prune this tree to keep it healthy, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Hi there,
Sorry, I’m just getting to this as I didn’t have my notifications turned on for the forum. It looks like the tree is experiencing progressive dieback, which suggests it may not be receiving enough nutrients and water to sustain it. You can remove the dead branches back to a living lateral branch or bud to clean it up, although this won’t improve the health of the tree. It’s important to ensure you’re adequately watering the roots. I also recommend removing the rocks and adding a thin layer of natural mulch to help with water retention and regulate soil temperature. The amount of root loss during the digging process could also be contributing to the tree’s ongoing stress. An application of foliar anti-transpirants may help reduce water loss if you experience a period of drought.