A maple tree is at the top of the wish list as a house tree. Choosing the ideal candidate from the nearly 200 species and countless varieties is a greater challenge than planting your favorite maple. These instructions answer all important questions about skillful planting in a practical and understandable way.
How and when do you plant a maple tree correctly?
To successfully plant a maple tree, choose a sunny to partially shaded, wind-protected location with loose, humus-rich soil. The best time to plant is in the fall, except for frost-sensitive Japanese maples, which are planted in the spring. After planting, ensure adequate water supply and stability.
When is the best time to plant maple trees?
If you plant a maple tree in the ground in autumn, the young tree will root in time for winter. This choice of date gives the deciduous tree a vital growth advantage in spring and reduces the need for watering in the first year. An exception applies to Japanese slotted maple (Acer palmatum) and its varieties. Due to the sensitivity of these trees to frost, we recommend planting in spring.
Which location is perfect?
You offer a maple tree at this location the ideal conditions for a long tree life:
- Sunny to partially shaded without blazing midday sun
- Warm and protected from the wind
- Nutrient-rich, loose, humus-rich soil
Low-light, wind-exposed locations with wet, acidic ericaceous soil are unsuitable as a location. The optimal pH value for native maple species is between 6.0 and 8.0. Asian species and varieties thrive at a pH value between 5.0 and 6.5.
How do I proceed correctly when planting step by step?
In order to expertly plant a young maple tree with a height between 120 and 160 cm, you need the following working materials: spade, 3 sharpened, impregnated, 250 cm long wooden stakes, compost (€10.00 on Amazon), coconut rope, sledgehammer, ladder and gloves. How to plant a maple tree correctly:
- Dig a planting hole with twice the width and depth of the root ball
- Hill up the excavation next to the pit and enrich it with compost to a third
- Remove the container pot from the root ball, do not remove the organic ball cloth
- Place the tree in the middle of the pit and open the bale cloth
- Fill the gaps with the enriched soil until the tree no longer tips over
Righten the maple tree, fill in the remaining soil and tamp it down. Use the sledgehammer to drive the support posts 50 cm deep into the ground at a distance of 30 cm from the trunk. Connect the wooden stakes and trunk with the coconut rope for storm-proof stability. If you still have concerns about stability, screw the upper ends of the wooden posts to crossbars.
Pouring edge optimizes the water supply – this is how it works
A freshly planted maple tree needs a lot of water. Surround the planting site with a 10 cm high earth wall as a watering edge and fill in at least 5 liters of water. To protect against drying out, we recommend a thick layer of bark mulch.
Tip
Despite all the care taken when choosing a location, the chosen garden spot may subsequently prove to be unsuitable. You can easily transplant a maple tree within its first five years. The best time of year to change location is in autumn after the leaves have fallen.
