The spectacular autumn color of maple trees is the starting signal for a balanced care program. As the gardening season comes to an end, the window of opportunity for important measures in the bed and pot opens up for all maple species. This guide summarizes what to do in the fall.
How do I care for a maple tree in autumn?
In autumn, a maple tree needs the shoots to be pruned to minimize sap loss. It is also important to add potassium-rich fertilizer to increase winter hardiness. Maple trees planted in pots should also be covered with fleece or coconut mats and placed on wood or Styrofoam.
Autumn pruning minimizes the risk of failure
Maples tend to leak more fluid from cuts. Even the smallest damage to the bark in the middle of the season causes the plant sap to flow freely. You can avoid this shortcoming if you cut back a maple tree in the fall. As the leaves fall, the sap pressure reduces and gradually increases again from December/January. This is how you use autumn to prune your maple:
- Prune the maple when it has shed at least half of its leaves
- Carry out pruning by the end of January at the latest
- Ideally cut in dry, frost-free weather
Cut shoots that are too long only in the area of last year's growth. When you thin out old, dead branches, neither long stubs should be left standing nor the branch ring should be injured.
Potassium fertilizer strengthens winter hardiness
The robust winter hardiness of up to -40 degrees Celsius is not innate even in local maple trees. Reliable frost tolerance only develops over the course of the first few years. By applying a potassium-rich fertilizer in the fall, you promote this process. This nutrient in particular is able to lower the freezing point in cell water and strengthen the tissue of the cell walls.
Set up a vat of comfrey manure in good time in the summer so that you can shower the tree disc once or twice in August and September. Alternatively, administer Patentkali (€33.00 on Amazon) or Thomaskali in late summer according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Maple in the pot wants a winter coat
Potassium-rich fertilizer is not enough to protect potted maples from the rigors of winter. Cover the bucket with fleece or coconut mats and place the container on wood or Styrofoam. Collect autumn leaves and place them in a thick layer on the substrate.
Tip
Autumn is not just the pivotal point for important care measures. As summer comes to an end, the ideal time window for planting in the bed opens. In September and October, the sun-warmed soil provides the ideal conditions for rapid rooting.
