Japanese Maple Sapling Trees

Growing Japanese Maple plants:
Japanese Maple will grow well in almost any fertile soil, preferring acidic conditions. It likes heavy clay and will thrive in quite damp, but not waterlogged, places. It can tolerate growing on chalk, but we don't recommend it. They are hardy trees, but they need a sheltered site if you live in the North and Scotland; cold dry winds can ruin the appeal of their leaves.
Unlike most plants, Japanese Maple prefers a shady location to a sunny one.
Not suitable for poor, dry soils.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the area where you plant your trees several months in advance, especially if the soil is poor. Destroy the weeds first: nettles, brambles and ground elder are tough and a glyphosate based weed-killer is the best way to remove them. Then dig the soil over; remove rocks, roots and other rubbish. Mix in well rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades. If your soil is rich, you don't have to dig it over, but killing all the weeds is still necessary.

Watch our video on how to plant a country hedge for full details.
Remember to water establishing plants during dry weather for at least a year after planting.

Hedge Planting Accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass with Roundup weed killer.
You can buy a hedge planting pack with sheets of mulch fabric and pegs to hold it down.
If you are planting in an area with rabbit and/or deer, you will need to use a plastic spiral guard for each plant, supported by a bamboo cane.
If your soil quality is poor, we recommend using mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of new trees and shrubs.
You can also improve your soil with bonemeal organic fertiliser and Growmore.

After you have planted your Japanese Maple hedge, the most important thing to do is water it in dry weather. You will also need to weed around the plants. Watering should be thorough, so the ground is soaked. Let the soil almost dry out before watering again. Watering & weeding will be necessary for at least a year after planting.

Special notes on caring for Japanese Maple:
This is an ornamental tree that will benefit from a mulch of well rotted manure or compost every year.
If you are growing it in a pot, either wrap the pot up to insulate it in winter or move it next to the house to avoid frost damage to the roots.

If you need to prune your plants, do it in misummer.

Hygiene & Diseases:
Dead, damaged or diseased wood can be pruned off as soon as it appears.
Disinfect your pruning tools between every cut if there is any sign of disease.
Burn or dispose of any diseased material, do not compost it.