The wish to transplant two Japanese maples, or Japanese acers, from pot to border has been preying on my mind all summer long and I have been waiting for the perfect day to do it. The perfect day is when the weather is not too cold, the soil not to dry nor too wet, and when I feel physically up to it. Having a balance problem makes it difficult enough but I'm not kidding when I say that I can only put a fork about 1", 2.5cm, into the ground under my lawn. The borders aren't much better and year by year I have dug away, little by little, until you wouldn't know that right underneath the surface of my garden is enough rock to build a garage. Digging, for me, is a killer.
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| Japanese acer shirasawanum 'Jordan' |
The maples I refer to are
Japanese maple Acer palmatum 'Phoenix', and
Japanese acer shirasawanum 'Jordan' which are still small, have been growing in small pots, and I can dig a hole deep enough in that rocky area which I call a garden. I managed to do it, even deep enough to surround the freshly planted rootball with a good layer of good compost. Now, I need to ensure that they don't die. The way I see it, they are going to be less vulnerable in a severe winter with their roots in the ground than having their roots only in a pot.
They are considered hardy, but our winters, here on the Pennines of West Yorkshire, can be pretty severe. I understand that Japanese maples are prone to wind burn but I also understand that as long as the roots do not dry out, then they have a better chance. And, I have to say that the two maples that I transplanted from pots into the sunnier border earlier this year -
Acer palmatum dissectum Ornatum and
Acer palmatum Katsura - have come along very happily in their new home. So, if the blasted
vine weevil larvae can just leave their roots alone then I might be onto a winner. I can visualise how the Japanese maples all might look as they mature. I have a dream!
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| Japanese maple Acer palmatum 'Phoenix' |
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| Acer palmatum Katsura after transplanting from pot into a border |
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| Acer Palmatum dissectum Ornatum' when it was still in a pot |
