Toronto Master Gardeners are part of a large, international volunteer community committed to providing the public with horticultural information, education and inspiration. Prepared by the Toronto Master Gardeners, these Gardening Guides provide introductory information on a variety of gardening topics. Gardenia Great Japanese Maples for Containers ![]() University of New Hampshire How should I plant and care for a Japanese Maple Royal Horticultural Society Japanese Maples Commercial growers propagate by grafting named cultivars onto A. Japanese maples are produced primarily from seed and by grafting. Here, the fine foliage of a red Acer palmatum dissectum. Japanese maples come in an array of leaf forms. This is caused by too much water, poor drainage, poor air circulation and insufficient light. Usually the plant is not lost, but the appearance and vigour of the maple is damaged for that season. There may be many causes: wind burn, exposure to extremely hot sun, late spring frost, salt runoff from roadways or excessively alkaline soils, short intense drought periods, container plants in full hot sun. It is important to sterilize all pruning equipment, keep the tree healthy, and remove infected parts which are then burned. No definitive solutions are available at this time. New shoots, twigs, and branches will die quickly. This is a fungus that enters the cambium layer, blocks the flow of nutrients within the tissues, and causes a brown streaking within the layers under the bark. The most serious cause of die-back is verticillium wilt. It can be caused by one or more of several organisms, cultural practices, climatic conditions or soil chemistry. None of these is considered life-threatening. Some problems are aphids, mites, moth larvae and root weevils. Other than the usual range of insects found in landscapes, there are no major predators on these plants. Japanese maples are not often subject to serious insect infestations. (Photo: Helen Battersby) Common problems Insects ![]() Acer japonicum ‘Aureum’), the full-moon maple. The red-trimmed foliage of Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’ (syn. Major pruning is done during the dormant season, corrective pruning at any other time. Top shaping and pruning should be started early in the tree’s life. Proper water management is far more important than fertilizer or soil types. Japanese maples should have a uniform supply of moisture. If you amend the pH, be aware that this will be required every few years. Japanese maples have the same soil pH requirements as rhododendrons. ![]() Additions of acid fertilizers are needed in extreme alkaline conditions. The best soil for Japanese maples is a sandy loam with a low to medium amount of organic matter, well-drained, and well-mulched if in adverse soil conditions. Plant in partial shade complete sun or deep shade alters the beautiful colours. Japanese maples do well in containers of appropriate sizes. The fibrous root system is not deep, but will stay in the upper level of the soil. They will hold leaves until late November. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow, bronze, purple or red in fall. The leaves are usually green in summer, although some have red or mottled leaves. They have a medium rate of growth when young, slowing down over a 10-year period. Japanese maples may grow 15′ to 25′ in height, but some are much smaller and tend to mound after 6′. japonicum include 250 cultivars which have been bred, selected and propagated for over 300 years by the Japanese. This gardening guide deals with those that are hardy in North America. There are many cultivars of Japanese maple, most of which grow only in Japan and surrounding areas. A mature Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese maple catches the sunlight.
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