Growing Maples

Contents:
1 - Growing Japanese maples in Hot Climates
2 - Growing Shantung maples
3 - Growing Azaleas in DF/W Area
4 - Growing Rhododendrons in Hot Climates
5 - My Landscape Plan
6 - Azalea Pictures
7 - Grafting Maples
8 - Growing Maples from Seeds
9 - How to Water Trees - New 5-25-08

1 - Japanese Maples

Japanese Maples are easy to grow in the hot midwest climate if given shade and water. They are very adaptable to a wide range of soils and light. The only serious problems I have had are from long periods of standing water or from long periods of drought or from early or late freezes. The best site is under high shade with a north or northeast exposure but they will also grow in other locations. They have shallow roots but are not overly competitive and can coexist with many other plants or ground covers in the landscape.

Many Japanese Maples reach a height of 14-20 feet with an equal spread. The dissectums, or cut-leaf varieties, generally reach 6 feet but can spread much more than this. All can be kept at six feet by pruning. It may take several years to look natural again if you prune large branches, so only prune current year's growth to keep a natural look. Best time to prune is right after fall color through December. Light pruning can also be done in May.

Japanese maple leaf color can be affected by the amount of sun, moisture, nutrients or by the health of the root system. The same variety may even exhibit different colors even when they are grown nearby if there are differences in any of the above factors. In Japan there are many varieties that color differently in various parts of the country. Red-leafed varieties may get green from too much shade or too much fertilizer or not enough water. I have also seen red-leafed varieties leaf-out green when spring rains did not come. I have found that my best colors are when there is 1-2 hours of sun with ample moisture, but drying out slightly between waterings.

Here is an illustration of the difference in color from the lack of roots. The Orangeola on the left has many roots while the one on the right is an Orangeola that was bare-rooted in late winter and does not have a new root system yet.

Newly planted maples need a good hand watering once a week, or more if in sun, the first year. Make sure that the root ball you planted is getting wet until the tree has grown roots out into your soil. If you maple fattens-up the trunk a lot in the fall or in the second year, it is a sign that it grew lots of new roots. They prefer to be moist during the hot summer with irrigation about every 5 days, but can stay healthy for one to three weeks, depending on the variety, without irrigation, once they are established. They appreciate a consistent watering schedule. When temperatures are cool do not overwater, but let them dry-out a little, as this will encourage root growth which will help them when it does get hot. They do like the sun when temperatures are below the mid-eighties and they tolerate the hot sun very well until it is consistently above the mid-nineties. High nighttime temperatures are also detrimental to Japanese maples, especially those in containers, as it prevents them from manufacturing food that it needs to survive.

If your maple leafs-out green in spring it is a sign that it is very dry. Usually watering in winter is not needed, but they do lose water even when they are dormant, so water monthly in winter if it is dry. When some interior leaves change to fall color in summer, it means that some roots are getting wet but a major portion of the root system is dry.

A mature Japanese Maple is rarely bothered by insects or disease. Sound gardening practices, such as good air-circulation, and good soil drainage should prevent any fungus problems. Copper based sprays may help with limbs that are dying but cannot be used during hot weather. Always prune off dead or dying limbs immediately. I do not like groundcovers over my maple roots which may habor insects and rodents that could damage your Japanese maple.

Japanese Maples like morning sun but do fine as understory trees with high, dappled shade. I grow and sell the varieties that perform well in those situations. They do not like heavy, dense shade or being crowded by other plants. Some can take the hot afternoon sun but in very hot years you will get burn in late summer. Most can handle a few hours of midday sun as long as moisture is consistent. Be sure to water extra in late summer or during very hot periods, or before any sudden big change in temperature. Early morning watering is best as there is a time lag in getting the water to the leaves. Some of the red varieties do not hold color as well under heavy shade or too much hot sun. Some varieties need almost full-sun to color well, so grow these in pots and move them to shade when it gets hot. I do not sell many of the varieties that must have this treatment. The most sun tolerant varieties have green leaves, such as Seiryu and Sango Kaku but the most sun tolerant is the species itself, Acer palmatum. Red leaf varieites cannot handle dry soils for very long when temperatures are above 95 degrees. If your maple is getting too much hot sun, either water more often or dig it up and move it in November.

Make sure your maple is raised-up a few inches to a foot if you are planting in a low spot or have a water holding clay. Remember, they will not grow in water-logged soil. I like to mix-in lots of aged pine bark and compost to the soil, leaving the area raised-up about 6 inches. If your soil is really bad, either keep them heavily mulched, or you can plant them in raised beds of azalea mix (pine bark/peat moss) and then will be able to grow azaleas too.

All Japanese Maples can be container grown. It's best to repot your maple at least every two years, pruning the roots or using a larger pot, and giving them fresh well-draining potting soil. Container grown plants need good drainage and careful attention to watering. Check the drainage hole every now and then and make sure that it is not clogged-up. Every time you water there should be water running out of the bottom of the pot. November or February is a good time to repot. Fertilize lightly with a slow release fertilizer at half the recommended rate or monthly with a liquid at half, or less, the recommended rate depending on the season. Use gysum for calcium if needed. Occasional use of Epsom salts, at the same rate as your fertilizer, can help release the nutrients to your maple. You might want to protect the roots by wrapping the pot, or move your plant into the garage, if temperatures go below 15 degrees for a long period.

Japanese Maples in the ground do not need large amounts of fertilizer but do like small amounts in spring and fall, and very small amounts in summer. Best times to fertilize are about 3 weeks before they start growing in spring, perhaps again in early May, and as soon as you think it has finally cooled-off in the fall. If your tree has been damaged from the summer heat, do not fertilize in the fall, but wait until the following spring. You will not burn them if you only use one-half teaspoon per gallon in summer. A balanced fertilizer, such as 13-13-13, with sulfur, boron, magnesium and the other micro-nutrients works well. Slow release is preferred. Use 1 tablespoon on small plants, 3 tablespoons on 4 to 6 foot plants, and about 7 tablespoons on large ones. Use potassium sulfate to help them handle the heat. Severe potassium defiency can be seen with either spots in the leaves, or scorching around the leaf margins. Leaves that are dull may also be deficient in potassium. Organic fertilizers work very well. I have had good luck with cottonseed meal (slow release, high nitrogen), or fish emulsion with seaweed (nitrogen and micro-nutrients but not long-lasting). Root stimulators with some nitrogen and lots of phosphorus work very well on dissectums. This can also be used in September (when it cools-off) to help harden and fatten the branches. Despite what some people say, synthetic fertilizer does not kill the beneficial soil fungus unless too much is used. Rain also has nitrogen, especially in the city from the nitrous-oxide from automobile emissions.

Water your maples very early in morning so the leaves will have time to receive the moisture before the temperature is hot.

Micro-climates are areas that are different from the normal situation. Shade, fences or houses to block winds, and lots of vegetation to humidify and cool the area, all create a favorable micro-climate for your maple. Trees do not like sudden large swings in temperatures and it takes them a week or two to adapt.

Beware of squirrels in late summer chewing-off the bark which can kill the tree. I use cayenne pepper sprays mixed with a sticker, so that it will last longer.

Japanese maples like a consistent amount of moisture. They do not like long periods of ample moisture followed by long periods of drought. Excessive spring rains or watering can reduce root growth which then lessens their ability to handle dry periods in summer, so whatever you do, do not stop watering in summer when they are used to being wet. In the shade they can be grown on small amounts to large amounts of water but the water supply needs to stay consistent.

Common ways to have leaf burn: 1. Lack of water, 2. Too much salts/fertilizers/dog urine 3. hot, dry winds, 4. late-freeze damage, 5. chemical or organic sprays on the leaves during hot summers, 6. salty well water - all deep wells in my area contain too much salt to grow a Japanese maple, 7. damage to cambium layer of bark from weed eaters, squirrels, dogs, 8. sudden change in the amount of hot sun, 9. very hot weather and hot nighttime temperatures causing roots to stop growing, 10. water-logged soil or mucky container mix, 11. grub worms chewing roots on small trees, 12. very high or low soil pH (<5.2 or >8.5), which could lead to micronutrient toxicity, 13. Not watering deeply during droughts at least once a month, 14. potassium deficiency can occur during droughts from 'good' irrigation water that has more sodium than potassium, or from excessive watering which will leach the potassium from the leaves, 15. a sudden, dramatic increase in temperatures for plants grown on the 'dry side', 16. several fungus like verticillum and antracnose can appear as burned margins or dead spots during cool weather, 17. nitrate excess without sufficient molybdenum, 18. ants or gophers destroying water penetration, 19. all ammonium nitogen without nitrate nitrogen, especially in containers, may cause ammonium ion to become toxic especially in hot weather, 20. mature plants that have limited root growing space and hot weather.

2 - ACER TRUNCATUM - SHANTUNG MAPLES:

Shantung maples are easy to grow. They are shade trees that like full sun to a half day sun but will even survive in the shade. They seem to like slightly acidic sandy soils with some organic matter the best, but will grow quite well in heavy clay and alkaline soils. Shantung maples do not like being too wet. I let mine dry out between waterings. In the hot dry climate of North Texas your Shantung maple should live well over 100 years unless it is planted in an area that restricts root growth, such as a small courtyard or very small yard surrounded by foundation, driveway, and streets which may shorten its life expectancy.

Shantung maples grow every day. Even in winter they are growing roots. To get fast growth they need sun, moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and all 13 plant nutrients on a continuous basis. Maximum growth will not be achieved if any of the nutrients are in short supply. North Texas soils are usually low in nitrogen and boron. Use of complete fertilizers will also give your tree more of the other essential nutrients. Over-watering may leach nitrogen and other nutrients from your soil or leaves. A soil test is the best way to reveal shortages. What may look like nutrient deficiencies are usually the result of other problems like poor drainage, herbicide damage, soil compaction, root fungus, or from over or under-watering.

In the year 2006 the neglected Shantung out by Dick Price Road got permanent wilt from being so dry. Permanent wilt means that even after watering the leaves are wilting in the morning. It took about 2 weeks before the tree recovered, so be patient. Even as dry as it got, it did not lose any leaves or branches and it was as beautiful as ever in the fall (see picture under Shantung Maples, it is the close-up of yellow fall color). I would not suggest you let your Shantung get that dry as it was getting close to being damaged.

Large trees in your yard are irreplaceable, so make sure they get water during droughts. Annuals, perennials, and even shrubbs can be replaced, but mature trees might take 2 generations to replace! Large trees help to cool your house, saving you energy, and if you choose one like the Shantung maple it will cool your yard and enable you to use less water on your shrubs and lawn. My yard is about 10 degrees cooler than the neighbors treeless property. St. Augustine grass takes much less water in the shade. The best way to water is deeply and not too often. I find it takes me 3 to 5 hours from a single Rainbird shrub head to water a 20 foot tree in totally dry soil, which is about 500 gallons of water, but it might not get watered again for 2 weeks. Shantung maples are great street trees and can be planted 8 feet from your house. I do not think Shantung roots will tear-up a patio or sidewalk.

Most soils have enough nutrients although adding some nitrogen fertilizer will improve growth. Good times for adding nitrogen are the 2nd week of March, and again in May and September when it cools-off. Do not fertilize them in summer. They grow from 2 to 5 feet per year for me. The year 2006 was the driest and hottest year ever, yet my small Shantungs started summer growth in mid-July and grew up to 4 feet by the end of September. The August growth occured with daily temperatures of 102 to 107 and nighttime temperatures that never dropped below 82 degress. Very sandy soils usually require extra nitrogen, phosporous, potassium, and sometimes calcium and magnesium. Excessive nitrogen and rapid growth might lead to a boron deficiecy so add just a little boron, like 1/2 tsp Borax, if you see black streaks on shoots near the base of leaf stems. Timing is everything in growing plants. If your tree does not get the nutrients or water when it needs it, then you won't achieve the full growth potential. If you fertilize too soon or late and didn't get your Shantung off to a good start, you missed your chance. Also, remember never to fertilize a tree that is damaged or overly-stressed, but wait until the following year.

Shantungs benefit from consistent watering until they are established, or during droughts, but too often people overwater them the first year. Do not water them every day! Once every 5 days between watering will be fine even with very high temperatures. Once established in one or two years, they like consistency, either once a week, bi-weekly, or longer between waterings. Keep them mulched and do not allow root competition from other plants in their root zone until they are established. Getting rapid shoot growth the first year in the ground may not be possible without rainy periods, but be assured that it is growing lots of roots getting ready for fast growth the next year. Wrapping the trunk prevents damage to young bark from the sun and weedeaters. Once the tree has thick, heavily-fissured bark, wrapping is not necessary.

Dig a wide hole to break-up the soil which will help the roots to quickly grow out. Add some organic matter, sand and compost to a depth of 15 inches if your soil is workable. Do not plant too deep or too high. When the trunk at the base starts to increasingly widen, this is your soil level point. Young trees do not always have a noticeable root flare or may have just one large root. With age your Shantung will have many large roots all around the trunk base but will not have visible surface roots. They should not require staking. I have planted a Shantung maple in a very windy spot in a sandy soil and while it is leaning a little away from the wind it has been fine. Growth will be thicker and slower in windy locations. Shantung maples have many fibrous roots, primarily within the drip line.

Shantung maples will look better if pruned at a young age. This maple has a tendency to grow very low branches. Prune-off low limbs, that are small, up to where bigger main branches start, around 3 or 4 feet. Smaller branches below larger branches will not ever grow as fast and will stay smaller, and I feel that the first branches on a tree should be the largest ones for the best look.

Interestingly, many of these maples grow crooked when young but they seem to turn-out even better than the straight ones! The picture below (left) is a Fire Dragon Maple that I selected to be the centerpiece of the new Maple Knoll garden. The 2 year old Fire Dragon Maple (right) is what it once looked like, a crooked tree with two leaders. The smaller leader now is a nice looking first branch and most of the bend has straightened-out.

The natural shape produces many crowded branches with many leaders. Major pruning can be done right after leaf drop in December or again in early June. One inch branches pruned on a vigorous tree will be completely healed-over by the end of summer. I wouldn't worry about painting the cut unless the tree is under some kind of stress. If you prune at the wrong time and get excessive sap flow don't worry. In about 9 days the wound will be sealed enough to stop the sap flow.

Don't prune your Shantung Maple up too high too soon. At least two-thirds of the height of the tree should have branches. Far too often I am seeing elms, oaks, etc. that are being pruned way-off the ground leaving very little branches, and leaves, for photosynthesis. It is way too much shock for a tree at one time. Do not prune lower limbs on very old trees. Recently someone in Mansfield pruned-off all the huge old lower limbs on an old cemetary oak that will never heal over and will eventually result in the tree's death. Don't let anyone prune your tree without first making them mark the branches, showing you what they will do.

Be careful of weed killers around your trees. A Shantung was killed by the product Image.

Lastly, be careful not to scratch the young bark on the trunk or branches. Small wounds are not a big health problem but when the tree turns that area naturally black, as if painted, it can be unsightly. Don't let cats use your tree as a scratching post as it will leave black marks for several years. Plant Shantung maples at the proper time for our 1 year guarantee. We no longer guarantee trees planted in the months of May thru mid-September as this can be to stressful for them in our extremily hot climate.

3 - AZALEAS:

Sorry but I no longer have azaleas for sale. I need the time and water for the maples. Here's how I grow them:

Azaleas in the DFW area are easy to grow once you get the soil right. They require an acidic soil, 5.5 pH is good, and plenty of air to the roots. Both these requirements are satisfied with the use of pine bark in raised beds. Peat moss can also be mixed with the bark. They will not grow for very long in heavy alkaline soil. I take the plant out of the pot and set it on a few inches of mix, and then pile the mix around them. You will spend more on the planting mix than the plants, but at least there is no digging involved.

The second big problem is getting their roots to grow into your mix. The roots have been grown in containers and until the roots spread into the surrounding pine bark there is a chance of them drying out. Don't buy bargain plants that are extremely root-bound unless you are able to watch them often until they get established. Cut the roots on the bottom and spread them out before planting. Should they wilt you can water them with a hose. If they still wilt then the root ball is probable totally dry and you should let a hose drip on that plant for maybe an hour, or you can lift it up and dunk the roots in a bucket of water. By next summer they should be able to sustain themselves on the sprinkler system and not need as much attention.

Should the fall and winter be dry and warm they should be watered before any abrupt hard freeze. Azaleas, being evergreen, need moisture in the winter and if the pine bark is dry, or frozen, they will not be able to take the freeze as well. When the sun is shining, even when its cold, your azaleas need at least some moisture to keep their leaves from burning. Sudden drops in temperatures can cause the bark to split along the base of the plant when the azalea is getting hit by the sun. Therefore, the north side is the safest spot for them. Azaleas are very hardy though and bark split is not a common problem unless your plants are overfed or overwatered in the fall and therefor too vigorous right before the sudden cold.

Water your azaleas regularly in the summer for good growth. The plants in full sun will need the most. Wind also dries out the leaves making watering necessary. For best growth they will need a small amount of watering about every third or fourth day in the summer if it has not rained. I have some established azaleas in the hot afternoon sun in a peat/bark mixture which are watered just once a week.

Azaleas require little fertilizer. The pine bark has everything that they will need. However for faster growth and lusher looking plants you can fertilize with a balanced azalea food in April, May, June, and September. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is worse than none at all! You can burn the roots and foliage by over-fertilizing. Azaleas grown with lots of sun will need more fertilizer to keep them green. Note: Excessive watering can leach nutrients out of the leaves. The nicest ones I’ve seen in the area receive a product called Ironite once or twice a year. This product is safe to use. Since our water is alkaline this product helps to keep the bark acidic by supplying sulfur and it also really greens them up by supplying chelated Iron, some nitrogen, and other micro-nutrients. Without a soil test you will just have to judge how green the leaves are and apply Ironite when you think they could be a little greener. Cottonseed meal or Miracle Grow for Azaleas are good also.

Azaleas don’t need pruning but if you like to shape them they should be pruned after flowering. This means May or June, depending on the variety. Every time you prune a branch you will get 3 or 4 side branches which will give you 3 or 4 more flowers. Long summer shoots can also be cut-back which will cause many side branches to form. Due not prune after about July 15 unless you don’t mind pruning off the flower buds! Azaleas form their flowers buds in late summer to fall and hold them through the winter and bloom in spring. Many azaleas lose some of their old leaves in the Fall and this is normal. In October some of the old leaves will turn yellow or red before dropping. Also, some Azaleas, primarily the red ones, turn a dark purple color in winter and this is also normal and creates a nice contrast in foliage.

Since your azaleas are planted correctly you should not have any fungus or disease problems. In the shade you will not have any insect problems either. Azaleas in a sunny location might attract Whiteflies. These insects do not seem to bother azaleas in the shade. Whiteflies are very small white insects that fly around like gnats when disturbed. They can damage your plants and can be sprayed with Orthene. Do not use Dursban on azaleas. The environmentally safest solution is to use a dormant oil spray like Superfine in late winter which will prevent eggs from hatching. One possible fungus you might see is blossom-end rot. This only affects your blooms and does not kill the plant. Blossom-end rot starts as small brown dots on your flowers and within a few days the whole flower turns a mushy brown mess. Spray with products containing Bayleton as the flowers are just opening.

Azaleas are long-lived plants. There are some in Japan that are over 600 years old. Basically all they need is correct planting, a little water, and annual mulching. Try to keep the pine bark moist and they will do fine. After about 10 years they probable will need to be lifted and replanted, rasied-up again with fresh azalea mix. If your azalea is not vigorous, lifting and replanting may help. This is done in the fall or late winter.

4 - RHODODENDRONS IN HOT CLIMATES:

Azaleas are members of the rhododendron genus. Generally, Rhododendrons are more mountainous plants and like cool weather, whereas azaleas like it hot. Rhododendrons can be grown in Texas. You must select the right variety and plant them much higher-up than an azalea. Pure pine bark works well or mix in a little soil (about 10 per cent), but only if it is a sandy acid soil. Rhododendrons need a lot of air in their roots to stay alive in Texas. Try to create a cool and moist micro-climate. North and northeast exposure is the best. Only the R. hyperythrum hybrids can be grown like an azalea. Pine needles make great mulch. They prefer every other day waterings while getting established but later do fine in hot temperatures with a little sprinkel every 3 or 4 days on their shallow root system. Rhododendrons in Texas or the midwest, cannot take as much sun as an azalea but some morning sun is nice.

Some really good-doer Rhododendrons are: Roseum Elegans, Anah Kruschke, Black Eye, Yaku Angel, Anna Rose Whitney, Wheatley, Pink Pearl, Cynthia, Yaku Sunrise, Graf Zepplin, Catawbiense Grandiflorum, Nova Zembla and all the R. hyperythrm hybrids from John Thornton in Franklinton, LA, Pushetetappa Nursery. You'll probable have to mail order any of these plants but you might find some around town or in nurseries in Oklahoma or Arkansas. Sometimes Metro Maples has some in stock, so please check my catalog page.

Currently I don't have azaleas for sale due to a lack of well-water used to grow all of my maples. Sorry, I love the plants and they are great companion plants to maples, but I don't have the time or water right now.

5 - LANDSCAPE PLAN:

My ideal garden has mainly azaleas, rhododendrons, and Japanese maples under a canopy of large Shantung maples. (I do not want to garden in Texas in the hot sun so shade trees are essential.) These four basic plants all require similiar watering schedules and soils and are very low maintenance and look great together. I get tremendous spring and fall color. In summer I like only the quiet whispering of trees so I do not plant annuals. Tsuki Gardens, my display garden, is a very meditative place most of the time. I do not plant ground covers as they all become invasive. No vines either. Azaleas are the ground cover and paths are made of mulch. Grass is outlawed. Not only does grass rob soil nutrients and water it requires mowing which pollutes the environment. Rhododendron leaves provide texture as do the maples. I do not plant other small trees, like crape myrtles, because their roots are too aggressive. I do not plant other large trees, like cedar elm, becasue their roots are very aggressive and their limbs break in ice storms which then falls on my plants. This garden requires very little maintenance. An occaisonal leaf and twig clean-up, mulching, or pruning, and watering faithfully is all that is routinely needed. Sometimes plants are dug and reset either to respace them or to get more bark underneath the rhododendrons or azaleas. Lastly I recommend to create focal points with plants or stones, water features, garden ornaments, benches, or trees in pots to keep things interesting for the eye. There are thousands of azaleas, rhododendrons and maples to choose from if you know where to look. WARNING - Maples, azaleas, and rhododendrons are addictive! To get started with serious gardening you should visit many gardens and find out which plants really get you excited. Then join a plant society where you can meet people with your same interest and they will be a big help in finding the really nice plants that you want. Finally, realize that your taste in plants may change throughout the years, and when they do you can dig up the plants you no longer love and give them to friends.

Places to see maples:

Places to see lots of maples besides Metro Maples are at Lendonwood Gardens, Grove, OK, the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens (they have many that are fifty years old), the Dallas Arboretum, and the SFA Mast Arboretum in Nacogdoches, Tx.

Following are some pictures of the azalea varieties in Metro Maples's display garden that were chosen from the 300 different varieties that I have grown: or visit:
The Rhododendron.org website to learn more about Rhododendrons or information on our 2008 National Convention in Tulsa, OK where I will be speaking.

Japanese maples are usually propagated by grafting. Named cultivars do not come true from seed so a branch is cut from the cultivar and grafted onto a Japanese maple rootstock that was grown from seed. This way you will get the exact clone of the cultivar. Also, some Japanese maples will not grow without the use of a more vigorous, seedling-grown root-system. The rootstock of choice is Acer palmatum, the seedling grown Japanese maple, the one that is found in the wild and has been around for millions of years.

Trees are a valuable part of your landscape. They cool your house saving you money on your energy bills and cool your garden so both you and your flowers will be happier. Trees benefit from irrigation when rainfall is not abundant. Droughts can weaken your tree leading to pest problems or dying branches which can eventually lead to tree death. Once you start watering you should continue to do so on a consistent schedule until rain comes.

The best way to water a tree is with soaker hoses or drip irrigation. Sprinklers are less efficient. Deep watering to a depth of 15 inches, once a week is ideal during the growing season when drought exists. Watering deeper wastes water. Watering more often can lead to disease and insect problems and is also harmful to your soil's health and leaches nutrients out of your soil. Trees should be watered on their own schedule and separated from other garden plants so as to prevent over-watering. Tree roots needs oxygen to function properly and too much water fills all the spaces in the soil, not allowing room for the oxygen. Watering too often encourages shallow rooting which can lead to drought damage later on, and also wastes water. Wetting the foliage may encourage insects and disease.

It is best to water the soil directly under the foliage and not past the drip line, except on newly planted trees. Do not wet the trunk or water within 2 feet of the base of the tree, and do not wet the foliage. The best time to water is at night followed by early evening.

Newly planted trees need water applied right over the root ball and a few feet farther out as well. If you have built a water dam extending out a couple of feet from the original root ball then fill this up twice and do not water more often than every 3 days to get a tree established.

Trees should also be watered in winter, during droughts, as they also lose moisture when they are dormant. Much less water is needed at this time and they should not be watered during very cold periods when soil temperatures are near freezing.

questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2008 Metro Maples

questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2008 Metro Maples