Growing and propagating Japanese maple at home. Maple Japanese red - care and planting, photo

For connoisseurs of bonsai, maple, sakura and mountain pine are true symbols of this ancient art. But if evergreen pine needles makes the appearance of the tree unchanged throughout the year, sakura is especially attractive in spring, during flowering, then maple is a bright palette of autumn on unusual openwork foliage.

Maples are distributed throughout the northern hemisphere. The bonsai culture is traditionally dominated by Far Eastern, Chinese and Japanese varieties, however, the growing popularity of this area of ​​plant growing has made it possible to include varieties from Europe, the Caucasus and the North American continent in the list of species.

Types of maple for growing bonsai

Plants with small foliage and short internodes are especially valued, which allow you to create miniatures that are unique in shape and harmonious, natural in appearance.

Among the species suitable for growing bonsai are Japanese and holly maple, Montpellier, field and rock. Palm-shaped maple trees with intricately indented leaf plates are in particular demand. The leaves of this species remain red, contrastingly edged, light yellow or purple, not only in autumn, but throughout the year. This species should not be confused with the red maple, which is also grown as a bonsai. Its five-fingered leaves only by autumn gradually change their outfit and the appearance of the crown as a whole. From the USA and Canada, the ash-leaved maple, easily shaped, unpretentious and also having varieties with variegated or silvery foliage, fell into the sphere of interest of connoisseurs of bonsai.

It is not surprising that small trees with red, yellow or any other bright foliage are the most attractive for flower growers. Therefore, unscrupulous sellers often "play" on this, offering blue maple seeds for bonsai. Don't believe in empty promises. If shoots appear from such seeds, in best case they will turn out to be an ordinary maple with green leaves. And although it is impossible to grow a blue maple, bonsai with purple, carmine, red or orange leaves is a reality.

There are quite a few examples of varieties used for red maple bonsai, however, due to the low content of chlorophyll that supports the nutrition of the tree, such plants are weaker than their green counterparts and need special attention.

Decorative forms are more likely to suffer from sunburn, frost and cold wind, and their brightness directly depends on the choice of location. In the shade, red, burgundy and raspberry shades can disappear.

Another highlight of the Japanese bonsai maple is plants with strongly dissected leaves resembling palm branches. Such views look great in cascading cascading compositions, but are not suitable for beginners due to their rather capricious disposition and soreness.

But the dwarf varieties of maple in bonsai are unpretentious and, as it were, help a person with their formation. It does not tend to grow upwards, but forms a dense crown, covered with small foliage that preserves its natural appearance.

Conditions for growing maple bonsai

Maples feel good in middle lane Russia, but in the form of a bonsai, this tree suffers more from external influences and needs a careful choice of residence.

The most common palm and fan maples in bonsai can get sick and have difficulty growing:

• in direct sunlight, especially in the southern regions;
• in the wind or drafts;
• in deep shade.

However, if we are talking about the choice between light and shadow, it is better to expose the pot to the sun, which in the central part of the country will not cause serious harm. In the sun the tree forms more small leaves, which allows you to refuse to remove the kidneys and not weaken the plant. In addition, the colors of the foliage in full sun are brighter and more attractive.

If in the summer, as in the photo, maple bonsai is placed on open air, it must be protected from the wind, otherwise a plant with a pruned root system risks losing balance and falling out of a shallow pot.

Maples, both in nature and at home with low temperatures do not tolerate excessive humidity and insufficient fresh air. Under such conditions, bonsai is affected by harmful fungi that cause powdery mildew and anthracnose.

Watering is a mandatory and very important part of caring for a maple bonsai. In summer, the intensity and frequency are increased, if necessary, accurate sprinkling is used. In winter, when the leaves fall and the plant goes into hibernation, the need for moisture drops sharply.

In the spring, with the awakening, the maple is fed, and for the maple, the presence of iron in the mixture is important. This is taken into account when compiling the substrate. Soil for maple bonsai should be nutritious, aerated, with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. In addition to traditional components, a clay substrate for bonsai is added to the soil, which provides fastening of the root system and structures the earthen mixture.

Transplanting and replacing the container when growing maple bonsai coincides with root pruning, which is carried out at intervals of 2-3 years. In parallel with the formation, dead or damaged rhizomes, clods of adhering soil are removed.

Propagation of maple for bonsai

All species of this plant are easily propagated by cuttings and rooted layering. Seeds are also suitable for growing from maple bonsai, which should be stratified before sowing.

To do this, the seed is added dropwise to wet sphagnum, sand, or, after which the container with the seeds is sent to the refrigerator. For the preparation of palmate maple seeds, for example, 3-4 months in the vegetable compartment is enough. The field of this, when warmed, the shell will surely open, and friendly shoots will appear in the light.

Hatched maple seeds for bonsai are transferred to a sand-peat mixture or planted in well-moistened peat tablets. In a greenhouse in the light, but not under the direct rays of the sun, the plant produces a pair of true leaves in a month.

When their number reaches 4-5, it's time to transfer the young maples to their own pots and start the formation of bonsai.

Techniques for forming a bonsai crown from maple

How to grow maple bonsai without pruning and pinching the crown? It's impossible. These techniques, along with the formation of stems with wire, are an integral part of the ancient art.

Pruning of branches is carried out when up to five pairs of full leaves are revealed on the shoot. Usually they are shortened by 2–4 leaves, and large leaf plates are plucked separately, leaving their cuttings.

Over time, the stalk will wither and fall off, and too large leaves will be replaced by small, more appropriate bonsai. In mid-summer, healthy trees with green foliage undergo defoliation or plucking of growth buds, which will lead to:

• to growth retardation;
• to the gradual formation of shorter shoots;
• to an increase in crown density.

On red maples for bonsai, such an operation is not carried out, since it can weaken an already sensitive plant.

All pruning procedures are best done not in spring, when sap flow is active, but in summer or autumn. The same applies to the artificial aging of maples grown for bonsai. In the second half or at the end of the growing season, the wounds heal better, and the tree recovers better.

Japanese maple bonsai - video

Japanese maples are exceptionally showy 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 the humid forests of Europe, northern 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 its particularly decorative variety fan maple ( Dissectum).

At fan maples dissected pinnate leaves resembling a lace fan. His triumphant march in 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.

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

In their natural environment, Japanese maples grow as 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 fine for Japanese maples, with the exception of highly alkaline soils, as well as places with poor 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 that is protected from the direct hot sun on a summer afternoon, but open to morning and evening sunlight. Even more vulnerable to the scorching sun are varieties of Japanese maples with bicolor or bordered leaves; they must be planted in semi-shady places or places with rarefied light.

Japanese red maple and flowering mahonia in my garden, November Japanese palmate maple 'Katsura' blooming Japanese red maple. Acer japonicum

Frost resistance of Japanese maples - from climate zone 5, 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 moist before installation. winter shelter over a 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.

Should not be touched Japanese maple 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 caring for Japanese maples is mulching in spring and fall. Mulching with garden compost and other organic matter (leaf humus, tree bark, wood chips, etc.)

) protects the superficially located root system of the Japanese maple from freezing in winter, drying out in summer, and also provides top dressing. Mulch Japanese Maple in early spring and in late autumn, on well-moistened soil, avoiding the touch of organic matter on the tree trunk.

Before spring mulching, sprinkle the soil in the radius of the Japanese maple crown with slow-acting fertilizer granules, then mulch with compost or humus, and a layer of wood chips or decorative bark can be placed on top of them.

Japanese maple should only be fertilized once a year with a slow-acting fertilizer, strong fertilizers with a high nitrogen content are not recommended!

Japanese and fan maples: breeding

Species Japanese maples are propagated by fresh seeds collected in mid-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.

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.

In the middle lane for growing Japanese and fan maples, it is convenient to use tubs and pots.

In Japan, fan maples in tubs are installed not 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 are perfectly combined in vertical plants (ornamental grasses), and also look near the water or next to the stones in rockeries. Beautiful bonsai are formed from Japanese maples.

Trees & shrubs, maple

Source: http://countrysideliving.net/blog/2007/11/japanese-maple/

Many types of maples look very decorative in the garden, especially in autumn, when their foliage turns bright red, yellow-orange, carmine tones. Perhaps, Japanese maples look the most impressive, they immediately attract the eye with their color and carved foliage and intricately curved crown shape.

Japanese maples is the common collective name for several types of maples native to the forests of Japan and Korea. These include: the Japanese maple itself, the fan-shaped maple (fan-shaped) and the Shirasawa maple.

Acer japonicum Aconitifolium in autumn Japanese maple Aconitifolium summer color

Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) has insufficient frost resistance, and therefore it can only be grown in the south or as a tub plant. It is very beautiful, has deeply dissected graceful leaves and a complex color from green to cherry and burgundy.

Very beautiful and unusual looks in our gardens Japanesemapleaconitophyllous (‘Aconitifolium‘). Its foliage, cut to the ground, is green in summer and changes color to blood red in autumn.

Acer Japonicum Vitifolium in summer

Vine-leaved Japanese maple (‘Vitifolium’) was so named due to the shape of its leaf, it resembles a grape leaf. They are slightly dissected and end in several points. In summer, this species is also green, and in autumn it tries on a crimson outfit.

Acer Japonicum Vitifolium autumn outfit

The rarest Shirasawa Maple (Acer shirasawanum)

Acer shirasawanum Aureum

undersized, height up to 1.5 meters. Foliage is shallowly dissected, characterized by a large width of the plate. Classic varieties have yellow and orange leaves, the ‘Aureum’ form has an original border around the edge sheet plate. The leaves of this variety retain a golden color all summer, and in the fall they acquire a bright orange hue.

Maple Shirasawa ‘Aureum’ is a winter-hardy shrub reaching a height of up to 4 m. He prefers sunny place or partial shade, and loose, not too wet soils.

It is so ornamental that it is most often used as a tapeworm in the garden, and the small size of most varieties makes it suitable for growing as tub plants on a balcony or terrace.

Fan maple (Acer palmatum). Released to date a large number of varieties of this maple, all of them are distinguished by the small size of the bush, the exquisite shape of the crown and the magnificent autumn color of the foliage.

Acer palmatum Orange Dream

Almost all Japanese maples that can be purchased from us are varietal, hybrids of fan maples by origin. Japanese maples proper and Shirasawa maples are much rarer and generally inferior to cultivated fan maples in the choice of different colors and forms of cultivation.

Maple 'Orange Dream' has greenish-yellow leaves with a red border around the edge, in autumn the foliage turns orange-red. This is a tall, fast-growing variety, within ten years it reaches a height of up to 10 meters.

Acer palmatum Shaina

Maple 'Shaina' is a new dwarf variety, reaching only 1.5 m in height within 10 years, with a dense, bushy crown and deeply dissected leaves. Maple trees look especially elegant in autumn, when its leaves acquire a carmine-red hue. ‘Shaina’ is great for planting in containers.

Acer palmatum Shirazz

A new variety of maple ‘Shirazz’, originating from New Zealand, got its name in honor of the most widespread grape variety in Australia "Shirazz".

Its deeply dissected leaves show a unique play of colors: young green leaves are edged with a thin pale pink, sometimes blood-red stripe. And in autumn, the entire foliage turns bright red.

The plant, reaching in adulthood up to 2 meters in height, forms a beautiful branched crown.

Acer palmatum Wilsons Pink Dwarf

unusual maple 'Wilson's Pink Dwarf'. In spring, its filigree pink flamingo foliage draws attention.

Leaves turn in autumn bright colors: light orange to red. This is a slow growing tree with a dense crown, after ten years it reaches a height of only 1.40 m.

'Wilson's Pink Dwarf' great for planting in containers.

Acer palmatum Dissectum

A special charm to the garden is given by slow-growing maples with dissected leaves of green (variety Acer palmatum 'Dissectum') and dark red (variety 'Dissectum Garnet') coloring.

Their thinly dissected leaves turn yellowish-red and deep purple in autumn. In old ornamental trees with hanging shoots, the width of the crown is sometimes twice as large as the height.

Maples with dissected leaves should not be hidden in the garden, they should be allocated a prominent place, for example, in a seating area near a bench, near a stream, or on the banks of a pond.

Acer palmatum Dissectum Garnet

Openwork dark red ‘ bloodgood' is a tree-like shrub with a broad-globose crown and feathery leaves, with a delightful inky black shade of leaves and bright fruits, capable of showing an unusual dark coloration even in the shade. Crown height and width up to 4 m.

Variety ‘ Beni Kawa' with light leaves and a very bright red tint of the bark.

Acer palmatum Bloodgood

Japanese maple care

In order to successfully grow these beauties in the garden, you need to follow a few rules:

• Japanese maples prefer places sheltered from the winds, especially in winter drafts. If you are not sure that the place for planting is chosen correctly, arrange a maple tree for the winter dry shelter- at least from a cardboard box filled with leaves;
• Japanese maples do best in a location where they are slightly “covered” by other trees, so the best place for them it is penumbra;
• The "Japanese" love humidity. If your site has a small reservoir, and even better - a fountain or stream, feel free to plant a maple tree nearby. Dry, non-moisture-retaining soils are completely unsuitable for the "Japanese". The first sign that your maple is not getting enough water will be withering young leaves;
• Japanese maples, even in normal weather, when it rains regularly, it is better to additionally water and spray;
• they love acidic soils. In nature, they often coexist with rhododendrons, therefore the type of soil for them is the same - it is land with an admixture of peat or pine litter. The trunk circle of the maple is also best mulched with a thick layer of these materials;
• it is not necessary to feed Japanese maples in the first year of planting, when the soil is fresh and there is enough fertilizer applied during planting. In the future, maples are shed annually with a weak solution of fertilizers for heather. Remember that in the second half of summer, especially starting from August, it is better not to feed maples so as not to cause rapid growth of young shoots that do not have time to mature and will inevitably freeze in winter. Excessive fertilizer can even lead to the death of the plant;
• buy small plants that quickly adapt to the conditions of your particular garden. Large specimens do not take root well and may die during the first wintering; Acer palmatum Beni Kawa
• if you are not sure that the plant is strong enough, plant it in a container, and for the winter, after the maple leaves completely, lower the container with it into the basement. Many gardeners in the northern regions and countries who cannot refuse this exotic often grow Japanese maples in container form;
• pruning "Japanese" is best in the fall, after the end of leaf fall. Japanese maples usually do not undergo cardinal pruning, removing only dry, weakened or diseased branches;
• plants wintering in containers should get used to the spring sun gradually - in order to avoid burns on the trunk and branches.

From own experience I can only say one thing: the "Japanese" are more unpretentious and winter-hardy than is commonly believed, and in the right place they successfully winter even at the latitude of St. Petersburg!

Japanese maples in the garden

Japanese maples have a very wide range of uses and can decorate not only Asian-style gardens. Strongly growing varieties with an umbrella-shaped crown at maturity reach a height of 4 to 5 meters, so they can be used in the garden as tapeworms. Older Japanese maples provide excellent shade for walking paths and recreational areas.

The decorativeness of maples lies in amazing beauty details with the general nobility and sophistication of silhouettes and forms. 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 maples, 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.

One of the typical landscapes of the country rising sun- a quiet and secluded corner for relaxing under the canopy of a maple, the beauty of which is "supported" by pillows of flowering chrysanthemums. The laconic, restrained, but surprisingly picturesque duet remains today an ideal example of the selection of classic companions for decorating any garden.

It also looks very good under Japanese maples ferns, Volzhanka, shadow sedge and rhododendrons (especially deciduous varieties, which also explode with bright fireworks of leaf transformation in autumn). Excellent companions of the Japanese maple are bamboo, funkia, azalea and other Asian garden plants.

A very interesting combination will be Japanese maple with viburnum ‘Dawn’ (Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’), or with Chinese dogwood (Cornus kousa var. chinensis). Under maples with a translucent crown, you can plant all not too tall and powerful decorative perennials and herbs suitable for planting in partial shade.

But 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.

In the garden, you can create fantastic and simply fabulous pictures by combining in small groups fast and slow growing maple varieties with different autumn foliage colors.

Against the background of evergreens, for example, a hedge of laurel cherry or yew, the brightness and richness of colors intensify.

Red-leaved maples tend to take on a carmine-red hue in autumn, while green-leafed maples change from golden yellow to orange-red.

The root system of Japanese maples, in contrast to domestic species, is slightly branched, with no big amount thin hairy roots, so the plants planted under them receive enough water and nutrients.

Source: http://greengarden.pp.ua/yaponskie-kleny/

How to grow a Japanese maple: features of planting and care

Many gardeners prefer to grow on their site not only healthy vegetables and tasty fruits, but also ornamental plants decorating the garden landscape. These plants include exotic Japanese maple - a wonderful representative of the botanical world, with a bright spreading crown.

The tree attracts with its original appearance, however, the question arises - will this exotic handsome man be difficult to care for. To dispel doubts, in the article we will talk about the features of growing Japanese maple in our climate: we will find out how to plant a plant and how to care for it.

Japanese maple is an ornamental tree, which, as you know, comes from Japan. About 100 are known to date. various kinds and varieties: such a rare variety allows you to choose the most suitable variety and leaf coloring for any landscape design.

Japanese maple

The height of the Japanese maple can be from two to ten meters, and has a characteristic bright color of the foliage. Leaf colors can be as follows:

• green;
• Red;
• yellow;
• pink

Other, more rare, shades of color are possible: it depends on the plant variety.

The shape of the plant is interesting and unusual: the Japanese maple has a lush, spreading wide crown, somewhat reminiscent of a palm tree. This is an ideal plant for autumn: with its wonderful variety of bright foliage, it is able to dispel any blues, cheer up, inspire creativity.

IN northern regions, unfortunately, outdoor cultivation of Japanese maple is very difficult: only if you place the plant in a large tub, which can be removed to the house or barn for the winter.

Varieties

Today, the following varieties of Japanese maple are the most decorative and popular.

Shirasawa

This is a low variety of a tree: it reaches a height of only one and a half meters. It has decorative wide leaves, a beautiful and bright orange-yellow hue.

Shirasawa

bloodgood

It's for real unique variety, since the tree in this case has ink-black leaves.

Beni Kava

This variety of Japanese maple has original bright red foliage, as well as ruby-colored bark. You can imagine how decorative the plant has.

Beni Kava

Katsura

An interesting variety with a double color of leaves: in summer they are green, and by autumn they change color to golden.

How to plant

Although the procedure for planting a Japanese maple seedling is simple, however, it requires knowledge of some nuances. Let's talk about these nuances in more detail.

To properly plant a plant, you must prepare in advance:

• the seedling itself: healthy and strong;
• compost and peat for fertilizer.

First, you should dig a hole: its parameters should be approximately twice the size of the roots of the plant. If the seedling was bought in a pot, then it is necessary to carefully remove it from this container. Untangle the roots of the plant: also very carefully, without pulling.

Add peat and compost to the prepared hole. Place the seedling in the hole, sprinkle with soil on top, tamp.

On the video - planting a Japanese maple:

Around the seedling, form small sides of the earth along the diameter of the root circle. This will make it easier to water the plant, as the water will not be able to drain.

Water the seedling immediately after planting so that the roots take root faster. If the summer is very hot, the seedling will need to be watered more often and more abundantly.

Next spring, it is necessary to lay a mulch layer of earth mixed with rotten fallen leaves on top of the root circle of the plant. This layer will help moisture stay longer in the root circle, and also protect the ground around the seedling from weeds.

How to do hedge from a willow with your own hands, will help to understand the photo from the article.

Choice of location and conditions

If you have chosen a plant of a palm variety for planting, then it needs to prepare a shady place. All other types of Japanese maple prefer the sun.

But, although many of the varieties tolerate direct sunlight, this does not apply to those that have a double leaf color: in this case, the plant only needs shade or partial shade.

By the way, Japanese maple is not afraid of winds and drafts, so this parameter is not important here.

As for the soil, it should be well-drained and light. The plant prefers fertile, humus-rich soil with a slightly acidic reaction.. It is important to root system plants received moisture without obstacles and in sufficient quantities. Otherwise, the leaves of the Japanese maple may turn brown from lack of water.

The plant does not tolerate lime, so the area should not be treated with this substance. If the root system of the plant comes into contact with lime, this can lead to the fact that the leaves of the maple will begin to fall off.

It is important to know that these plants are quite thermophilic, and the harsh climate of the Russian north is unlikely to suit them. However, experienced gardeners carefully cover the tree for the winter, thanks to which they are able to grow Japanese maple even in cold winters.

You may also be interested in knowing which hawthorn seedlings for hedges are best to choose.

How to care

Consider the main points for caring for a Japanese maple growing in the garden.

Watering

The tree needs watering. However, the plant will also not tolerate too much water. If moisture is allowed to stagnate in the soil, this can lead to maple root rot. In addition to regular watering once a month during the summer season, it is necessary to organize additional watering for the maple: in this case, 15 liters of water are poured under the root once.

If there is a severe drought, then it is also recommended to additionally spray maple from a sprayer so that its leaves do not lose their decorative effect. But this information will help you understand how to use irrigation hoses, and how to choose them.

Mulching

For a tree, mulching is of great importance: this procedure must be carried out both in spring and in autumn. As mulch, use humus, tree bark, wood chips, compost. The procedure helps the roots of the tree to have constant access to moisture, protects the roots from freezing in winter, and it is also an additional top dressing and protection from weeds.

pruning

The plant in the first years of its life must be cut regularly, forming a crown. And then you can no longer cut, but only remove diseased and broken branches.

In addition, such thinning can protect the plant from fungal infections. Prune the plant only during the dormant period: either in early spring or before the onset of winter, when the foliage has already fallen.

Learn more about pruning Azaleas here.

top dressing

In the spring, under the tree, it is necessary to apply granular mineral fertilizers, and only then cover this top dressing with a mulch layer. Keep in mind that nitrogenous components should be absent in the mineral complex, as they are not suitable for Japanese maple.

If the soil is fertile enough, then one feeding is enough for a year. If it is scarce, then it is necessary to feed the tree again in the summer. But you can feed the plant only until August. Then the introduction of any fertilizer must be stopped, as the maple must begin to prepare for wintering.

winter care

If the climate in your area is not very mild, be sure to cover the Japanese maple for the winter. As a covering material, it is recommended to choose garden fleece, as it is the warmest and most soft material. If there is a lot of snow in winter, then regularly free maple branches from this heavy precipitation.

Otherwise, the branches may not withstand and break. However, do not touch the tree when the branches are covered with an ice crust after a thaw: in this case, they are especially easy to break.

Japanese maple house

It is possible to grow this wonderful plant at home: in this case, a dwarf variety of maple is chosen. The Japanese believe that the presence of this plant has a positive effect on the energy of the apartment: it brings peace, happiness, peace and prosperity.

In addition to this scientifically unconfirmed belief, scientists have already proven that Japanese maple is able to purify the air in an apartment, and this has a positive effect on the microclimate of the home. In addition, the delightful flowering of the plant will delight you from spring to late autumn.

On the video - Japanese maple in the house:

At home cultivation Japanese maple becomes especially important to protect the plant from pests, since in this case the tree grows more tender.

reproduction

The Japanese maple is usually propagated by seeds. You need to collect seeds in the fall, ideally - in October. In order to properly prepare the seeds for subsequent planting, they must be stratified.

For this collected planting material lay in a dry sand mixture, and store all winter in a cool place.

In the spring, they are sown in a container, before having treated it with a growth stimulator.

During the first summer, the seedlings do not stretch too much, but already at this stage it is possible to sort, leaving for further cultivation only the strongest and tallest specimens.

The first winter seedlings grown from seed are best spent indoors, still in their container. The next spring (the second in the life of the plant), the seedlings must be transplanted into pots of suitable size (separate for each specimen), and then, having grown a little more, transplanted into open ground.

If the climate or other reasons do not allow transplanting into the ground, make sure that the soil in the tub is rich in organic matter.

Application in garden design

The decorativeness of the Japanese maple allows you to use it as a decoration for any landscape design. The tree in a single planting will look the most advantageous. In groups, the Japanese maple will pull the entire “blanket of attention” onto itself, so this species garden design not very suitable for him.

Japanese maple in garden design

If the tree is placed on a slight elevation, this will best highlight it and emphasize its beauty.

Japanese maple also looks great against almost any other flowers, shrubs and trees. He can adorn with his presence both the rosary and water zone, And Japanese garden from stones.

But what conifers in landscape design suburban area can be used here.

We examined the features of growing Japanese maple in the garden. As you can see, despite the exotic and rather original appearance, this plant can be grown quite safely in our climate. Following the tips from the article, you can easily grow this wonderful plant on your site, and decorate the landscape outside the window with a bright cheerful spot.

If you love unusual trees and want to have them in your garden, consider Japanese red maple as one of your options. The high decorativeness of this culture is undeniable, especially in autumn, when the carved leaves turn fiery red. Compact trees are grown as tapeworms, because their crown looks truly luxurious. Japanese red maple can decorate any corner of the garden, terrace, greenhouse, because these trees, thanks to their compact size, can be grown in large portable tubs. We invite you to get to know this culture right now. We will give you a story about caring for red maple and planting it in our conditions.

Japanese maple features

If you decide to grow a Japanese maple in your garden, then you should know what are some of the features of this culture. First, a tree growing in natural conditions in Japan and Korea, likes warmth. In winter, it is able to withstand temperatures not lower than 20 degrees below zero. This means that it may be difficult to grow if you live in the middle lane, where in winter the thermometer sometimes drops below -25-28 degrees. In this regard, it is worth considering how exactly you will grow Japanese maple - in a tub that you can transfer to a cool room for the winter, or in a garden where you have to take care of sheltering a tree for the winter?

The second requirement for successful cultivation culture - fertile soil. If the land on your site is poor, you will have to artificially enrich it both before planting and in the future. The Japanese red maple needs an abundance of nutrients. Perhaps these are two requirements that you need to consider if you want to plant this luxurious tree. The rest of the features of planting and care, we will consider further.

This is a red maple (photo)

Planting red maple

So, where does the planting of the Japanese red maple begin? Of course, with the purchase of a seedling. It is best to purchase it in nurseries. It is desirable that the seedling be in a container with earth, then its roots will not be damaged during transportation and transplantation.

On the site, find a place located where the most sunlight. It is desirable that it be protected from the wind as much as possible, and other trees and shrubs do not grow nearby, within a radius of 2-3 meters.

As already mentioned, you need to prepare suitable soil for planting Japanese maple. To do this, dig a hole, the size of which, in all respects, is twice the size of the root system of the purchased seedling. The soil should be breathable, nutritious, with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. Thoroughly mix the earth from the hole with compost and peat, and if necessary, if it is clay, add sand. Pour a third of the soil mixture into the hole.

Carefully remove the seedling, along with the clod of earth, from the container and place it in the hole. "Popular about health" draws attention - do not deepen the young maple into the ground more than necessary. Position the seedling at the same level as it grew in the container. Fill it up soil mixture trying to fill in all the gaps. Tamp the ground well with your hands, forming a near-stem circle. Carry out watering, even in two stages, so that the substrate subsides a little with water. Immediately mulch the soil surface with peat. Now it will be useful for readers to learn about the features of caring for the Japanese red maple.

More photos of red maple

How to Care for Japanese Red Maple?

This culture does not require increased attention. The tree needs watering in dry times, and young seedlings should also be sprayed with warm water, but not at noon, but better in the evening, when the sun is not so aggressive. Top dressing is very important for the Japanese red maple. In the spring, when the snow completely melts and the soil warms up a little, the trunk circle is sprinkled with granular mineral fertilizers, after which they water and loosen the ground near the tree trunk.

Mulching with peat and humus will help not only protect the roots from adverse conditions, but will also become a long-term recharge. In the middle lane, trees, especially young ones, need to be sheltered from the winter cold. You can use, for example, garden fleece, which has a soft structure and retains heat well. In an area where frosts are not so strong in winter, up to -18 degrees, the tree does not need shelter, but snowfall can become a threat to the crown. It is advisable to clean snow growths from the branches after heavy snowfall.

The most dangerous are thaws with rain, alternating with frosts. In such conditions, the crown is overgrown with ice, which means that there is a risk that the branches will not withstand the load and break. This culture does not need pruning, except that it makes sense to cut off shoots that have suffered from frost in winter. The formation of the crown of the Japanese red maple occurs naturally, and the tree acquires a unique and refined silhouette over time.

As you can see, there is nothing special and difficult in the care and planting of Japanese maple. The main thing is to provide him with a nutrient medium and protect him from the cold in winter. If you grow this tree in a tub, then simply transfer it to a cool room for the winter. The rest of the gardener's actions are standard - watering, loosening the near-stem circle, mulching the soil and top dressing in spring and autumn.

The dwarf maple belongs to the Japanese maple group, which includes compact and low trees with a transparent crown of leaves and their original color.

The following types of maples are called Japanese:

• Fan or hand-shaped;
• Shirasawa;
• And actually, Japanese.

All of them come from Japan and Korea. Thanks to the beautiful shape of the leaves, the original crown and bright colors, maples are very popular in landscape design.

All representatives of this group have curved trunks, graceful branches, and an asymmetric crown. The leaves can be colored in bright red, yellow-orange and carmine shades.

Palmate maples are most often used in garden compositions. They are planted next to coniferous trees, cereal crops, perennial garden plants.

Miniature maples of this species are small deciduous trees or shrubs with an umbrella-shaped crown of medium density. The height of the trees does not exceed three meters in height. They are slow growing and long lasting. Trees retain their viability for more than a hundred years.

Palm-shaped dwarf maples are highly decorative throughout growing season. They are planted in the form of hedges, decorative groups, as single plantings.

Today, dwarf maples of the Japanese group are very popular, such as:

• Maple Acer palmatum Atropurpureum or red-leaved. This is one of the popular varieties. Its thin dissected leaves are dark purple;
• The Kiyohime maple is a small bush, about one meter eighty centimeters high, with green leaves, the edges of which are painted red. Feels great in partial shade. It belongs to frost-resistant species, safely tolerates a drop in temperature to minus thirty degrees;
• The Aka shigitatsu sawa variety is represented by trees no more than three meters high with dissected leaves on which green veins are clearly visible;
• The original Wilson's Pink Dwarf variety is represented by very beautiful specimens that cannot tolerate temperatures below minus fifteen degrees. Japanese maples of this variety are shrubs with a height of about two and a half meters and a crown width of up to one and a half meters. Maple stems are painted red, on which fan leaves are located. Which with the advent of autumn acquire orange hues.

Each of the representatives of dwarf maples will add zest to any garden or park area.

Dwarf maples grow well not only in lighted spaces, but also in partial shade. But, when choosing a landing site, one must take into account the fact that in case of insufficient lighting, color saturation is lost.

The next point is location. Maples need space to thrive. Therefore, when planting in groups, it is necessary to keep a distance of one and a half to three and a half meters, depending on the variety of the planted maple.

Now the landing pit. It should be deep enough, about seventy centimeters. To ensure good moisture conductivity, a drainage layer about ten centimeters thick is laid on the bottom. broken brick, pebbles and river sand.

The next step is soil preparation. Maples need light and nutritious soil. Therefore, you need to prepare a substrate of the following composition:

• humus or peat - three parts;
• sod land - two parts;
• river sand - one part.

After preparatory work you can proceed directly to planting maple seedlings.

And so, the prepared pit must be filled halfway with water and allowed to soak, then it is filled with the prepared substrate by two-thirds and 150 grams of nitroammophoska are added. A maple seedling is placed in a hole, the roots are carefully leveled, then the space is filled with substrate, so that root neck was at ground level. After the soil is trampled down and watered, and the root circle is mulched with peat and sawdust.

There are varieties of Japanese maple, the height of which does not exceed one and a half meters, and such specimens are successfully grown in special flowerpots and pots. They are used to create interiors of large terraces, living rooms, small areas. For such landings choose volumetric ceramic or clay pots that are filled with light nutrient soil with sand and a lot of humus.

In the garden, maples can be planted using seedlings, which are sold in specialized stores, or grown independently from cuttings or stock.

Caring for dwarf maples is not that difficult. It is important to strictly follow the landing rule:

• site illumination;
• the desired soil (nutritional value, water conductivity, acidity, etc.);
• remote location.

Maples need regular watering. IN summer period in the absence of rain, they need to be watered once every seven days. One plant needs about twenty liters of water. At normal humidity, you can water the maples once a month.

Also, in a dry season, trees respond favorably to spraying their crowns with water. It is recommended to perform this procedure in the evening hours.

To maintain the decorativeness of Japanese maples, they need to be fed periodically. This is done in the spring, before the buds open. During this period, maples need to be fed with urea, potassium salts, superphosphate.

The land around the trees must be regularly cleared of weeds and loosened, thereby providing oxygen to their roots. You also need to periodically mulch the soil around the tree trunk. To do this, you can use peat or humus.

The crown of maples has its own natural original form, so its pruning consists in removing dry and damaged branches, which is not particularly difficult even for novice gardeners.

To ensure the safety of trees in winter period they need to be covered, especially when it comes to young specimens and snowless winters.

Trees at the age of one or two years should be covered with spruce branches around the root collar and wrap the trunks with burlap. By overgrowth, maples form a resilience and over time will not need shelter.

The decorativeness of dwarf maples can be significantly spoiled by various diseases and garden pests.

Most often, maples affect:

• powdery mildew;
• coral spotting;
• black spotting.

The shoots affected by the disease are removed, and the trees must be treated with copper sulphate, sulfuric solution or other fungicidal preparations.

When not proper care, trees can be attacked by pests in the form of whitefly, mealybug, leaf weevil. When they are detected, maples must be treated with insecticidal preparations.

Maple propagation

Decorative dwarf maples at home can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Seeds are collected independently in the middle of autumn or purchased in a store. They are sown in planting boxes and germinated. At the beginning of winter, the first shoots appear. Seedlings should be watered periodically. Until spring, boxes with seedlings should be kept indoors at a temperature of about ten degrees. Then the seedlings are transplanted into individual pots. When they grow up and reach a thirty-forty centimeter size, they can be planted in open ground in a permanent place.

It is quite difficult to propagate Japanese maples using cuttings on their own. Since they need to be grafted onto maples with a more stable root system. For a gardener who does not have experience and certain knowledge in this area, it will be extremely difficult to carry out this process on his own.

Therefore, most often, gardeners prefer to purchase ready-made seedlings for planting in the garden.

The Land of the Rising Sun gave the world incredible variety and beauty of Japanese maples. Once you see them, you will certainly want to complete the picture of the garden with a watercolor touch of exquisite oriental beauty. Moreover, planting and caring for maple will not cause much trouble.

Species and varieties

The genus of maples today has more than a hundred species and thousands of varieties. The category of Japanese representatives includes 2 deciduous species:

Attention! Japanese maples in natural conditions are found on the territory of the Sakhalin Region, and due to their scarcity, they are listed in the Red Book.

The most attractive varieties for the garden are:

• A. japonicum aconitifolium (aconitifolium) - a tree-like shrub, which is decorated with large, deeply dissected leaves of fiery orange, burgundy and yellow hues;

A. japonicum aconitifolium

• A. japonicum vitifolium (vine-leaved) - characterized by slow growth and picturesque round-fan-shaped foliage, pouring bright crimson by autumn;

A. japonicum vitifolium

• A. palmatum sangokaku (coral-barked maple) - in addition to decorative deeply carved leaves with a pink border, it surprises with spectacular coral-red bark;

A. palmatum sangokaku

• A. palmatum Garnet is a small, graceful tree with openwork leaves and low hanging branches. Thin-lobed leaves change color from rich red to dark purple with a transition to rich crimson;

A. palmatum Garnet

• A. palmatum Katsura is a compact cultivar that produces purple-red flowers in early spring. Leaves in spring period yellowish with a edging of a more saturated brick shade. At the height of summer, the maple changes color to an unremarkable green, and by autumn it is filled with orange;

A. palmatum Katsura

• A. palmatum Butterfly - flaunts 5-lobed silver-green foliage, which sometimes twists coquettishly. In the spring, pinkish touches can be seen, and in the autumn, a rich purple takes the place of a silvery hue.

A. palmatum Butterfly

Outdoor cultivation

In order for a truly spectacular handsome maple to grow on your site, you need to choose right seedling in the garden center. It is best if the young plant is in a container with a protected root system. In addition, the chances of the seedling to take root in a new place will increase, because. he will land along with the "native" soil. best time spring and autumn are considered for planting a tree.

The soil in the area where the young maple will be planted should be fertile, without stagnant water. If you are unsure about standing water, it is best to use drainage when planting.

Advice. In order for all the beauty of the foliage to fully manifest itself, it is better to plant a Japanese maple in a sunny place.

When growing, it is necessary to take into account the fact that maple can withstand frosts down to -20°C. At lower temperatures, the tree will need shelter. In this case, you should choose low-growing varieties of maple.

in spring and autumn periods the plant needs mulching. In the spring, before this procedure, a slow-acting fertilizer should be applied to the near-stem circle. The next will be a layer of peat, and only then the mulch itself (wood chips or bark). Mulching promotes moisture retention and protects roots. young plant from freezing.

Attention! Maples do not tolerate fast-acting strong fertilizers.

Pests and diseases

With proper care, Japanese maples do not get sick and are not afraid of pests. But if the tree is weakened, then the following problems are possible:

1. The defeat of gall aphids. Visually, red swellings can be seen on the leaves. Moreover, the aphid colony itself is located on the underside of the leaf. The affected areas must be removed, and to fight, use one of the specific preparations or use folk recipes (soap solution, for example).
2. Maple weevil. This pest prefers Norway maple, but does not disdain Japanese maple either. Beetles gnaw leaves and apical shoots, which significantly reduces the decorativeness of the plant.
3. Whitefly. Damages young shoots and leaves. The tree not only loses its attractiveness due to the loss of leaf mass and the drying of shoots, but also generally slows down growth.
4. Fungal diseases. Powdery mildew is the most common of this group of diseases. The mycelium of the fungus disrupts the physiological processes of the plant, which leads to drying and falling of the foliage. In general, the culture decreases resistance to adverse conditions environment. But do not despair - with the right methods of treatment, the Japanese exotic is quickly restored.

If you prefer Japanese maple to decorate your site, you will not make a mistake in choosing. On gloomy autumn days showy plant will delight you and your guests with a picturesque outfit.