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gentian52

japanese maples in MB

gentian52
19 years ago

Hi there!

After wanting one for so long, I finally bought a japanese maple this past spring. They are not hardy here (I live on an exposed acreage) so I have treated it as a glorified houseplant - planted it in a large container, popped it outside and it's done wonderfully this 'summer' (for those not from here - we've not really had a decent summer this year!).

Now though I wonder what to do with it this winter. Would it do best if simply brought into the house and maintained it in leaf, or, as I have access to a large walk in fridge where I keep such things as water lilies and a Ginko tree, would it be better if I let if go through the fall, drop it's leaves, and pop it into the 'fridge' for a winter dormancy?

Thanks in advance.

Comments (48)

  • glen3a
    19 years ago

    I have two Japanese Maples growing in pots outside. I would go with the last option, let them drop their leaves and in late October transfer to the refrigerator for the winter. In order to survive they definitely need a cold dormancy, just not as cold as Manitoba in January.

    I wish I had a cold storage place for mine for the winter. Because I don't, I sink the pots into the garden. I then take a cardboard box with the bottom cut out and place around the tree and then fill the box with peat moss and then leaves. This has worked well but then the trees are quite small.

    I also have a ginkgo, but have mine planted in a flower bed. For winter I basically build a cardboard box around it. This helps considerably as I have experimented with a few smaller ones and they suffered extreme winter damage unless winter protected. However, they say to start with a larger sized one as the larger ones are supposedly hardier than the seedlings (they supposedly get hardier with age.) I also have a smaller ginkgo, maybe a foot tall, that suffers winter damage even when protected.

    Hey, it's fun experimenting with out of zone plants.

  • pondlady48
    19 years ago

    Hi Glen, just wondering what a gingko tree is and where do you buy them. thanks in advance.

  • glen3a
    19 years ago

    Hi Pondlady,

    The Ginkgo, botanical name Ginkgo Biloba is a very fascinating tree with fan-shaped leaves. What makes it unique is that it's been growing on the earth for millions of years, since the time of the dinosaurs. I have attached a link with information.

    In warmer zones, it can get to be 100 feet high, but likely won't get that large in colder zones. For one thing, it's very slow growing, at about a foot per year. Some sources state it is hardy to zone 3, but at least in zone 3 Manitoba it seems to suffer winter damage unless protected. Maybe in zone 3 areas that have milder winters (Calgary?) it does better.

    You can usually get them at major nurseries. Discount store nurseries (walmart, Cdn Tire) usually don't carry them, but the bigger nurseries here in Winnipeg such as Shelmerdines and Schreimers bring in a few each spring. These nurseries have a section called "hobby plants" which are plants that they bring in that are not totally hardy for our zone. You'll also find Japanese maples in this section. People buy them with the understanding that they need special winter care in our zone.

    You also might be able to get a smaller ginkgo via mailorder, at places like www.richters.com

    If you buy a ginkgo it might be worth starting with a bigger size, but it depends where you want to put it. They say the 4 foot high ones are hardier than the seedling ones and my experience has been that I agree. Furthermore, some just seem to be a bit hardier in general. I have two that I winter protect and one of them still suffers some winter damage and is basically a two foot high stick after starting as a 3 foot high stick (it's lost height through the years due to winter damage). The other one is doing much better, however.

    I see that you are a pond person as well. I have a 300 gallon pond but it's only 18 inches deep so the fish have to come inside for the winter. My worry is that the aquarium is no longer big enough for them.

    Take Care,
    Glen

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ginkgo pages

  • jumpinjuniper
    19 years ago

    Around here only Bloodgood will work outside. It is the hardiest. I've heard of people in Northern Ontario letting the leaves drop and putting it in an unheated garage. It should be good as long as it doesn't get colder than -25C in the garage. A fridge would work too but seems like a lot of effort and electricity for a plant. May be this natural solution would work for you?

  • glen3a
    19 years ago

    So rob, do you guys grow bloodgood unprotected for winter? Just trying to determine how much protection it might need here, whether it would need to be covered say, with a styrofoam rose cover, or need the full protection such as mulched over top with peat moss, leaves, etc if left outside.

  • Lois_Ann
    19 years ago

    I live in MN and grow a number of different Japanese maples. For winter protection the plants are tied and buried late October - much like tender roses (using the same methods that I use for my roses - they are only buried a few inches down with mulch on top). In the spring (mid April) I bring them up and they are usually budding and eager to grow. BTW, I am zone 4 and have found that even 'Bloodgood' is not winter hardy.

  • Joan Dupuis
    19 years ago

    Glen3, for the J Maple, once you fill your box with peat and leaves, do you leave the top opened, or cover it with something please.

  • glen3a
    19 years ago

    Last year I removed the bottom flaps from the box, but left the top flaps on. Thus, when I was finished filling in the box with peat and then leaves, I just sort of closed the flaps. If I recall I used a couple of strips of packing tape to loosely keep it closed. If there are any gaps in the top when the box closes that's okay. When I shoved the deck I threw snow around and over the box a bit. Depending on the quality of the box, by spring it might be out of shape, damp, and bulging a bit, but this makes it easy to remove.

    You don't want to do the protection thing too early, one year I waited until things were consistantly below freezing or daytime highs were maybe in the 0 to +4 C. range.

    Looks like that's what I'll be doing this weekend. Rainy and 13C/55F today, but next week it looks like consistantly cold.

    Good luck,
    Glen

  • kms4me
    19 years ago

    I've been growing JM here in MN for about 12 years now, planted directly in the ground. I have Atrolineolare, atropurpurea (that one is now about 8 by 8 feet), Inabe Shidare, Garnet, Moonglow, Beni schichihenge, Crimson Queen, Ukigamo (Floating Clowds), and several others. For those under 4 feet, I make a cage of chicken wire around them and fill it with leaves (also protects them from rabbits and deer). For those over four feet, I wrap them from the base to the tips with black landscape fabric. I let the spring weather be my guide, but normally remove the mulch or fabric around mid April. Works great!

    Kate

  • glen3a
    19 years ago

    I'm impressed Kate! Do you roll the landscape fabric around the tree a few times, to really bundle up the plant? Do you pile snow around the tree? Mulch around the base?

    It's not an exact science and everyone's climate is a bit different, but in my case where I surround the trees with a cardboard box and then fill with peat moss, I sort of feel that the box offers one zone of protection and the peat moss another zone of winter protection, which could explain why it works here in zone 2b/3.

    I did read of another gardenweb member who surrounded his plant with chicken wire, then a layer of some thicker insulating material, then another layer of chicken wire to hold it in place.

  • kms4me
    19 years ago

    Glen,

    For the taller JM I wrap with landscape fabric, I make sure there's enough overlap so that it doesn't come loose and leave bare branches exposed. After the tree is wrapped, I use soft twine or left over macrame cord to tie the fabric in place, and I further reinforce it with a few safety pins. I make sure I cover every bit of the trunk, down to the base.

    Kate

  • lesleynd
    19 years ago

    Hi,
    I am new to this northern gardening. I used to live in a z5 before. I haven't even looked at J. maples(nor any other shrubs)zoned over 4 because I thought they wouldn't make it here. It sounds like I can grow anything here as long as it is well protected in the winter??? Both winters I have been here we have had lots of snow cover from Nov til about March I think. So would snow cover be enough (for smaller plants) or should I wrap them also. I bought an endless summer hydrangea last year and I am hoping it has survived.!!!! Has been completely covered in snow all winter

  • Bonsai_babe
    18 years ago

    I am a bonsai beginner but I am determined and up to the challange of the art of bonsai. Now that is is spring, I am interested to know if gentian52's Japanese Maple made it through the winter? Let me know because I purchased a Japanese maple specimen a couple of weeks ago

  • Bonsai_babe
    18 years ago

    I was just reading a few other suggestions for wintering a Japanese Maple such as fridge, cold room, etc. If one were to use a cold room, what temperature does it need to be below? I have a large cold room in my house and wondered if that would work?

  • gentian52
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I am happy to report that my Japanese maple is fine! I just tossed it in an unheated upstairs bedroom for the winter. Watered it once sometime long about January and otherwise ignored it. Went up there two weeks ago to find it leafing out. It is now out in the back porch from which location I carry it outside for periods each day - to harden off its beautiful new leaves to both sun and wind.

    As for temperature - I have no idea what the temp up there was. Your cold room would likely be fine.

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    I have had Acer palmatum 'Robinson's Red' in my garden for the last 3 years with no damage. I put a 4' tall cylinder of chicken wire, covered with burlap, around the tree, but I don't put any material inside the chicken wire. Last winter the tree survived -25°F (-31.67°C) with no damage at all.

    This tree is a seed-grown selection that is sold by Girard's Nursery in Ohio. Unfortunately, the nursery does not have any plants available for sale this year.
    Mike

  • Snaz
    18 years ago

    My A.P. Inabe Shidare is leafing on real well. We did have 45 degrees below zero a couple of times but I guess my insulating the tree well paid off. Also my Korean maple is also leafed out but I did have it protected somewhat.
    Sna

  • glen3a
    18 years ago

    While we are on the subject of good news...

    My inabe shidare survived just fine, though I sunk the pot into the garden, surrounded with a cardboard box and filled in around the plant with peat moss and then leaves.

    I have another one, I lost the tag but it may be a type of acer shirasawanum, maybe autumn moon. It's planted on the north side of the house, between the foundation and a small pond. I protected it the same way as inabe shidare. It came through winter fine and even survived the past cold nights.

    I am thinking of 'graduating' to another method of winter protection. It's a bit of a hassle to do the bury in peat moss thing, plus they are getting a bit big to do that easily. Probably surround with chicken wire, some padded insulating material, maybe a few layers, then mound snow around this. Lots of available snow because I have to shovel the deck in winter.

    My Korean maple (acer pseudosieboldianum) survived just fine. I was a bit worried since my neighbor removed the fence that was behind it (he's rebuilding). I do mound snow around it, but can't cover more than the first two feet, if that.

    Bought another Korean maple on clearance last fall. Sunk the pot into the ground near the house foundation and it survived fairly well. I gave it to my Mom to plant in her new yard because I really admire mine and know she'll appreciate it. I told her though, it's relatively slow growing, so don't expect that it will get huge very quick. It will be interesting to see if hers, in a more sunny spot, gets better fall colour then mine in relative shade (3 hours of sun at most).

    Glen

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    Oooooh! I can't tell you how excited this thread just made me! I loved my threadleaf japanese maple in my zone 5 climate and was heartbroken when we moved to the top of the state and into zone 4 and I couldn't have my favorite tree anymore (zone 3 with some -40F days, but I prefer believing the charts that say zone 4 for us). Now I have to get one and try it here!

    Kate...am I understanding correctly that all of your JMs are in the ground and all you do is wrap the trunk with one layer of the landscape fabric (or a strip of fabric wrapped up the trunk) and enclose all the branches completely in sort of a landscape fabric bag? And your leaf-filled chicken wire cage for the smaller ones is open on the top? And the snow doesn't squish the leaves down and expose the tree to the cold?

    And Greenthumb, just a chicken wire cage covered with burlap (but open on the top?) protected your JMs planted in the ground?

    And Snaz, you didn't say how you insulated your trees so they survived the 40 below temps?

    I understand the potted ones needing to be brought indoors because the pot and roots would freeze I would think. But now I am wondering...from what part of the cold do they need the protection? The dry, cold, winter winds...do they kill the trunk & branches? Or the extremely low (more than 20 below 0) temps and the ground frozen deeply...does that kill the roots? Or do they get killed by a lack of good snow cover?

    It would seem it must be the cold winds killing them because open cages wouldn't raise the temp around the tree 20 or 30 degrees. Neither should boxes or leaves. Even the fancy overwintering films and blankets that nurseries use don't change the temp that much.

    Hmmmm... now this makes me wonder about grafted things that are not hardy in our cold zones... like tree roses, or any of the cool shrubs they have grafted onto standards to make neat little trees. (The only one I have seen survive here is the Weeping Pea Tree but it is from Siberia so it should survive!) IF IT IS the cold wind that kills the graft... then would Kate's approach of wrapping the entire tree in black landscape fabric protect them also??? Anyone??

    Also... would it be possible to make a JM bonsai in the garden in a small pot sunk in the ground and keep it small that way?

  • glen3a
    18 years ago

    "What part of the cold do they need the protection?"

    The entire plant, actually, but let me explain. For a tree planted in the ground, on a -40F morning the trunk and branches of a tree may be exposed to -40F but the roots of the tree will be much warmer, maybe 20F. This is because the snow on top of the ground insulates the soil from the very cold temperatures. The soil likely gets heat from down below as well.

    So, if you have a tree growing in a pot, its roots may die due to being exposed to excessive cold above ground. You can get around this by sinking the pot into the ground for the winter. Then the roots get the insulating effect just as if it was permanently planted in the ground.

    As for the upper woody growth (trunk, branches), as you know each type of plant has a limit to how much cold it can take. A birch can take much colder than a Japanese maple. A banana tree canÂt take much cold. I guess itÂs mostly genetics though other factors do come into play.

    The degree of winter protection that you give a plant will depend on the plant in question and how cold your location is. For example, I find our zone 3 winter is harsher and we have longer duration cold spells than zone 3 Calgary, AB.

    For me, simply wrapping a Japanese maple in burlap or landscape cloth probably wouldnÂt do the trick. I would need to provide a thicker insulating material than that. That is why I essentially bury in peat moss. They are small trees, so not hard to do, but itÂs a pain to do that and I want to perhaps try another method like very thick insulating material around the tree. I have one maple in a pot and one in the ground. For the one in the pot, I first sink the pot in the ground up to the rim.

    In general, sometimes you can get a zone of winter protection by just wrapping or covering a plant for the winter. For example, Ginkgo (hardy to zone 5, maybe 4) suffers winter damage here but if I throw a cardboard box over mine and keep it covered for the winter, it comes through very well. I guess it keeps the wind from drying out the branches and also probably moderates temperatures a bit. If it does reach -40 under that box, it does so at a slower rate giving the plant more time to adjust. There is one theory a plant can take colder than usual if it occurs gradually.

    Glen

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    "because the snow on top of the ground insulates the soil from the very cold temperatures"

    The same reason some "hardy" perennials may not survive a winter here if we don't get the snow cover when needed. So...I guess with all our plants and trees we have to experiment and always prepare them for the worst possible senario...and pray we didn't pay too much for the one that gets killed. :) Oh...life must be so dull for all the lucky people in warm climates! ;)

    "I find our zone 3 winter is harsher and we have longer duration cold spells than zone 3 Calgary, AB"

    I wish there weren't so many extenuating circumstances involved in reliably placing you in a growing zone. Would be nice if zone 3 was always zone 3. We are usually listed as zone 4 here although we have some -40F weather (zone 3), but a town not far below me is a solid zone 3 because they are in a cold pocket between a couple mountains.

    "I want to perhaps try another method like very thick insulating material around the tree"

    I know nurseries lay their trees and perennials down and cover them with the over-wintering blankets and sometimes more layers like straw then white poly and even then some are also in a hoop house covered with a white winter cover. But again that is a lot of expense and work. I always wondered what would happen if you used something like the "blankets" they make for water heaters (would just have to make sure the plastic totally sealed the fiberglass from wet weather. Guess there are all kinds of ways you could make insulated cages or tree wraps for protection. I think I just gave up too easily. Need to buy an inexpensive size JM and experiment til I get it to work.

    "itÂs mostly genetics though other factors do come into play."

    Speaking of genetics...my hubby told me the other day something about scientists discovering something in plant cells... can't remember what it was but it sounded like they could use this knowledge to basically do genetic engineering on plants. If this is so, I vote they first develop a JM and a Flowering Dogwood that would thrive all the way to zone 2! :)

    Thanks for all your explanations. You have given me hope.

  • glen3a
    18 years ago

    Daisy, that makes me wonder. Plant breeders are always developing new plants. I suppose they do this the 'old fashioned' way, by selectively cross-pollinating one plant with desired characteristics with another. For example, to develop blue girl holly they took one species of holly that had nice leaves but poor cold hardiness with another species that had poor leaves but excellent hardiness.

    I am not talking about 'fiddling' around with the plants genes or anything, but I am wondering what's the biggest improvement in plant hardines they are able to obtain that way?

    I know sugar maple, acer saccharum is generally considered hardy to zone 4, though some people do grow it in zone 3. I see that Jeffries Nurseries has developed a new cultivar which is now considered hardy to zone 3. So, one might argue that's one zone of improved hardiness. The reason I say 'argue' is because some people were growing the regular acer saccharum in zone 3 with some winter damage, so maybe that's more like half a zone of improved hardiness with the new cultivar.

    I guess such things, however, take years and years to develop because you have to wait for a plant to be of blooming age, and then grow and observe the offspring to see if they inherited the characteristics you want.

    Glen

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    With the new 'whatever it was they discovered' about cells or genes maybe they won't have to wait years and years to introduce a new strain...maybe they would know absolutely and immediately that the new strain would only do what they "programmed" it to do??? That would be awfully cool because gardeners are probably some of the most anxious, impatient people in the world! :) They have "engineered" chickens now that will have tons of meat on these tiny little bodies...they may have taken years to develop it but now they can produce them instantly everytime. Hmmmm...but that just went back to the "take years to do" idea... :) Cause once they develop and trial a plant by the normal methods they can produce it everytime accurately anyways without gene splicing.

    I guess the sugar maple in zone 4 proves I am in zone 4 because you can't drive anywhere around here without seeing a whole forest of sugar maples linked together by plastic tubing (gone are the days of maple sap buckets).

    Wonder why they couldn't put a JM on a heartier root stock? But then the graft probably wouldn't be cold tolerant.

    Browsing the web for container ideas I ran across ideas at Lowes for protecting plants/trees in the winter... besides fabric, burlap, old blankets, leaves, etc. they listed "bubble wrap"...and my brain went "hmmmmmmm...."

  • Snaz
    18 years ago

    Daisylover- I use a double wire cage and put a 4 in. blanket of fiberglass in between. I also put considerable amount of straw mulch around the tree. Altho we had acouple of nights of 45 degrees below zero, we also had 2 - 3 feet of snow which covered the cage real good.
    Sna

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    Wow, Snaz...45 below! That is -45F, right? Is the top of your cage covered or open?

    You all have inspired me. Now I am determined to have my JMs again! I just got a FarmTek catalog and it came in an envelop made of their foil and foam insulation stuff, and it made me go "hmmmmm...."

    Guess it's worth trying all kinds of stuff for your own area cause all you guys have shown that all kinds of things may work. Now I just have to get to Wal-Mart before they kill all the JMs!

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    DaisyLover,

    "And Greenthumb, just a chicken wire cage covered with burlap (but open on the top?) protected your JMs planted in the ground?"

    Yes, that is the only protection I give my 'Robinson's Red' Japanese maple, but I also have 2 or 3 inches (5 cm or 7.5 cm) of shredded cypress mulch in the bed, too. The tree has done just fine. I will post a picture of my 'Robinson's Red' JM here after I get home from work today (provided it's not still raining).
    Mike

  • Snaz
    18 years ago

    Yes, that is -45 below zero F. I do have the top insulated with the fiberglass bats. Like I said, we had a lot of snow that helped ou.
    Sna

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    Hi all,
    Here is a not-so-good picture of my 'Robinson's Red' Japanese Maple along with a few other plants. This is one of THE most exposed spots in my yard and I am shocked at how well this plant has done with very little protection.

    {{!gwi}}

    The Anise hyssop needs to be removed from the left of the tree since it has gotten so close to the tree. This location is full sun all day and the plant does not even blink. If anyone is thinking of trying a red-leaved Japanese Maple, order a 'Robinson's Red' from Girard's Nursery in Ohio - it is THE hardiest JM around.
    My .02
    Mike

  • glen3a
    18 years ago

    Great picture Mike. Is that your thuja occidentalis 'pumila sudworth' that you mentioned on the trees forum on the left of the picture? Do you protect for winter or does it come through fine?

    I love the combination of different textures and foliage colors. I have thuja occ. 'yellow ribbon' next to cherry bomb barberry, emerald gaiety euonymus and thuja occ. 'smargd'. I have been wrapping yellow ribbon for the winter. It may not need it, but I don't want to chance it.

    How old is your Robinson's red maple? Do you find it's slow growing?

    Regards,
    Glen

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    Hi Glen,
    Yes, that's T. o. 'Pumila Sudworth'. No, I do not protect the plant during the winter and it has done just fine. If the plant was EVER going to winter burn, this past winter would have been the winter to have burned the plant and, as you can see, the plant is fine.

    The Robinson's Red has been in the ground for two years (planted early in 2003) and yes, the tree has been fairly slow growing. The tree was about 16" tall when I received the tree and I grew the tree in a pot for a couple of years to get some size added to the tree before putting the tree in the ground. I've been VERY surprised at how well the tree has done considering it's growing in zone 4a. I am toying with the idea of NOT protecting the tree this winter, just to see if it will survive without protection, but I'm kinda chicken because I don't want to lose the tree.
    Mike

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    That is beautiful! When I can find one I am gonna give it a try up here. All of you have given such great ideas for protecting them that I just have to try! Searched the net for Girard's Nursery but couldn't find a website for them. btw...love the little clump of iris. I want some like that. The combo of red with the gold thuja and the purple iris looks good. I love color and texture.

    Snaz, think I am close to your type of weather although we didn't get a good snow cover all season this year and a lot of plants suffered. Guess I should be okay if I plan ahead for the worst and I take it don't cover too early and don't leave it on too late.

    The JM I had before was the Laceleaf (?) Red and it loved the southern part of the state but hated it up here. I gather they are one of the more delicate anyways.

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    Hi DaisyLover,
    Thanks, I like the combination, too. I love contrasting colors in the garden, especially contrasting foliage color since foliage color isn't as fleeting as flower color.

    I have supplied a link to Girard Nurseries in Ohio.

    The 'Robinson's Red' Japanese maple is not available this year (or at least it's not listed online). You might want to call them to see if they have any available, but not enough to list? It's worth a try...
    Good luck,
    Mike

    Here is a link that might be useful: Girard Nurseries

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the link, Greenthumb. I will check with them. I found one nursery in the next state over that has a Bloodgood JM - 3" caliper - for $399.00 - comes with a warning that it is not hardy :) Lots of money to take a chance. I'm going for a much much smaller one.

    You know, some of the most beautiful beds I have seen were arrangements of all kinds of evergreens...different shapes, colors, textures, sizes etc...then add to that some of the shrubs or trees with burgundy foliage and... oh my goodness! And believe me, I am a flower fanatic, but I love things that give a long term effect like foliage.

  • Greenthumb
    18 years ago

    Yes, please don't spend that much for a potentially non-hardy tree. I paid $10.00 plus shipping for my 'Robinson's Red' Japanese maple from Girard's. That was 4 years ago and the tree is probably more expensive now, but certainly not $400.00!!!
    Mike

  • DaisyLover
    18 years ago

    haha no way I would ever spend that for any plant! :) I think the most I have ever spent was $35 for a plant. When we lived in the southern part of the start one nursery had a beautiful laceleaf JM planted in their yard as a display (and for sale). It was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!!! It was around 5' tall and at least 6' wide... gorgeous... price? $700.00 Talk about "drool factor"!

    How big was yours for $10? HD in southern NH has them this year for about $40 for a 2-gal size (I think).

  • Joan Dupuis
    18 years ago

    I have my new JM Bloodgood in a pot, 1/2 sunk in the ground to help keep the rootball cool. Should I sink to the rim now or wait til Fall? Should I fertilize and what's best. It's only about 15-18 inches tall. Thanks.

  • Dream_of_Columbines
    18 years ago

    Hi Glen. I noticed you have a barberry and I have a question about it. I also have one but I believe it is just a common barberry. From what I have read it is self pollinating. So why is it that I get about three berries on it? Do you know if there is any way to make it produce more?

  • glen3a
    18 years ago

    Hi "Dream", I am sorry but I am not sure. I know that some "self-pollinating" plants do benefit from having another plant to cross pollinate.

    I think my sour cherry tree is like this. It's supposedly self fertile but produces loads of blooms and very few cherries each year. If I had another cherry tree to cross-pollinate with it, it might produce loads of cherries.

    As for barberry, I am not sure. I have the cherry bomb variety. It looked neat in spring with it's greenish/yellow blooms contrasting with the purple foliage, but didn't produce any berries at all.

    Glen

  • bonsai
    17 years ago

    Hi!
    My name is Robert and I live in Winnipeg in Canada.I have just bought 3 japanese maple.
    I have know one gardener who has 15 JM on his property.He has told me about winter protection.Yesterday I was surfing internet and I have found this forum.Big suprise!
    I have found another person from Winnipeg.Hi Glen!I have a few question and if you do not mind I would like to see your japanese maples and I would like to talk to you in person.But I dont know your address.If you do not mind can you send me an email?You did not post your email address.Thank you very much!!!!!

  • lori1_gardener
    17 years ago

    I was wondering if any of yu have a full moon JM?
    I just put one in this spring. Im going to do my best
    to keep it alive through the winter!

  • glen3a
    17 years ago

    Hi Lori, mine is either a 'full moon' or 'autumn moon', I forget and I've since lost the tag.

    I am debating on trying some other method of winter protection besides surrounding it with a tall narrow cardboard box and physically burying the tree in mulch. It's just too labour intensive the bigger the plant gets and besides, the tree's located beside my pond so I risk peat moss blowing into the pond whenever I cover it in fall or uncover in spring.

    Maybe I'll just try some super type of insulation material or an electric blanket (just kidding). If it does suffer some winter dieback that's probably okay, since I was thinking about doing some pruning anyways.

    Glen

  • novicegardening
    17 years ago

    Thanks to one and all contributors to this link. I have been agonizing over the proper protection for my Japanese Maple for some time. I now feel confident that I can protect it adequately over the cold Ottawa winter.
    Since I've promised the wife that I'll retire fully before I turn 75; I'll need to spend considerable time in this forum. With a little persistence I expect to revise the meaning of my username from "Novice Gardening", to "No Vice Gardening".

    Cheers
    Don

  • glen3a
    17 years ago

    Wow, this posting is still around :)

    So, this fall, I basically sunk my Japanese maple pot into the ground beside the house foundation, then wrapped the tree itself with quilt batting material, them a blanket, then a box. It's now partially snow covered.

    For my other maple that's planted in the ground by the pond, I wrapped in quilt batting material then mounded snow around the base, then placed a garbage can over that. There's snow mounded around the garbage can about halfway up.

    We'll see how they come through winter. I know that for some plants covering with a box and mounding snow over that gives considerable winter protection. My Blue Boy/Blue girl hollies overwinter that way, but I get the feeling Japanese maples are less hardy so we'll see.

    Glen

  • monacda
    17 years ago

    Glen, I would be very interested in how your JM does this Spring. Have been wanting one for the longest time. Really need a smaller sized tree for the middle of my front yard to provide some shade. So it would be in a pretty wide open area. But I protect my roses as you said you do your JM so am hoping. Please let me know how your JM ends up doing this Spring. Thanks Mona

  • elvis
    17 years ago

    What does anyone think of the idea of overwintering potted JM in the root cellar? It's in the 40's in there and totally dark.

    Thanks in advance,

    Constance

  • Snaz
    16 years ago

    Elvis-this is kind of late but the root cellar should be fine.
    Sna

  • glen3a
    16 years ago

    Mona, I think in Manitoba a Japanese maple (planted in the ground) will always remain a small shrub. I just don't see it getting that large to be able to provide shade. First, they are slow growing, second, any part of the plant not winter protected will die back. One hardier substitute might be the Korean Maple (acer pseudosieboldianum) but even then it's slow growing and multi-trunked, it could one day be similar in size to a large lilac than a tree.

    Back to the topic of winter protection, I revised my winter protection method this year. Previously I surrounded the small 2-foot high Japanese Maple with a cardboard box (flaps cut off) and filled in and around the plant with peat moss and leaves. This worked very well, but was time consuming. Plus, the novelty of winter protecting things wore off.

    This year I mulched the base of the tree with a few inches of peat moss. After it snowed I wrapped quilt batting around the plant (secured with twine) and shoveled snow around the base of the small tree, maybe a foot deep. I then placed a thick plastic garbage can over the plant sort of pushing it into the snow that surrounded the tree. Once we had more snow I piled mounds of it around the garbage can in a drift. The Japanese maple survived winter with some tip kill to the branches but otherwise fine.

    Another advantage may be that I have my maple on the north side of the house near the foundation, which might be a sheltered spot as well as getting no sun in winter (the sun might prematurely heat things up and make the tree break dormancy in spring). When we often grow out of zone plants we often think of situating them in the warmest micro-climate in the yard, but I think sometimes that's not a great idea. You want a sheltered spot with dependable snow cover that doesn't melt halfway through winter.

    Glen

  • jeffreyfpreston_aol_com
    16 years ago

    I just called Girard Nurseries and the JM on their site is indeed Robinsons Red which they grow from a tree that is in their town and proven very hardy. 1 gal. pots are only 12.00 with 10.00 shipping how can you go wrong?

    They also offer the Blueboy Holly series too. I'm going to try those as well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Girard Nurseries

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