[Karen W. (OP)]

Can I prune or trim off the under growth of my maple tress so that I will be able to walk beneath it without injuring the tree?

[elegantlywasted]

How big/old is the tree?

[WylieE]

If it is big enough for you to walk under you should be fine.
However, I wouldn't do it now when the tree is actively growing- wait till at least the end of summer, preferably fall.  But this depends on how much you are going to take off.

Here is a website with some tips on when / where / how to prune:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_prune/prun001.htm

Be sure to wear a hard hat  []

[Karen W. (OP)]

They are probably 10 to 12 ft tall and huge bushy we want to train them to shade the pond. but there are new branches this year appearing to come from the base of the tree's on the green maple I will try to take a picture tomorrow of both trees! Thank you both for your information and the link!

[dentstudent]

Karen - do you know the scientific latin name of your green maple? It sounds like it's producing suckers, a bit like the European lime (Tilia) does. These shoots can be cut off without any worries at all, and in fact may improve the vigour of the main tree. Pruning is a very common method of improving tree form and growth, so it shouldn't be a problem, though it would be good to know the trees taxa.

[dentstudent]

I was just looking at a Red Leaved Japanese Maple and this looks a lot like the Japanese acers in Europe. There is a photo of each at

http://www.bluechopsticks.com/product.asp?prodid=1247
and
http://www.bluechopsticks.com/product.asp?prodid=1244

Trimming and pruning won't harm the tree, but of course should be selectively done for aesthetics! It is also best done early in the trees life to create the form that you want, and at the right time of year, so either early spring before the growth period starts, or in the Autumn at the end of the growth period.

[Karen W. (OP)]

 Well My Red maple has the very small feather like leaves and the green is green leaves that tend to vary in color from green to yellow orange at times on the edge of the leave.. In a couple days I will take a picture. I have to reinstall all my software on new computer my computer crashed last night!

[Karen W. (OP)]

Well Here they are! a bit overgrown..

[dentstudent]

What a fine couple of specimens! The only thing to consider I think is that they are both slow growing species, and that any pruning will take a long time to re-grow. Here is a good pruning tip:
[diagram=244_0]

So;

#1: Make a small cut on the underside of the branch
#2: Make a full cut of the branch further along the branch than cut #1
#3: You'll end with a rough end of the branch
#4: Tidy the brach with a cut close to the stem

This way, you should stop any peeling of the bark under the branch if it falls while cutting.

Happy pruning!

[Karen W. (OP)]

Thanks, I am an awful gardener.. LOL I had the green maple in a pot for about two years and wondered why the heck it wouldn't grow ~! It had stayed tiny like about 20 inches tall and really ugly.. I tortured it! Forgot to water it then I over watered it then I forgot again.. LOL I finally put it in the ground by the pond and said if it grows it will do it on its own.. without my help! Look y there it grew! But it still needs help! LOL Thens for the advise!
The red mapl I bout about 6 ft tall from the nursery, in 1997. I figured if it was already bigger I couldn't hurt it! LOL.. It took off really fast. I think now and  again the wind slaps it and it doesn't like the wind, but for the most part it is sheltered and does ok there!
The green maple I bout two years before so in 1995!I don't recall the type of maple. I bought it from Thrifty drugstore sidewalk plant sale, it was almost dead then..pretty abused!