The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) from Japan is very popular as an ornamental tree, mainly because of its filigree and wonderfully colored foliage. While red Japanese maple also impresses with deep red leaves in summer, the foliage of the green varieties only changes color in autumn. Although Japanese maple is considered to be very easy to care for, transplanting planted specimens should only be carried out if such a measure is really unavoidable.
Japanese maple often resents transplanting
Which is why moving it is usually not a good idea
Like so many other maple species, the Japanese maple belongs to the flat-rooted species. These rarely go deeper than 25 centimeters into the ground, but can grow up to 25 meters (sometimes even more) in width. Such outgrowths, however, only achieve older trees from the age of about ten years at a location. At the same time, the Japanese maple very easily resents damage to the roots, reacting to this primarily with stunted growth and/or a fungal infection. It is threatened by the Verticillium wilt, whose pathogens penetrate from the soil through the roots into the wood and block the tree's pathways there.
In which cases transplanting is unavoidable
In some cases, however, transplanting is unavoidable, especially if the Japanese maple has been infected with the wilt disease. Since there is no effective antidote, the only way to save it is to cut it back vigorously and move it to a healthy substrate. Other reasons can be:
- an unsuitable location
- Plants in the immediate area are already infected with Verticillium wilt
- Japanese maple is too big for current location
- Substrate is too wet / there is a risk of waterlogging
Transplant Japanese maple - instructions
If it is necessary to transplant the Japanese maple, it is best to proceed as described in the following instructions. Specimens younger than about four to five years have the best chance of survival.
- Dig a circular trench around the Japanese maple.
- This should have as large a diameter as possible.
- Now dig up the plant using a digging fork.
- Lift out the Japanese maple
- and shake off sticking soil.
- In the case of a Verticillium infection, the soil should be removed as thoroughly as possible.
- Check the roots for damage.
- Prune the tree above ground according to the root damage,
- because: Fewer roots can only nourish fewer parts of the plant above ground.
- Submerge the root ball in fresh pasture water
- and replant the Japanese maple in its new location.
tips
It is best to transplant on a frost-free day in spring before the leaves sprout.