Cutting back a budded tree

It all depends on the type of tree and your climate. What is the tree? Where are you?

As a very general statement, the main negative in cutting back a budding tree is that you may not see new buds again until next year. It all depends on the tree, and your climate.

Also, cutting back a tree before the last freeze is over, could damage the tree and/or stunt its growth. Most folks try not to cut back trees until the Spring time.

If you are in a mild climate, and you don't expect any more freezes this season, you can cut it back, but you will likely miss this year's blooming, because you have cut the buds off.

James

Thanks for your replies!

I'm in England, and the tree is a Japanese Maple, I'm pretty sure...

Does that make any difference?

Maples are pruned only for aesthetic purposes. They do quite well without any pruning.

If temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods in the winter, prune maples from summer through January. If freezing is intermittant or rare, prune from summer to the beginning of October. Thus, it is too early to prune now.

I'm not sure what you mean by "budded", all trees have buds at all times throughout their life.

Why, who says, and how much?

What do you mean by ruined, appearance, health? When done correctly pruning will improve a tree... all trees require and benefit from periodic pruning. No one can answer your question with specifics until you at very minimum identify the tree to which you're refering

No one here made the blanket statement that just pruning a tree would stunt it's growth. But I did say that pruning a tree before the last freeze will often stunt it's growth for that year, as you described in your post....

James

Also, cutting back a tree before the last freeze is over, could damage the tree and/or stunt its growth. Most folks try not to cut back trees until the Spring time."

James

With grapevines, if you prune them just before bud break, it will delay bud break a couple of weeks. That might be enough time to avoid a frost altogether, providing trees are like grapevines, we are talking deciduous trees, and any of this is relevant to the original post. Where is Kay when you need her?

Experience.

James

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Where do you get it "stunts its growth" from? Victoria

Ms. Victoria, you are truly a piece of work.

Get a life.

James