Acer

[jackie j]

I was given an acer for christmas and I would like to know the best way to plant it. Should I put it in a pot and if so whats the best soil to use, I am not sure where to put it in the garden as the garden is not very big. If we move over the next few years I would like to take it with me. It says it grows 10ft spread by 10ft height in 10 years time.

[Two_Sheds]

I got two! I've never managed to get them to survive before.

Acers do not need acidic soils to grow well. They will succeed on most garden soils except extremely alkaline, waterlogged or really dry.
Their biggest enemies are winter waterlogging (their fine, fibrous root systems are prone to rots) and late spring frosts.
Japanese maples in general, and dissectums in particular, adapt well to containers, and plants in pots can be brought under cover when frost threatens. A loam-based, John Innes-type compost with up to 20 percent added grit or perlite to improve drainage is ideal. Never allow the compost to dry out entirely; scorched leaves, their edges brown, dry and papery, will result. Pot-on gradually, every two or three years.

Scorch can occur with plants grown in the ground, too. Strong sunlight or winds can strip moisture from the leaves faster than the roots can replace it, and given the amount of edge to the leaves of dissectums they are particularly vulnerable. As with frost damage, scorch looks unsightly but plants usually recover and affected leaves can be cut off.
Most purple-leaved dissectums colour best in good light, but given the potential for scorch, this does not mean full sun, which is risky for all cultivars. Variegated cultivars are most prone to scorch in sun, so shade is crucial. Like all Japanese maples, dissectums have shallow root systems, so an organic surface mulch both conserves moisture and feeds the plant (more on Japanese maple cultivation).
Be sparing of feritiliser - too much tends to produce lots of soft growth that is vulnerable to sun, wind, drought and early autumn frosts.
Royal Horticultural Society - Publications: The Garden May 2006

[jogette]

I've just planted out an acer that had been in a pot for about 10 years and is now a small tree.
I always made sure that the compost was a mix of bog standard stuff with about 50% John Innes no 3. If you use just ordinary compost it gets very sour and wet and as Two Sheds has mentioned, they do like decent drainage.
I made sure it was in shade for the hottest part of the day and put it near the garage wall to escape the worst of the winds.
Every now and again there was a little die-back but just trimmed it off in the summer and it seemed to get over it.

It is a slow grower so don't be frightened by the 10 year size - the nurseryman that I bought mine from said that a little judicious pruning and reshaping is acceptable to the plant.
I also have a red leafed acer and have planted japanese blood grass next to it - its gorgeous for autumn colour.

[Nicos]

I'm with 2sheds about the scorch- I have 2 red ones, now about 15 years old South facing and I've had to cut back a lot of branches due to scorch and dry soil - and consequently they've lost their lovely shape.
Digging up and relocating would be almost impossible due to path,pond , water feature and patio.
I also have 2 in pots facing North, and they have come on a treat in comparison!They're just in John Innes No 3 and get fed once a month in summer.

[Two_Sheds]

I have been mulling over where to eventually plant out my two baby Acers. I think it will be in the north facing front garden ... they'll get fried in the back.

[jackie j]

My front garden gets a lot of wind and I dont think there will be enough room as it only just gets the trailer on, we have to lift it over the low wall !!! I also loose quite a lot of stuff cos I forget to water the front have to take the hose through the house or lots of trips with watering can.I lost a wisteria that I moved to the front. The back is small but well sheltered and part of it is in the shade from lunch time onwards.

[Flummery]

I've got two in pots but don't risk them outside in the winter. They are in John Innes no 3 compost and go into the greenhouse over winter - they get shocking leaf burn in the wind.

[Rydeboyz]

I have one Sango-kaku planted in the garden and 2 small Atropurpureum in pots outside. I also have a Trident Maple bonsai which I brought inside as I was a bit worried when the pot turned into a block of ice! They all seem to be fine though and I have Manchester weather to deal with!

Wind damage is usually more of a problem with the delicate palmatum varieties, such as Ornatum.

[allotmentlady]

I have various acers in the garden, my favourite is the bloodred, which is pretty big now. I have some in the ground, they are underneath my tall bamboo for the shade, whilst the others were specifically planted in large pots for them to grow into, these pots are on castors, so I can move them around but they are normally in the shade.

I feed them twice a year with bonemeal and have had success for the past 10 years.

Think carefully where you want to put them in the ground as they do not like being moved afterwards.

Good luck Mo x

[lynda66]

i've just weeded round mine today ........ and it's getting loads of new buds ..... i thought it would die with the crappy weather ..... dead chuffed it didn't ...... my banana and yucca perished though

[allotmentlady]

i've just weeded round mine today ........ and it's getting loads of new buds ..... i thought it would die with the crappy weather ..... dead chuffed it didn't ...... my banana and yucca perished though

YOUR banana will be fine lynda, it will regrow in Spring from its base, so dont bin it, trust me on this. The yucca will come back, if its got dead wood, snip it off and it will regrow.

[lynda66]

the whole things rotten .... i chopped it down and left the root in, but i'm not holding my breath lol ..... the yucca looks well dodgy too ..... it's been outside for 3 years, but i think the weather this year has been too much for it ...... but i've left it to see what happens.

[allotmentlady]

my big banana got affected 2007, the trunk fell off and it looked gone.........but it came back last year, well wrapped in fleece this time!

Can you bring yucca indoors or not?

[lynda66]

not really, cos despite the fact that the cats won't use a litter tray any more, plant pots are all fair game lol .... that's how it ended up outside in the first place .... definitely need some more hardy tropical plants this year .... on the plus note bamboo, dragon tree and fan palm are all looking great