Pruning Japanese Maples

Attach loosely

Never tie your maple tightly to the stake. I use the stretchy green tape sold for this purpose, and make a figure eight attachment so my tree can still move and make a natural form. With this type of tie the tape is looped around the branch, the ends crossed over each other, then tied firmly to the stake, so that the branch is loosely held, and the stake firmly held. Allowing the trunk to move also keeps it strong. A tightly confined trunk becomes weak.