Hi guys, Bought a Sode Nishiki of about 300 cm last winter. Put it in full sun (sunrise to sunset), I'm in zone 8a. Normally, according to the Vertrees book, it should be able to handle full sun. But it seems to struggle a little bit. I water it daily whenever over 22° C. Planted it by digging out the old soil, adding a lot of improver (also lower pH), has good drainage, ... Check out the pictures. I'm wondering what I should do. It's a big tree, it came in a small pot, it probably needs to develop a root system as well. Let's say if it would not be able to handle this place, would it die already this year? Or is that a multi-year process? I could always dig it out in winter and then keep it in a pot in the shade out back. But it's such a beauty, I don't want to move it if not really necessary. Maybe it will get used to this place in a couple of years? Also: check out the close up on the leaves. Is that just the sun, or could this be something else? "Shade" side... at least not a lot of sun on this side, only morning sun. Full sun side. You can see a lot more yellow here. Close up on a sun side. Another one. Closeup of "shade" part, more inside the tree. Also probably gets access to water first.
Good evening Kurt, first of all I think those ,eaves aresuffering from frost damage or the winds in May. Secondly I feel that it is fine in that position, but the grass right up to the trunk is doing no good at all. I prefer to have nothing competing with my trees of at least the size of the canopy. Maples are shallow rooting, so all that grass will not help the vigor of your tree. Regarding the mix you put it in. The science says not to do this and just plant it in a shallow square hole in the native soil. But a good top dressing will help. I would not water it daily at all. It does need to dry out a little between waterings. You could well be drowning it tbh. So those are my thoughts for your Sode nishiki. Hope that helps. D
Fully agree with Derek, you need to remove the grass for around 18” from the trunk. A large tree will take 2 to 3 years to get its roots out and fully establish. That means developing a root system which can properly supply the tree with moisture. The tree may also be planted too deep, if so this can be rectified when you remove the turf. This will also form a well to help with watering.
Going from a nursery where it would likely have some protection, a JM of that size is highly likely to show some leaf burn in the first summer planted in full sun (and wind). It should be OK but you need to keep an eye on it. I agree with @Acerholic about the grass near the trunk - in addition to competing with the tree it makes it hard to tell how damp the soil is and is an accident waiting to happen regarding cutting the grass. (Imagine if you went on holiday for a couple of weeks and a well meaning relative decided to strim that grass for you?) I also like to plant JM's 10 cm higher than the surrounding ground if it is flat, and gradually slope the soil down to grade. Also agree on not watering every day. For new trees I prefer to water heavily once a week during dry spells and not at all when rainy. In the second year I would only water if it didn't rain for a month. Having said all that I have looked up 'Sode nishiki' (as I have never grown it) and am surprised that the Vertrees book recommends it for full sun. It is variegated and also in the 'Katsura' group of orange/yellow spring foliage types. Either of those traits would give me pause about putting it in full sun all day but both together scares me! Hopefully someone who grows it can let us know how much sun it can truly handle.
Thanks all! Damn... seems I'm doing everything wrong. The road to hell is paved with good intentions... :) Now, with the soil... its not as extreme as it may seem. I dug a big hole and added some soil improver to the mix (not a lot... DCM vivimus, I don't know if you have that locally... its a mix of peat and other organic matter), but there is a lot of original soil in there. I just wanted to improve the structure and drainage and reduce the pH a tiny bit. How would you guys recommened me to remove the grass? Maybe I should set out a circle around the tree and then kill the grass in between with some ecological contact-weedkiller (not something like Roundup that kills roots)? Because digging might kill the roots, which is risky in summer? Then add in some woodchips? Here is the information I have on Sode Nishiki... It is such a nice varient, yet very very little info available online. Buying it anywhere seems impossible.
No weed killer Kurt. Even a so called eco one will cause more problems than it's worth. I would gently remove the turf with a flat spade. Then once October is here, remove a touch deeper. But do cover with a mulch/ woodchips if you remove the turf now, to give protection to the roots of your maple from the Summer sun. Regarding doing everything wrong, we all do that and you are no different. Every day is a learning day in gardening. When you think you know it all, that's when you get into even more troubles..
the reply is more easy :the planting is a classic error :i buy one maple and i put them in the soil with english lawn ,with the lawn near the trunk -the maple have the root system soffucate and very bad dreinage -in this case the good way is : no lawn zone around the trunk for 70x 70 cm (2.30 feet) if you prefere the square or 80 cm of diameter if you frefere the circle--best way is if you planting the maple on little hill for good dreinage when you use automatic watering-more nursery sell maples with intricate root system ,root turn in the pot ..have you districate the root?
