Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
dianne_2007

Repotting maple from nursery pot after tree starts leafing?

dianne_2007
16 years ago

I just purchased a 3-4 ft. Peaches and Cream japanese maple. It is in the nursery container. I'd like to move it to a real planter, but everything I read on the forum says not to repot it once the tree has leaves -- only in early spring.

The nursery told me it was OK to repot it - but I don't want to damage this beautiful little tree. Will it be OK to leave it in the nursery pot throughout the summer? It's planted in a 15 gallon container - and doesn't appear to be root bound.

Comments (6)

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    Generally speaking I have repoted and planted out leafed Jm's with little problem except when really hot.. it is important to know whether it was under shade cloth or not but either way if it is even modestly hot and sunny I'd keep this current potted plant or the repotted one in the shade for a while especially if it is shade cloth grown.
    That being said a tree that size in a pot that big would probably better served waiting til fall with no leaves cause it will likely be a mess if you try now IMHO...and other than the ugly potv there is no actual downside..the upside being waiting will likely do less harm as it pretains to the actual extraction and repotting ..David

  • myersphcf
    16 years ago

    One caviat to my above statement on planting out leafed potted JM's.even though I suggest in your LARGE case not to.More tender cultivars ( such as Peaches and cream and vaiegated stuff are in fact more testy to transplant in general and you might have some leaf loss and damage if you do so fully leafed even in spring or gradually acclimating them to sun... most of my stuff that I have done so fully leafed with little or no damage was not of this type. David

  • dawgie
    16 years ago

    I think it would be fine to repot it, but I would wait until the new growth hardens off some. Plants in general are tender right after a growth flush, and if nothing else, you make break some of the new limbs.

    Plants grown in containers can be planted or repotted just about any time as long as you use proper precautions. Transplant during the cooler parts of the day, like early morning or late afternoon. Be careful not to disturb (break apart) the root ball while repotting. Water right away after repotting, and keep the tree in a shady spot for a while.

    I have planted and repotted Japanese maples many times during the growing season. Although it is best to do while they are dormant, it can be done at other times. Moving a plant that is in the ground is another issue, and I wouldn't do that unless the tree is dormant.

  • krazy_karma
    16 years ago

    I just got TWO JM's at a nursery moving sale. They were totally root bound and had been in the same pots for years according to the lady at the nursery. I have repotted one so far. I did that 3 days ago and it looks HAPPY! I'll probably repot the other one today. Make sure the new pot has good drainage, and water all the air pockets out of the soil.

    This is just my 2 cents. I'm no expert.

  • chano_cogan_virginmedia_com
    13 years ago

    I have 2 JM's and the pots became slightly damaged when i moved house in January. I re-potted one of them in the early spring, and all seemed well at first but after a week all the leaves dried up or fell off.
    There has been some re-growth on one side of the tree, but the main branches appear to be drying up.
    I've left the other maple in its old pot and it is doing well.

    Hopefully i can do something to save the poorly one as i've had it for over 10 years and its moved with me each time i've moved house, which is 5 times over the 10 years lol :)

  • Embothrium
    13 years ago

    Repot in late winter, before bud break so you can wash the soil off the roots and look for deformities, make corrections. New roots come from cut root ends when over-wintering stem buds open in spring. These buds send hormones down to the roots when opening, that cause new roots to grow.

    In the meantime, keep the nursery pot out of hot sun at all times. The south side of a small (i.e. 1 gallon) pot reaches 150 degrees F. after a short period of full exposure to summer sun. I have purchased many plants to find the roots dead on one side of the pot when knocking them out to plant them. A specimen being moved around in a retail sales yard could have the roots baked on one side, and then the other if turned to face a different direction.

Sponsored