Broken Japanese Maple

[victorytea]

My Japanese maple has some winter damage- one of the major crotchs is broken. There is enough wood left so that I could put it back in place and secure it somehow. ( it is not completely broken off). Would this be advisable or should I just cut it completely off and deal with a lop-sided Maple? The tree is about 6 ft. high right now and last year [it's third in my ground] it began to look really beautiful. Please help. I did not search the archives as I need to leave for work soon. Paul

[SasquatchMan]

I would be pretty hesitant to try and fix it up - I'd always be worried that it would be weaker, and as the tree grew, it might be subject to a major fracture....  What you're talking about sounds like a graft, hmm?  Which works, but not for very big branches, from what I understand.  

It sounds to me like you're stuck with a lopsided tree now.  

Those Jap Maples are really nice little trees, aren't they?

[shopteacher]

I'm by no means a tree surgeon, but if it were mine I believe I would put the branch back into place lash it above the break to the other side of the crotch and cover the wound with a compound to keep out bugs and disease. Grafters wax comes to mind.  If after a time the branch doesn't wilt and die I would drill through about 8" above the crotch and put a piece of all thread with nuts on each end to reinforce the break. Stainless steel wouldn't rust or deteriorate.  If it doesn't take your no farther off than you are now. I have two Japanese maples and one had gotten broken at the graft in winter. The tree came back as the root stock which had been a green Japanese maple the other is a red lace leaf. Just my fix on the situation.

[SwampDonkey]

First off, being a young tree it will heal fast. So I recommend removing the brocken branch and don't cut to close to the bark of the remaining stem. You can seal it with a non toxic compound if you wish, but its not neccessary on small branches, they heal quick on young trees. As the tree grows it will correct its symetry by producing epicormic branches below the wound . Also the remaining stem will have branches that will grow out into the space previously occupied by the broken fork. Later on you can prune to shape your tree again.

You should always prune shade trees to avoid major forks at an early age. This can be done without removing the entire branch, but just cut it back and the other fork with express dominance. Fruit trees, like apples, tend to sucker alot doing this though. Box elder are bad for this too. Just prune back the poorer looking fork on those type of trees.