Q. I have a very small maple tree in my front yard, transplanted this spring from a shoot that sprang up in my flower bed! It was doing quite nicely; however, a recent windstorm broke a couple of its branches (and it only has a few!) Do I need to cut these broken branches back in order to help the tree, and if so, how? Or should I just leave it alone, trusting it will grow new branches in the spring? Judy Grover – Tacoma, WA
A. The “shoot” that appeared in your flowerbed was very likely a volunteer seed that flew in from a nearby maple. Maple trees fruit/seed are called samaras. They are the also called helicopters and “pinnochio noses” depending on how the children of the area play with them. If you haven’t determined which maple you have I would first check around your yard or your neighbors yard to determine what kind of maple may have sent a seed into your flowerbed or have the maple identified by a professional. You were wise to move it to a new location since the sooner you find an area that can accommodate your maple tree the easier the transition will be for the seedling. Just be sure your new location will accommodate the future size of your maple. You said some branches were broken in a windstorm. It would probably be a good idea to trim back the broken branches to an existing bud on the branch and removing any jagged edges where diseases can take a foothold. If what is left of the branch would not contribute to the structure of the tree as it grows then you can cut it back to the main trunk. This is general information since it is difficult to give more specific advice without seeing the actual tree and the damage.