Planting Japanese Maples Behind My Tenant House

October 15, 2020

Planting Japanese Maples Behind My Tenant House

This season's tree-planting project continues at my Bedford, New York farm with a group of young, healthy Japanese maples.

Every year, I always add a few interesting and rare trees to the gardens. The area behind my Tenant House, where my daughter and grandchildren stay when they visit, is already filled with shade-loving plants and a variety of Japanese maples, but the area needed a few more. Not long ago, I received a collection of these trees from Monrovia, a wholesale plant nursery specializing in shrubs, perennials, annuals, ferns, grasses and conifers with several nursery locations across the country. I knew some would be perfect for the space and decided to add 14 more Japanese maple trees to the garden. These trees provide such beautiful forms, leaf shapes, and colors - I am looking forward to watching them develop and thrive.

Here are some photos.

: I am constantly thinking about how to improve my gardens. When this collection arrived, I knew just where some of them would look best.

: Ryan transported a total of 14 Japanese maples from outside the Equipment Barn to the edge of the Tenant House garden. Our Polaris Ranger is excellent for moving plants around the farm – we use these vehicles every day.

: This is my Tenant House garden. In spring, the area is filled with daffodils. During summer and early fall – beautiful shade-loving specimens. We’ve already planted quite a few Japanese maples in this area. With more than a thousand varieties and cultivars, the iconic Japanese maple tree is among the most versatile small trees for use in the landscape. They look so pretty with all the green foliage surrounding them. The trees are ready to be placed in the bed.

: Once the trees are positioned, Domi begins planting. Here he is carefully digging one of the holes. Domi watches out for the surrounding plants and any bulbs that are in the ground. A crucial step in growing healthy trees is to plant them at the proper depth. Planting a tree too deep can kill it. Plant it only at its flare – the bulge just above the root system where the roots begin to branch away from the trunk.

: Using the pole of the shovel, Domi estimates how deep the hole should be. He needs to dig the hole a bit deeper. A good rule of thumb is to plant it to the same height as it was in the pot. Japanese maples prefer dappled sun or part shade.

: Once the depth of the hole is correct, the hole is amended with fertilizer.

: We use M-Roots with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps transplant survival and increases water and nutrient absorption.

: Domi mixes the fertilizer with the existing soil in the hole.

: To remove the tree from the pot, Domi taps on the sides to loosen the soil.

: Using the closed tip of his pruners, Domi scarifies the roots.

: Don’t be afraid to scarify – this stimulates root growth. Domi cuts small portions of the root ball to loosen the roots up a bit and create some beneficial injuries. This helps the plant become established more quickly in its new environment.

: Next, the tree is placed in the hole. And then Domi backfills the root ball. After putting a new tree into the ground, be sure to keep it slightly moist for the first year as it takes root.

: Among those planted are three varieties of Japanese maple – Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Crimson Queen’, Acer palmatum ‘Shaina’, and Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Red Dragon’.

: ‘Crimson Queen’ is a low-branching, dwarf tree with a delicate, weeping form. The foliage holds its beautiful crimson color throughout summer and turns scarlet in autumn. This deciduous, sun-tolerant tree does well in cooler regions, where light intensifies the foliage shades.

: ‘Shaina’ is a handsome dwarf Japanese maple with a compact form. The freely branching growth becomes dense with maturity, and its foliage emerges bright red and matures to a deep maroon.

: The ‘Red Dragon Japanese maple has an attractive lacy appearance. As fall temperatures cool, the foliage transitions to a bright, apple red color. This graceful, small tree is a wonderful addition to shaded gardens and also works well in containers.

: If you follow this blog regularly, you may recall, we planted these two larger Japanese maples in January of last year, as well as some other plants last autumn. This garden, which is located between the Tenant House and my Stewartia garden, is constantly evolving.

: Domi also takes time to make sure the tree is straight and that its best side faces the most visible direction. These trees are small now, but they will develop in time with gorgeous colors and shapes. Japanese maples are native to areas of Japan, Korea, China, and Russia. In Japan, the maple is called the “autumn welcoming tree” and is planted in the western portion of gardens – the direction from which fall arrives there.