Many people in modern world find time to maintain their garden. In it they grow vegetables, fruits, flowers and many others. exotic plants. The Japanese maple belongs to the latter category. We will teach you how to choose the right one. Let's talk about the rules of landing and various types decorative tree.
General characteristics
Today there are about 100 types of wood. The plant is easy to recognize by the following criteria:
- bush or tree with foliage;
- height can be from 2 to 10 meters, depending on the variety;
- leaves small size bright shade;
- acceptable colors: green, yellow, fiery red, pink;
- leaf shape resembles a palm tree;
- during flowering, small flowers are formed.
Japanese maple is suitable for people who love the autumn mood and its exuberant colors. There are many varieties of such a tree, it is worth mentioning separately some important varieties.
To the store
We will bring you the most unique and amazing trees that you will find in a store or nursery.
- "Aconitifolium" . Foliage is bright green from spring to late summer. In autumn, the shade of the tree is yellow-orange. The shape of the leaves resembles deep lobes.
- Aureum . This is a variety of finger maple. The crown has a bright yellow tint. The shape of the leaves resembles finely indented blades. Among these representatives there are trees with colored bark.
- "Atropurpurreum" . The shape of the leaves is the same as in the previous variety. Preferably different from all other types of its colors. Throughout the season, the crown changes from bright red to black-purple.
- "dissectum" . The leaves have a semicircular flattened shape. Their color is most often red-purple.
The varieties of ornamental trees do not end there. You can choose a plant according to your taste preferences, which will harmoniously fit into the landscape of the garden plot.
Why is it needed?
The Japanese Maple is easy to plant and care for and looks great in the following locations:
- pond;
- rock garden;
- lawn near the house or terrace;
- front garden.
Professional garden designers grow trees on the roofs of buildings. You can beautifully and originally plant it in separate wooden barrels or tubs. If you are a fan of the bonsai style, then it is Japanese maple seedlings that are used to compose plant compositions. Let's move on to the next important step.
Landing
The procedure is simple, but requires special knowledge. Planting a Japanese maple requires necessary materials. To do this, prepare:
- tree seedlings;
- compost;
- peat.
Landing is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Dig a hole. It should be twice as deep and wide as the root of the tree.
- If you bought a ready-made plant cutting, then free it from the pot. Unravel the roots and loosen the soil before planting.
- Add pre-prepared compost and peat to the pit.
- Bury the plant.
- Make a depression around the bush, which is required for convenient watering.
- Moisten the tree thoroughly so that the roots take root in the new soil more quickly.
- The next spring after planting, add a layer of mulch under the tree. It should consist of earth with rotten leaves.
- If the summer is too hot, then the bush needs to be watered more often.
In order for the plant to take root well and quickly, you need to prepare the right place.
Where to plant?
The Japanese maple will develop into perfect location, which must meet the following criteria:
- If you are planting a finger variety, then prepare a shade for it. For everyone else, the sunny side is suitable.
- The soil must be permeable. If the tree will not come right amount moisture, the leaves will turn brown.
- The place where the maple should grow should not be treated with lime. After contact with the substance, the leaves begin to fall off the bush.
Now you know where and how to plant Japanese maple. Grooming is the next stage in growing an ornamental plant.
We save correctly
The basic care of the plant includes the following items, the implementation of which is mandatory:
- Although the tree loves well-moistened soil, it should not be constantly wet. This can rot the roots.
- If your site is small, no problem. The bush can take root on any plot of land, the lighting of which may not be suitable for the variety.
- Maples are not afraid of drafts.
- Trees need to be pruned every spring. This procedure in the first years of the plant's life will help it to find the right shape. In the subsequent period, you can simply remove dry and diseased branches.
- Once a month you need to carry out additional watering. About 15 liters of water per root.
- In August, it is recommended to stop all feeding.
Remember! Additional watering in no way cancels on-demand humidification.
The quality of the tree will directly depend on the seed.
How to buy?
If you decide to add a touch of brightness and originality to your garden, then you should choose Japanese maple. Seeds can be purchased at specialized stores or ordered from a catalog. In this case, no one will give a guarantee that you can grow. It is better to make a purchase in nurseries and purchase ready-made seedlings. To do this, you are provided with the following recommendations:
- Examine the plant. It must be healthy. It is better if the bush is sold in a pot or container.
- Make a purchase in early spring or in the fall so that the plant can be planted immediately.
- Do not purchase a tree in the summer. It is not recommended to plant it during this period, because the plant does not take root well due to drought.
Few people know, but Japanese maple can be grown not only in open ground. This is ideal for home conditions.
indoor tree
At home, they grow a special dwarf variety. Japanese maple on the windowsill has a positive effect on the apartment. Namely:
- humidifies the air;
- increases the amount of oxygen in your apartment;
- from spring to autumn will delight with its flowering.
Despite the fact that the plant is easy to plant and care for, it is constantly attacked by various pests, for example:
- whitefly;
- spider mite;
For the treatment and prevention of diseases, use this solution: dissolve 1 mg of decis in a liter of water. Mix thoroughly and spray your Japanese dwarf maple with it.
room care
The procedure should include the following:
- thorough watering from spring to late autumn;
- in winter time it is better to reduce the moisture content of a plant in a pot by half;
- tree fertilization with complex preparations is allowed;
- transplant the plant into a larger container every two years.
You have met outdoor and indoor Japanese maple. Now you can grow in your garden decorative ornament, for which you can take care of according to all the recommendations.
Maples are not only one of the most picturesque, but also the most varied tree species. Despite the fact that these filigree beauties are found almost everywhere the globe, the most famous of the maples and today remain species that symbolize the classic flora of the Land of the Rising Sun. They are related not only by the natural area, but also by the unique play of colors, the transparency of the silhouettes and the bewitching watercolor.
Japanese maples and their best varieties
Japanese maples are maple species united by origin: they all come from the alluring and mysterious Land of the Rising Sun. Endemics and their cultivars of this group are very popular and are considered the most sought-after representatives of the genus, distinguished by their extraordinary picturesque silhouette and the beauty of carved foliage. They belong to:
- actually Japanese maple(Acer japonicum), which, due to low frost resistance, can be grown only in the south or as a tub plant - very beautiful plant with deeply dissected graceful leaves and a complex color from green to cherry and burgundy ( decorative forms- large- and small-leaved, golden, aconitolous);
- become legendary fan maple(Acer palmatum) and its many varieties;
- more rare, but no less beautiful Maple Shirasawa(Acer shirasawanum) only up to one and a half meters high, in which leaves with a small section are distinguished by a larger plate width ( classic varieties painted in yellow and orange, form ‘Aureum’ - with an original border along the edge of the leaves).
Almost all maples from Japan presented in the assortment of horticultural centers are varietal plants representing an assortment of fan maples and their hybrid and selective forms. Basic Views the other two oriental plants are much less common and, as a rule, are significantly inferior to the cultivated forms of fan maple in the possibility of choosing different colors and forms of cultivation. You can understand the names of individual varieties without problems only if you speak Japanese: each name of the fan maple variety means key feature plants, which is sometimes reflected in the English decoding in the catalogs of large companies.
To the best varieties Japanese maples are rightly considered to be such fan maples as:
– openwork dark red 'Bloodgood' with a delightful inky black leaf tint and bright fruits, capable of showing an unusual dark color even in the shade; 
- bright scarlet maple "Beni Kava" with light leaves and a very bright scarlet shade of the bark;
- variety "Orangeola", which also has a beautiful spring outfit of almost yellow young foliage;
- variety "Katsura" with reddish young leaves and bright "curly" green summer decoration, growing well in tubs;
- variety with scarlet autumn foliage"Osakazuki";
- longline variety "Nicholsonii" with a height of 2 to 3 meters with an autumn crown showing all shades of brick red;
- multi-stemmed and very picturesque maples with powerful curved branches "Aconitifolium" with a flaming dark red outfit, decorated with rare flashes of kraplak and brick;
- three - four-meter "Dissectum" with elongated coniferous leaves and a bright orange-yellow color with occasional splashes of other tones;
- two-meter with a very wide spreading crown, burgundy main and orange autumn color maple fan varieties "Dissectum Garnet";
- a compact and denser squat one and a half meter variety "Mikawa yatsubusa" with thin needle-shaped leaves and an outfit that transforms from acrylic green to orange-scarlet;
- a little more than a meter wide spreading maple "Shino Buga Oka" with very deeply cut leaves and a change in color from bright green to yellow-orange.
Decorative virtues of Japanese maple species
Associations with established the best craftsmen watercolor landscapes arise in everyone who admires the autumn decoration of the maple. It is in the final season for all deciduous trees that maples turn into real dominants in any design: even the abundance of bright crowns of classic shrubs and trees in the neighborhood cannot overshadow the beauty of these unique plants. Maples are not accidentally called the main symbol of the autumn garden. These not so gigantic trees really seem to have absorbed all the best that autumn nature can offer the admiring viewer. On cloudy and bad weather, they illuminate entire compositions around them, and on sunny days, they glow from the inside and shimmer joyfully.
The decorativeness of maples lies in the amazing beauty of details with the general nobility and sophistication of silhouettes and shapes. After all, the contours of the maple, the shape of its lush crown and the graceful bends of the branches are no less filigree than the carved leaves. The lines of this plant are an impeccable example of picturesqueness, built on the harmony of naturalness and showiness. In Japanese maple species, the crown is tiered or translucent, lush lace and almost weightless at the same time. And all the beauty of the foliage mass only emphasizes the decorativeness of each individual leaf, divided into elegant pointed lobes.
The color palette only crowns, emphasizes and exalts the beauty of the plants themselves, reveals their nobility and elegance. Incredible and rare tones of yellow, orange, red in autumn and young leaves, and light shades of green or rich dark red in summer in maples are bright, picturesque and clean. Each maple, even among representatives of the same variety, has a special and inimitable color. It directly depends on the characteristics of the weather in each year, on the conditions of the place of growth and care. Even in seemingly similar neighboring gardens, two identical maples can turn into different shades! It will take time for maples to show all their eccentricity: young plants rarely show all their color talents and only in adulthood acquire relative constancy.
Wherein bright colors, with which, as if by a wave of a magic brush, nature painted maple leaves, they are distinguished not only by their catchiness, but also by the effect of an inner glow: the transparency of the crowns themselves makes each shade of the almost acrylic “maple” palette completely unique. As if absorbed sunlight maples in the garden have a real magical effect: attracting admiring glances, they invariably become the center of everyone's attention.
Use in garden design and selection of partners
Japanese maples, especially rare varieties - plants are quite expensive and valuable, they always and everywhere play the role of the main accents and important points eye attraction. They are placed only in such a way as to maximize the advantage of revealing the beauty of the plant itself. Maples Japanese varieties always planted in the best locations of the garden, near the most advantageous and structurally important objects. Most often they can be found near a terrace or pond, in front gardens, a rock garden, rock gardens and rockeries, large area relaxation or in a landscape group, enlivening large spaces lawns. Such maples are not afraid of both solo parts and the neighborhood of other plants.
Picking up companions for maples is not an easy task. Such stars of any landscape need a worthy accompaniment - bright, but still less catchy than the woody ones themselves, corresponding to the “level” of maples both in texture, and in palette, and in luxury of details.
One of the typical landscapes of the Land of the Rising Sun is a quiet and secluded corner for relaxing under the shade of a maple tree, the beauty of which is “supported” by pillows of flowering chrysanthemums. The laconic, restrained, but surprisingly picturesque duet remains today perfect example selection of classic companions for the design of any garden. It also looks very good under Japanese maples and rootstock from epimedium or hakonechloa, ferns, volzhanka, shady sedge and (especially deciduous varieties, which also explode with bright fireworks of transformation of leaves in autumn). You can always limit yourself to a minimalistic design: decorative stone chips in the near-trunk zone and balancing the crown with one or two plants or large boulders around the perimeter. Of the large - equivalent - partners, maples are better combined with representatives of the coniferous family.
Key features of cultivation and care
The undoubted advantage of maples originally from Japan is the ability to grow even in modest conditions. They will take root without much difficulty on scarce and insufficiently high-quality soils, provided that the lack nutrients will be replenished with at least rare top dressing mineral mixtures with a prolonged effect. Such top dressing is carried out in early spring, as an adaptive and growth-enhancing measure. If maples are grown in a tub, the soil must be rich in organic matter and of very high quality. It is no coincidence that Japanese maples are often used to decorate ponds: they grow well in moist, but not wet soils and fresh garden soil Oh.
All Japanese maples are able to adapt to any light without loss of color: dark red - including the shade, and the rest - in partial shade and diffused bright light. All maples of Japanese origin are not afraid of drafts.
Picturesque plants have become famous precisely for their natural silhouettes, so pruning will not burden the care of maples growing on the site. Only in the first four years of cultivation in spring can the crown be slightly adjusted, and otherwise pruning is reduced to breaking out dry branches at a time when the maple is already at rest.
In the dry season, Japanese maples are best watered additionally. It is enough to carry out maintenance procedures once a month, using about 15 liters of water per 1 plant. For tub maples, maintain a constant light moisture in the substrate. Another mandatory component of care is mulching. trunk circle any available materials(layer - from 3 to 5 cm).
The first mention of Japanese maples appeared at the beginning of the 17th century. At this time in Japan, maples were grown only in the monastery gardens and parks of the nobility.
Gardeners have been searching the mountains for years and collecting varieties of this tree. About 250 varieties of Japanese maple have been described.
Only in the middle of the nineteenth century. the plant came to Europe, to Great Britain. At the beginning of the twentieth century. it was almost forgotten, during the Second World War, many valuable varieties disappeared without a trace.
Only in the 60s of the last century, maples came back into fashion and resumed their victorious march from Japan to Europe and America, and scientists set about breeding new varieties with great enthusiasm.
botanical portrait
Japanese maple, or palm-shaped ( Acer palmatum) is a perennial, slow growing deciduous shrub or tree.
Today there are more than 150 species.
The size of a tree or bush depends on the type and variety of the plant and reaches 2-10 m in height.
The leaves are small, carved. The color of the leaves comes in all shades of green, burgundy, red, yellow-orange and even pink.
The better the illumination, the more intense the shade of the leaves. The shape of the leaves resembles a fan or palm leaves in a reduced form.
Japanese maple flowers are small. After flowering, small lionfish fruits are formed on the plants.
Choosing a place to plant a Japanese maple
It is better to buy maple in containers and plant it in the ground along with a clod of earth in order to preserve the thin and brittle roots of the plant.
Planting a container plant can be done at any time from early spring to late autumn.
It is very important to choose the right place for maple on the site: it needs a well-lit, but protected from midday rays area (perhaps in the shade of a taller tree), where there would be enough space for a wide umbrella crown, it is also important that at any time of the year you can was to admire the changing face of this beautiful tree.
It must also be taken into account that maple does not like strong winds or cold drafts.
Protection can be a solid fence or coniferous plants planted around the perimeter of the garden. They will help avoid the danger of damaging the tender young maple leaves during late spring frosts.
Our advice:
Most garden soils are quite suitable for Japanese maples. The only exceptions are highly alkaline soils that are not sufficiently permeable. Especially not suitable areas with stagnant water or drying up in extreme heat.
Landing features
- To plant a maple, they dig a hole twice as deep and as wide as an earthen clod in a container.
- The container with the seedling is lowered into a container of water for 10-15 minutes.
- Several shovels of fertilized earth are poured into the pit, a seedling with a lump is taken out of the container and placed in the center of the pit.
- They fill the hole to the top with the remnants of the prepared earth and, carefully, so as not to damage the fragile roots, crush it around the trunk, leaving no voids.
- Planting depth should be the same as in the container. After that, the plant is watered abundantly.
Do I need to cover the maple for the winter?
The frost resistance of Japanese maples is not the highest, but they tolerate the climate of Ukraine well. You just need to follow certain rules.
If the winter is very snowy, it is necessary to periodically shake off heavy wet snow from thin maple branches so that they do not break.
At a young age, until the trunk is completely lignified, the maple is covered with agricultural fabric for the winter. Before sheltering for the winter, you need to make sure that the soil around the trunk is sufficiently moist.
Necessary care
Watering
The root system of the palmate maple is superficial, so it needs watering.
Maple reacts to a lack of moisture, its excess, very hot direct rays of the sun or too strong dry wind with dried tips of leaves, and to stronger stress - by completely dropping foliage. Such a reaction does not mean that the plant will die.
It is important to correctly and gradually bring it out of this state (ensure regular watering without stagnant water, shade the crown).
Our advice:
In no case should fertilizers be applied to the soil during a period of stress - this can only aggravate the situation. If you give your pet enough attention, the maple will quickly recover and possibly grow new leaves in the same year.
Mulching
In addition to watering, bark mulching is required, which protects the roots from drying out and does not allow weeds to grow.
Cropping Features
Slow-growing Japanese maples practically do not need pruning, but it is used as a way to care for and form a crown. For example, if it is necessary to limit the growth of a plant, thin out a thickened crown or emphasize the exquisite shape of a tree (bush).
Periodic thinning pruning helps optimal lighting and airing of the crown, helps prevent damage to the maple fungal diseases and keep its beautiful appearance.
With age, the plant needs anti-aging pruning, in which old and damaged branches are removed. When conducting it, you must follow some simple rules:
- pruning of large branches is done during the dormant period. Small branches are pruned after the leaves have fully blossomed and before the sap flow has begun for the next growth;
- branches are best cut when they are not too big;
- large branches should be cut flush with the growths of the bark around the branch. Small branches are cut over a pair of buds;
- the places of cuts are not treated with anything, they should dry naturally.
How to properly fertilize Japanese maple?
In order for maple plants to develop normally, they need top dressing and they need to be carried out correctly.
Our advice:
When planting a Japanese maple, peat and compost are added to the soil, mineral fertilizers don't contribute.
Maples planted in spring should be fertilized 4-5 weeks after planting. And those planted throughout the growing season are fertilized 2-3 weeks after planting a tree in open ground.
If the Japanese maple is planted in autumn, fertilizers are applied only in the spring of the following year.
Experienced gardeners know that it is better to feed the Japanese maple several times, but in small doses, so as not to damage the root system. And the last top dressing is carried out no later than the second decade of July, so that the tree has time to prepare for winter.
In spring, the plant wakes up from hibernation and for intensive growth it needs a sufficient amount of nitrogen, in summer and autumn - potassium, which helps to better endure critical weather conditions (summer drought and winter frosts).
Xenia and Marian ShVED
© Magazine "Ogorodnik"
Photo: depositphotos.com
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: pixabay.com
Japanese maples - exceptionally spectacular ornamental trees and shrubs. Even in winter, deciduous Japanese maples captivate the eye. unusual shape a bare crown resembling a mushroom or an umbrella, and many thin fan branches. However, Japanese maple trees are at their peak in autumn, when their leaves turn stunning. bright colours: red, orange, gold…
Genus maples ( Acer) consists of approximately 110 species of deciduous (rarely evergreen) trees and shrubs that grow naturally in moist forests Europe, North and Central America and Asia. Here we will focus only on a certain category of maples, which are commonly called Japanese maples , because they come from Japan and Korea. To the group Japanese maples there are only two types: Japanese maple ( Acer japonicum) and palmate maple, or mountain ( Acer palmatum) with his special decorative variety fan maple ( Dissectum). At fan maples dissected pinnate leaves resembling a lace fan. His victorious march in the European garden culture Japanese maples began in the distant 1600s, and by 1882, 202 varieties of these trees were already known in Britain. Currently garden centers offer several hundred varieties Japanese maples, which primarily differ in leaf color, especially impressive in autumn, when maples dramatically change color red, gold or orange.
The size Japanese maples depends on the variety: both Japanese and palmate can reach 8 m in height, while fan maples usually do not exceed 2-3 m. fan maples often grow more in width than in height. Leaves Japanese maples small and extremely decorative. Despite the fixed Japanese maples title red maples , the color of their leaves is different shades green, burgundy, red, yellow, orange and even crimson, and shows up best in open, well-lit spaces. flowers Japanese maples small, yellow-green or reddish, depending on the plant variety (see photo). After the end of flowering Japanese maples small paired lionfish fruits are formed. Some Japanese maples also decorative with their bark.
Japanese maples: care
AT natural environment Japanese maples grow as an undergrowth, so they are accustomed to high humus content and slightly acidic soil reaction, partial shade, as well as more or less constant levels of humidity. Most garden soils are quite suitable for Japanese maples, with the exception of highly alkaline, as well as places with poor water permeability and standing water or completely dry out in the heat. The danger lurking Japanese maples in the garden, these are late spring frosts that can damage tender young leaves. Since the color of the leaves of Japanese red maples is best shown in an abundance of light, to plant these magnificent trees, choose a place with protection from the direct hot sun in the summer afternoon, but open to morning and evening. sun rays. Even more vulnerable to the scorching sun are varieties of Japanese maples with bicolor or bordered leaves; they must be planted in.
Frost resistance of Japanese maples - from, in the Middle lane, these plants need winter shelter, for which garden fleece is well suited for the crown of fan maples. Make sure the soil is well-drained before installing the winter shelter over the Japanese maple. In softer regions, heavy wet snow should be gently shaken off the thin branches of Japanese maples (especially fan maples), as branches can break under the weight of snow. Japanese maple should not be touched when its branches are covered with ice.
During dry periods, fan maples require regular watering and foliar spraying. The lack of moisture (as well as its excess), too hot sun or too strong, dry wind, the Japanese maple will respond with dried tips of the leaves, and for more severe stress - with a complete drop of foliage. There is no need to panic: the Japanese maple has not died, but simply needs increased attention. Eliminate fertilizer completely when stressed, provide regular watering without standing water and spraying, and soon the Japanese maple will recover and grow new leaves.
A necessary part of Japanese maple care is spring and autumn. Mulching with other organic matter (tree bark, wood chips, etc.) protects the surface-located root system of the Japanese maple from freezing in winter, drying out in summer, and also provides top dressing. Mulch your Japanese maple in early spring and late fall, on well-drained soil, avoiding organic material touching the tree trunk. Before spring mulching, sprinkle the soil in the radius of the Japanese maple crown with granules of slow-acting fertilizer, then mulch with compost or humus, and on top of them you can put a layer wood chips or decorative bark. Top dressing of the Japanese maple should be carried out only once a year with a slow-acting fertilizer, strong fertilizers are not recommended!
Japanese and fan maples: breeding
Species Japanese maples are propagated by fresh seeds, collected in the middle of autumn. Subsequently, only the strongest seedlings are selected, which are kept cool in winter. At the beginning of spring, young Japanese maple seedlings transplanted into larger pots, and when they reach a height of 30 cm, they can be planted in a permanent place.
It is very difficult to propagate fan maples vegetatively. In nurseries, it is practiced to graft fan maple cuttings onto a stronger root system of Japanese or palmate maple.
Japanese fan maples: pruning
Japanese maples grow slowly and naturally form a beautiful and harmonious crown. Pruning is recommended only for mature or old plants to thin out an overly thickened crown or to emphasize the exquisite shape of the trunk and weeping branches of the Japanese maple. Thinning the crown of Japanese maples also contributes to the penetration of light and air into the depths and is the prevention of fungal infections. Pruning of Japanese maples is done only during the dormant period, when there are no leaves on the plant.
Japanese maple in the garden
AT middle lane for growing Japanese and fan maples it is convenient to use. In Japan, fan maples in tubs are not installed on the ground, but at eye level, so that everyone can admire the shape of the trunk, the elegance of the crown and the brightness of the leaves of these charming plants. For the winter, a fan maple in a tub can be removed to a cool room; during a drought, it can be moved to the shade and where it is more convenient to water it.
Japanese maples go well with vertical plants (), and also look near the water or next to stones in rockeries. Beautiful bonsai are formed from Japanese maples.
Japanese red maple- This is a very beautiful, decorative spectacular tree.
All summer and autumn these lovely plants delight the eye with their extraordinary beauty, and in winter you can enjoy the unusual structure of their crown.
It has many thin branches.
Description and varieties of red maple
Japanese red maples include: hand-shaped, fan and Japanese maple, and many more varieties that breeders bred based on the above.
From the name of the tree, you can understand that the birthplace of the Japanese maple is the Land of the Rising Sun. Among themselves, they differ in carved leaves, which have purple or bright orange colors and shades, and the crown is also a difference.
The size of the trees depends on their species, they are three meters wide and up to eight meters high. Bladed maples may be taller, while fan maples are undersized species. The flowers of the red maple are small, they are red or yellow-green in color, the color depends on the variety. After flowering, the flowers turn into lionfish seeds, these seeds scatter for many kilometers and later new trees grow from them. These trees are very beautiful and will decorate any garden or park.
Tree types:
In addition to the varieties listed above, there are many hybrid forms that were bred in Japan. Here are some of them:
Japanese maple planting and care
Trees that grow in wild nature, prefer humus-rich soil that is slightly acidic. And they also like places where there is partial shade and stable humidity.
Soil for planting a tree
A tree of this species will not grow in soil where there is a lot of alkali, and also does not like places where water stagnates and there is no water permeability. But the scorching rays of the sun, and the drying of the soil, have a very bad effect on appearance leaves. Species that have two-color or bordered leaves suffer the most from the scorching sun. Such varieties should grow in partial shade.
Very well japanese view develops in abundant, diffused light.
Trees will feel best in gardens and parks, where the bright sun appears in the morning and in the evening, and where it will not appear during the day. This tree is not at all afraid of drafts.
It is important not to forget that Japanese maples are heat-loving trees, they are very afraid of spring frosts, frosts damage their young leaves. For this reason, trees must be covered with garden fleece for the winter.
In areas where the climate is mild, maple branches need to be cleared of snow, as they can break under its weight. Fan maple suffers the most from snow.
During the period of drought, maples need to be watered often and a lot, it is necessary to spray the leaves in the morning and evening. If this is not done, then the tree under scorching sun and from a lack of moisture it will experience a lot of stress, this will be shown by its sheets, the tips, which will dry and then fall off.
If this happens, then the tree must be watered frequently, sprayed regularly and stop feeding. This will help him recover and regain his former appearance.
In spring and autumn, it is necessary to mulch the soil around the trunk, humus from the foliage, tree bark, garden compost and various wood chips are suitable for this. Mulching is very important for Japanese maple. It will protect the soil from drying out, and fertilizer will also serve the root system from freezing all year round.
Before mulching with compost or humus, approval granules must be introduced into the ground, and then sprinkled with colored chips on top of the soil. Spring feeding, which are slow acting and will nourish the maple all year round. But it is strictly forbidden to feed a tree with nitrogenous fertilizers.
If the soil in which maple grows is poor in minerals, then fertilizer must be applied twice a year, it must be minerals that act for a long time. In this case, you need to feed the tree in spring and summer.
Pruning is needed only for adults and old, very dense trees that have lost their decorative effect. Such trees need pruning to make them look lighter and more transparent, especially since pruning is also a prevention of fungal diseases. Pruning is carried out when the maple is in a dormant period - this is early spring or late autumn.
If behind the tree proper care, then it will delight you with its beauty for many years.
Japanese maple in general propagated by seeds. Seeds for propagation must be fresh, they must be collected immediately after ripening, most often this is done in October.
Seeds for propagation must be placed in a dry bag and put in a cool place. In the spring, the seeds must be planted in containers, before that they must be treated with a growth stimulating agent.
For three summer months, seedlings grow a little, but it is already possible to separate weak seedlings and strong ones. Weak seedlings must be removed, and strong ones should be placed in a cool place, but with a positive temperature. In the spring, strong seedlings should be planted in pots, and when they reach thirty centimeters in height, they should be transplanted into open ground, where they will grow constantly. If you decide to plant maple in a tub, then do not forget that the soil in it must be rich in organic fertilizers.
You can also propagate Japanese maple - by grafting cuttings on a strong stock of the same type.
Japanese maple in the garden
In areas dominated by cold climate maples should be grown in tubs so that they can be moved to a cool, but not frosty place for the winter.
Growing a tree in a tub has another plus - it can be moved to the shade, the sun or any other place, and it also makes it possible to protect the maple from heavy rain or hail.
In Japan, these trees are set on a base, this is done so that their beauty is better visible, since the trees are stunted.
Japanese maple It goes very well with other ornamental plants, namely: shrubs, other trees, various flowers and ornamental grasses. Japanese maple will decorate any garden, pond, stone garden, park or just a place to relax.
Japanese maples will be very beautifully combined with such autumn colors - asters, oaks and chrysanthemums. Especially it will be incredibly beautiful in autumn, as maple leaves change their color at this time and become the most decorative.
Maples with undersized trees will also look good. evergreen shrubs: decorative coniferous bushes, boxwood and juniper.
