A beautiful, mature Japanese maple tree is now planted in its new home here at my farm.
Last week, I had the opportunity to rescue a lovely tree from a nearby property where the new owner was planning to redesign the landscape. Relocating such an established specimen required careful planning and a slow, precise process, but it was well worth the effort. The tree is now happily settled in its new spot beside my pond, where I hope it will continue to thrive.
Enjoy these photos.
Remember the Japanese Maple tree I moved from a nearby home? Here it is arriving at my farm, intact and well-protected with burlap, straps, and ropes.
Underneath the burlap, all the branches are also in excellent condition – not one broke during the entire moving part of the process.
The hole was dug the day before. It is all ready in the exact location I specified.
Here, the burlap cover is removed.
Chains are wrapped around the root ball, so it can be carried the rest of the way to the hole.
Chains are also secured to the bucket of a tractor and then connected to the chain around the tree’s root ball.
This allows the Hi-Lo and the bucket to work together in lifting the tree and carrying it to its permanent spot.
Slow and steady underneath the trees.
Meanwhile, a new layer of compost is dropped into the hole. I am so fortunate to be able to make all this compost right here at my farm.
The compost is spread evenly in the hole to adjust for the proper depth.
And here comes the tree. It is now at the edge of the hole ready to be dropped in. The crew selects the best side to face out to the road.
The tree is lowered and checked for proper positioning. It is crucial for the tree’s longterm health and stability to be planted just right. Too deep could suffocate the roots – too shallow and the roots could be exposed and dry out.
Phurba begins to remove the twine wrapped around the root ball.
The team removes the burlap from around the root ball. Once it is removed from the sides, they carefully pull it out from under the root ball. Some gardeners prefer to leave the burlap in place, but I always remove all the wrapping to ensure there is nothing blocking the tree’s natural root growth.
Phurba mixes fertilizer with the existing soil and additional compost placed around the tree’s base.
I use Miracle-Grow All Purpose Plant Food. This feeds the tree above and below the soil for three months.
Then the tree is thoroughly watered…
Especially close to the tree’s trunk down to the roots.
The leaves of this Japanese maple are changing. All Japanese maples, Acer palmatum, are deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves annually.
Japanese maple trees display a wonderful array of autumn colors, from bright yellow and orange to fiery red, before naturally dropping their leaves for the winter.
Japanese maples grow slowly, but they can live more than a hundred years. It looks perfect in this spot near my pond.
I am looking forward to seeing this tree develop and flourish here at Cantitoe Corners.
Japanese maples have always been among my favorite trees - I’ve planted many over the years.
Recently, a friend told me about a beautiful, old Japanese maple at a neighboring property that needed a new home. The house had just been sold, and the new owner planned to redesign the landscape. After seeing the tree, I knew I wanted to transplant it here at my farm, where it could continue to thrive. Moving a mature specimen was no small undertaking. Removing it from the ground and transporting it required careful planning, ingenuity, and strength, but it was well worth the effort.
Enjoy these photos.
This Japanese maple is a beautiful specimen tree. It’s in excellent condition at more than 80-years old. I knew it would look wonderful at my farm.
Few trees are as beautiful as the Japanese maple. With more than a thousand varieties and cultivars including hybrids, the iconic Japanese maple tree is among the most versatile small trees for use in the garden.
The first step is digging it out of the ground. The crew spends time carefully digging the soil from around the tree.
Rope is tied around the trunk of the tree and secured at two points, so the root ball does not move.
We had my trusted Hi-Lo transported to the location to help with the removal process. This is a strong machine and can handle the weight of the tree.
Meanwhile, an excavator digs a level area for the Hi-Lo near the tree.
The root ball of the Japanese maple is wrapped in burlap and tied with twine. This process is known as balling and burlapping. It is an important part of the process because it protects the root system, maintains soil integrity, and greatly improves the tree’s survival chances after transplantation.
The Hi-Lo’s fork is carefully placed next to the root ball.
Straps are attached to the rootball to keep it even more secure as it moves.
Next, chains are also secured around the root ball, so it can be supported from above. Don’t always rely on ropes or straps, which could break in the process. Chains are a good option.
A few minutes later, the six to eight thousand pound tree is lifted to higher ground.
Look how beautiful this Japanese maple is – in form and in size.
Chhiring, who is driving the Hi-Lo, and Norman, who is controlling the excavator, move slowly across the lawn. It is being supported from the top and bottom.
It doesn’t take long to move it to the waiting trailer, but it does take care and skill to move it through tight spaces, under branches, together at the same speed, so the tree moves safely.
Here is Chhiring showing the root ball. A tree’s root ball should generally be eight to 12 inches of diameter per inch of the trunk’s caliper, with depth at about 75% of that same diameter.
Using the machines, the tree is carefully moved onto the trailer.
Here it is getting strapped into the trailer bed for the ride to its new home.
For safety, the entire tree is covered before leaving the property.
The branches are now well-protected.
Here’s Norman making the last adjustments before moving.
It is now covered, properly secured, and ready for its short ride to my farm. Stay tuned for my next blog when I show where it is planted.
Halloween has always been one of my favorite occasions, and whenever my schedule allows, I love getting dressed up in fun and creative costumes. Here are a few of my favorites from years past! Yesterday, I had the pleasure of appearing on the TODAY show in an Olympics-inspired costume alongside host Craig Melvin, who dressed up as my friend Snoop Dogg - also in Olympics red, white, and blue! I shared some festive Halloween entertaining ideas, including my no-bake spiderweb cheesecake, witches’ brew, and a ghastly goulash. I hope you had a chance to watch!
Enjoy these photos and have a fun Halloween!
Happy Halloween! Here I am in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza at a beautiful Halloween decorated table.
The table setting included lots of gourds, pumpkins and spiders in webs – just waiting to crawl on all the Halloween-inspired dishes.
Here are some delicious apples for my witches brew – a mulled cider served with a spooky shrunken head in each cup.
The apples are skinned, cored and then carved – one can use a melon baller and chop stick to carve a face into the flesh of the apple. Add a clove in each eye socket for an even scarier look.
And here I am with Craig Melvin dressed as Snoop Dogg. Remember our appearances at the Winter Olympics in Milan?
I taught host Savannah Guthrie how to make my shrunken heads. Savannah is dressed as an NBC page.
Here I am with Craig, Savannah and can you guess? Dressed with long, brown hair is Carson Daly as country singer-songwriter, Ella Langley.
The morning show team dressed up to celebrate NBC’s 100th anniversary – some wore costumes showcasing various iconic shows through the years. Here I am joined by “Snoop,” Sheinelle Jones as a Radio City Rockette to honor the Music Hall next door, Laura Jarrett as gymnast Simone Biles, Jenna Bush Hager as Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay, guest Jack McBrayer, and on my left, Al Roker as Gumby from Saturday Night LIVE.
Craig did a good job as “Snoop Dogg,” but there’s only one true “D-O-double G.”
Remember some of these following great costumes? Meet my dear husband, Frank. He’s the strong, silent type. We’re pictured in our well-appointed potting shed turned laboratory, surrounded by some of our most useful possessions – test tubes, newt brains and electrodes.
Here I am as Red Pirate Martha with my crew of ship rats!
Here I am as a scary scientist with my nephew, Charlie Plimpton.
I dressed in a lot of costumes for the covers of my Halloween Special Issues. This is “Bad Martha” from the 2007 holiday issue featuring 150 “bad things” such as ghoulish get-ups, scary pumpkins, and spooky party ideas. My “Glampire” cape was made from black silk woven with metallic threads. (Photo by Craig Cutler)
And here is “Good Martha”, with 150 “good things”, such as enchanting costumes, easy decorations, and tasty treats. (Photo by Craig Cutler)
Here I am dressed as a ghostly equestrienne with my handsome Friesian, Rutger, at my side. This costume was for the cover of our 2009 Halloween issue. (Photo by Diego Uchitel)
And here I am as “Motha” from our 2011 Halloween special issue – with my platinum-blonde bob wig, and flirty feathered lashes. (Photo by Ruven Afanador)
This is my “Fairy God Martha” costume. I wore a pink bodysuit and leggings underneath all this tulle fabric. (Photo by Fadil Berisha)
And here I am in a “Bloody Park Avenue Nurse” costume, inspired by the Richard Prince Nurses Series. (Photo by @douglasfriedman)
This is me as one of Roy Lichtenstein’s iconic “comic book women.” I wore a platinum-blond wig and outlined a plain white shirt with black stripes, and used red half-gloves.
And you know this superhero – “Wonder Woman” Martha!
At this Halloween party, I dressed as a many-plumed bird.
You know who I am here – Marilyn Monroe. Have a safe and fun All Hallow’s Eve.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
