Table of Contents
Fertilizer. Japanese maples should only be fertilized after they’re a year old, or during the second growing season. The best time to fertilize is late winter or early spring. Japanese maples are naturally slow-growing trees, so stimulating rapid growth with a high-nitrogen fertilizer should be avoided.
What kind of fertilizer do Japanese maples like?
I recommend using a slow or controlled release type fertilizer. Commercially known as Polyon or Osmocote, these are the most common and both work very well on Japanese maples. We use both successfully in our Japanese maple production.
Are coffee grounds good for Japanese maples?
Soil and water are the two most important factors for maintaining healthy Japanese maples. So maintain a humus-rich soil by applying coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are free at Starbucks. For a 4-foot-tall Japanese maple, I recommend applying 4 pounds of coffee grounds per tree per season.
How much fertilizer does a Japanese maple need?
A general guideline to use for mature Japanese maple trees is 1/10 pound of nitrogen for every 1 inch of tree trunk diameter measured at 4 1/2 feet from the ground. If you fertilize other plants in the Japanese maple trees’ area at the same time, use the guideline of 1/10 pound of nitrogen per 100 square feet.
How often should you fertilize a maple tree?
Maples should be fertilized once or twice a year.
How do I keep my Japanese maple healthy?
Keep Japanese Maple Healthy in Summer Keep them moist – don’t forget to keep the soil damp, with mulch and regular watering. Give them afternoon shade – when planting your tree, arrange for afternoon shade in summer. Choose a suitable variety – some forms resist burning better than others.
Is Epsom salt good for Japanese maples?
Epsom salts also appear to help Japanese maples struggling through the summer season. A few tablespoons of Epsom salts to a gallon of water used as a drench helps reduce lime buildup and lowers alkalinity and the salt levels of our soil.
What is the best mulch for Japanese maples?
Mulch your trees with 2 1/2 – 3″ of shredded bark, preferably hardwood, to insulate the roots and prevent water from evaporating around the tree. Water deeply twice a week; water more often if it is a newly planted tree or a container-grown tree. Leaf tip burn is unsightly, but not a cause for panic.
What kills Japanese maple trees?
The most common Japanese maple diseases are caused by fungal infection. Canker can attack through bark damage. Sap oozes from the canker in the bark. A mild case of canker will resolve itself, but heavy infection will kill the tree.
Can Japanese maple take full sun?
All Japanese maples are tolerant of part shade conditions. Like Dogwoods and Redbuds, they evolved to grow happily at the edge of the forest as small trees. Their undeniable beauty leads many people to want to plant them as a focal point or specimen tree, often in full sun.
Why is my red Japanese maple turning green?
The most common deficiency in Japanese maples is manganese. Some Japanese maple cultivars that normally feature red leaves can lighten and turn green if they do not receive adequate sunlight. A Japanese maple suffering from a nutrient deficiency will typically have yellow or yellow-green leaves with darker veins.
What kind of fertilizer do maple trees like?
The best fertilizer for maple trees is one that is rich in nitrogen. You can find the ratio of the nutrients listed on the fertilizer label of a respective fertilizer. You should never use a quick-release fertilizer, but use a slow-release fertilizer such as 10-4-6 and 16-4-8.
How often should you water Japanese maple?
Plan to water heavily twice a week during normal weather and three or even four times weekly in periods of drought. Whether your tree is young or mature, it will grow best in soil kept consistently moist by regular watering and mulching.
When should a Japanese maple be pruned?
When to Prune Japanese Maple Trees For Japanese maples, it is recommended to do structural pruning in the winter and wait until late spring, after the leaves come out, for fine pruning. Summer can also be a good time for removing larger branches and for removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood. Know the tree.
Is cow manure good for Japanese maples?
Keep in mind, Millorganite is good for your ornamental plants but not your vegetable garden because it’s made from sewage sludge. When installing new plants, especially Japanese maples, mix some rotted (bagged) cow manure with the soil as you back fill around the plants.
Do maple trees need a lot of water?
Maple trees require around 11 gallons of water a week to stay healthy. Keep an eye out for wilting or leaf scorch (leaves browning and/or curling up), as this is a sign of drought stress. Make sure that the water is reaching at least 10 inches below the surface, properly hydrating the maple tree’s root system.
Are Maples acid loving?
Maples prefer an acid to neutral soil ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 on the pH scale. Once you know the soil pH, if necessary, you can adjust it to meet the needs of your maple. Adding organic compost to the soil or using compost as mulch can also help to increase acidity and maintain acid soil conditions.
