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Snow-Broken Japanese Maple: Will It Recover?

A 4-foot Japanese maple lost three main limbs to snow weight, leaving the center bare. Owner asks if it can be saved and will it regrow.

Good Prognosis

Young trees readily resprout. Clean cuts to ¼ inch from trunk; remove loose bark. Fertilize with 10-10-10 at 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter. Wait for spring leaf-out to assess final shape, then prune any dead remnants. The tree may look lopsided for a year but will fill in.

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