Hello all, I have a long, relatively thin container, dimensions 60" L x 18" W x 20" D. I planted ferns in fall which don't seems to be coming back, but moreover, my worldview has become distressingly maplecentric. I was looking for some dwarf maple suggestions. I was thinking about putting two or three very small varieties in there or am I asking for trouble that way. ie, is it possible to do the root maintenance with more than one maple in the container? What I was looking for specifically is a few varieties that would complement each other well as the year progressed to provide year round interest. Maybe avoiding primarily red varieties so as not to disappear into the brick background Attached are the pics. too close to the house I know, but location dictated by the walkway in front. Seems to get good morning sun (pic taken about 9:30) with protection from afternoon sun from the overhang and brick wall. Sorry for the lengthy post but all suggestions welcome
shirasawanum aureum,palmatum,Ariadne,First ghost ,Banda hime,Corallinum,Koto hime Koto no ito,and last Tsuma gaki .......
so do you think it is ok to put more than one maple in this container (5 foot wide). Not trying to be greedy, but one might look a bit weird with so much room on either side.
I do not have much experience growing maples in containers but have container-grown many other plants for years and would readily put more than one shrub into this container. Its advantages include having lots of volume (for soil and water retention) relative to surface area. I hope it has good drainage though. (and I should note that I can't speak to your climate). As for looks, there is lots of info out there on container planting for good appearance (books, mag articles, probably websites); and one plant in the centre is definitely not a good idea. I think this would look good with either a symmetrical formality (three clipped boxwoods might be a typical arrangement) or with an informal arrangement, such as upright at one end, spreading/drooping in the middle, and upright arching (and shorter than the first upright) at the other end, My own inclination would be to mix types of plants but you can probably find maples in all those shapes too. And with pruning, maples may be able to live in this container longer than many other types of plants. I wouldn't give up on those ferns yet either. They might look good under maples, and many of them emerge very late, even here in zone 8.
thanks for the replies. I wasn't sure if the roots of the trees would become so intertwined as to make separating them difficult, but that doesn't seem to be the case. karin, I hope the drainage is ok. I drilled holes in the bottom, put down a layer of stones, and elevated the container with some tiles, but I underestimated how heavy it would all be with the soil, so I guess time will tell
Hi Paxi, Small dwarf cultivars naturally have smaller root balls. Some dwarf cultivars tend to grow wider than they are tall. Red leaf cultivars I would recommend are Shaina or Aratama. Green or variegated leaf cultivars I would recommend are First Ghost, Sister Ghost, Green Elf or Aureum. Another new cultivar is Sensu - Japanese for 'moving fan'. More of an upright growth habit with very interesting bark - light brown with whitish stripes. Sensu can handle sun or shade. Sam
Well, depending on plant size, the roots will become intertwined... I think the point is, it doesn't matter to the plants. They can meet their needs just fine even when they are growing into each other. The only time a problem arises is if you want to separate the plants after they have become quite big... then you might do some damage. Again, not being a maple expert, I can't tell you how serious a problem that is, but for the many container plants I've teased, cut, torn, or otherwise pried apart, I've never encountered a plant that can't handle the separation process. Most plants can handle root disturbance, even quite severe root disturbance, in fall or in early spring. Even if you transplant something that is in open ground, you do cut a good number of roots - and the plants usually recover. (My one exception was a magnolia). Sounds like you have your drainage all organized. You could test to see if you can make water run out the bottom of the container, but you may prefer not to make a mess on the deck.
