by Ryan Shields of Spruce and Maple
Think Spring is the best time to pot up that gorgeous new Japanese Maple you just bought? think again...
Important Note: this advice does not apply to rootbound trees or trees that are in a 2-3 gallon plus pot—this applies to small trees getting transplanted from a liner to a 1 gallon pot.
Never pot up your small trees in spring. This is a simple tip I learned from trial and error (and far too much resulting tree death). I don’t care what anyone tells you about spring, they’re wrong. Pot your small trees in the summer. Here's why:
The tree's roots aren’t actively growing in the spring; the top is. That means spring is when Japanese Maple roots are most susceptible to over watering, especially weaker trees and dwarf maples.
And when does it rain the most? You got it, spring. Unless you're using a greenhouse, you can't control how much water those inactive roots are getting. Plus you've just given them a lot more potting mix to suck water out of.
In short, potting up your maples in the spring is setting yourself up for catastrophic failure, especially on trees with smaller root systems.
Pot your Japanese Maples in Summer
In the summer, the tree's roots are growing like mad, and because it rains a lot less, you’re in more control over how much water the tree gets.
Plus your tree is full of energy from its spring flush of new leaves, which means its roots are ready to start growing and clearing out any excess water more easily.
Trust me, I’ve potted thousands upon thousands of small trees without using a greenhouse to grow them. When you can’t control every aspect of the growing process, use what nature gives (or doesn’t give) you.
Ryan Shields is the owner of Spruce & Maple, the "shadiest nursery for Japanese Maples and other ornamental trees and plants" in Collierville, Tennessee.