Japanese Maple Victory!

OaklandCityFarmer

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Messages
949
Reaction score
18
Points
142
Location
Zone 8B, Oakland, CA
So, a couple years back, I took a clipping of a friends beautiful Red Japanese Maple and have been trying to get it to grow. We've had our ups and downs.

I cam out this morning and was looking around the cuttings and WOW it has leaves everywhere and seems to be doing better than ever! :weee

Finally! So now I want to keep that momentum going. Anyone know about the nutrient requirements for these things? Anything I can do to help it along?

Thanks in advanced.
 

Reinbeau

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Nov 23, 2007
Messages
1,233
Reaction score
1
Points
134
Location
Hanson, MA Zone 6a
Just make sure it's planted in good garden soil and that it gets adequate water. Too much 'food' can make a tree grow fast and weak, you don't want that. Keep any lawn chemicals away from it, also. Patience is what it takes to grow landscape trees well, and good pruning, if it's necessary.
 

OaklandCityFarmer

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Messages
949
Reaction score
18
Points
142
Location
Zone 8B, Oakland, CA
Thanks Reinbeau, we don't use any chemicals at all in any of our plantings so that's not an issue.

For now our little maple is in a pot and I think we'll keep it there for a while and keep it protected.
 

Buff Shallots

Garden Ornament
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
218
Reaction score
8
Points
94
Good luck with your potted maple! I found a to-die-for shaped thread-leaf maple a few years back for a potted deck tree. I was in love with it! But darned if it didn't croak the first winter (and I even kept it sheltered in our outdoor shower and wrapped in leaves and other potted trees). Broke my heart.

Hope you have better luck. I love potted maples!
 

OaklandCityFarmer

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Messages
949
Reaction score
18
Points
142
Location
Zone 8B, Oakland, CA
Buff Shallots said:
Good luck with your potted maple! I found a to-die-for shaped thread-leaf maple a few years back for a potted deck tree. I was in love with it! But darned if it didn't croak the first winter (and I even kept it sheltered in our outdoor shower and wrapped in leaves and other potted trees). Broke my heart.

Hope you have better luck. I love potted maples!
Sorry to hear about it.

I know we love them too but they're just so darn expensive to buy over 3 feet. I'm not willing to pay over $150 for a tree. I'm sorry.

We've tried so many times to grow them from cuttings and this one finally took. Hopefully it gets a little bigger one day.

Waiting for now.
 

Tutter

Deeply Rooted
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
865
Reaction score
4
Points
104
Location
N. California
We have 3 Japanese maples....a little butterfly; a deep red, Osgood (?) (It's 4 A.M. lol!), and another variety of red.

These are dh's pride. I believe he fish emulsions them before leaf out, and gives iron after they leaf.

He's training them into beautiful miniature trees. (24"-30" for the butterfly, and it does look like a large tree with a beautiful canopy; 4' tall with a 6' width on one of the reds, and 4 1/2' tall for the 3rd.)

Good luck, they are nice little trees! :)
 

Latest posts

Top