How do you plant a Japanese Maple?

11 years ago

Site selection:

- For most palmate leaved varieties select a site with full sun to light shade, more shading for those in warmer zones (8-9) full sun for those in cooler zones.
- For most dissected, linearilobum, and dwarf varieties select a site that is in partial shade (afternoon shade at a minimum especially in hotter climates).
- Soil should be well drained
- Choose a location that is sheltered from drying winter winds
- Japanese Maples are shallow rooted so try to avoid planting near established shallow rooted trees (beech, large maples, etc.)use mulch to prevent weeds and do not cultivate the surrounding soil.
- In humid climates and climates with very damp spring weather it is important to make sure of adequate air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.

Planting:

Dig a hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball or container that the maple is growing in (wider is better), dig the hole no deeper than the root ball or container. In heavy, poor draining soils the hole should be just deep enough that the top of the root ball is 1-2" above the surrounding grade.

Mix 50% (by volume) organic matter into the native soil, suitable organic matter include compost, leaf mold, soil conditioners made from pine bark, or peat moss. Do not add fertilizer at this time (although a transplant solution with Vitamin B1 may be beneficial)

Place the tree in the hole and backfill halfway, thoroughly soak the root ball and backfilled soil then continue to backfill. Once completely backfilled water again.

Continue watering deeply at least once a week unless there has been adequate (1-2") rain until the ground freezes, the following year gradually wean the tree off of supplemental watering except for during the hottest part of summer or extended droughts.

Form a small berm just outside the drip line of the tree to help the tree get enough water for the first two years as it gets established.

Mulch with 2-3" of hardwood, pine bark, or pine needles. Keep the mulch off of the trunk.

After the second year, eliminate the watering berm.

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As you can see, I'm in even a colder zone...I have had a Japanese Maple planted directly in the ground for 5 years, it has always come back like a charm. Very slow grower, but I don't mind because it's just off my front stoop...someday, perhaps it will shade the stoop gracefully, but I'm in no hurry. I do have hostas growing in its territory, but then, my whole front yard is maple tree territory, as I have 4 HUGE maples across my property. Unknowingly, I planted a hosta garden all the way across the front of the house, right under and just off the maple dripline. The hostas directly at the dripline did diminish on about the 5th year, as did some lilies. However, the ones 8 feet from the dripline are doing just fine. I'm not moving the garden or changing it. I just keep putting young ones in there and watering. When I have my garden plant sales (to pay for this habit), I pull the med sized hostas right out of that bed for the folks. It works pretty well, actually. I guess you could just call it my nursery! And a pretty one, at that!
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How do I help this Japanese Maple survive winter damage?
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Don't do anything until fall. You may continue to be surprised. Wait and see to what extent it recovers. Before the deciduous leaf drop, you will know what is alive. You could gently cut into the cambian bark layer also to look for green. Then prune back all the dead growth. You will need to train a new central leader to get back your height from one of the most vertical new branches. It can take years to reconstruct a lace leaf JM since they are relatively slow growers. I would feed it lightly to help. the recovery with an acid fertilizer unless you native soil is acid already.
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As can be seen in the Iseli photo if the specimen has some height then the branches can cascade rather than pile up on each other - references often recommend training weeping laceleaf maples up for this very reason. What is funny is how often people think they want the low mound instead of the more interesting and graceful staked/high grafted weeping tree. Even when the alternative is pointed out to them. When you get inside an unstaked one that has been growing for many years there is often a lot of dead wood due to the congestion of the branches. The closeness of them makes it look like it would be desirable, if it were possible, to grab the apex of the shrub and pull the whole top up and open, like a coiled wire. This post was edited by bboy on Fri, Feb 8, 13 at 13:01
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Crimson Queen and Red Dragon are mounding dissectums that will be much wider than tall. CQ will be the largest and I would give it at least 5-6ft. The Red Dragon you could 4ft. Those are miniums and may/will require some pruning to control in the future. Seiry is an upright grower shat is as wide as tall if not just a bit wider. It is very willowy in youth. It can grow easily to 15ft tall. It is one of the most beautiful maples in my opinion. I would want 7ft from the house, but again that would be the ideal minimum. Seiryu does not lend itself to pruning to contol size as well as some of the other maples. It is best left to grow naturally. Orido nishiki will be 8-10ft tall, but can be taller. It will not be quite as wide as tall so you could go 4-5ft from the house. Now, I rarely follow my own advice and plant closer to the house, you just have to be ready to control them and in doing so, you will not see the form maples can achieve. The other option on the Seiryu for example is to plant close to the house and prune the back side of the tree, thereby it grows away from the house. This can work and is done often--not ideal but if kept up it can be tasteful. MJH
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How do you plant a Japanese Maple?

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