Spring didn't last long here : we've had temperatures that we usualyy have in July-August, that is when it's a hot summer. The average afternoon temps were 20.6 in May (Max. 26.2) and so far (June 12th), 26.9 (Max. 31.3). And very windy, almost 2 weeks with winds between 30 and 60 km/hr (about 18 to 37 mph). So, quite hot and dry and windy, the worst for "J." maples ! I repotted this 'Sango kaku' before budbreak and put it in full sun. It was beginning to get red on the edges of the leaves, so I put it in a big pot I was given (good bargain!) and added some pine bark to keep some humidity around : I also lost dozens of 2-3-yr-old seedlings, but no particular specimen, so that gives me some space since I just can't kill seedlings... ;°) These two others always have problems : 'Orange Dream'. I put it in a place where it gets some sun, from say, 10 to 13 or so. It was OK last year in full shade. Don't what is the result of sun exposure or a (mild) fungal disease : 'Tsuma Gaki' : I'd really like to know where, or how, it can look healthy when the leaves have fully developped : Others are OK so far, especially the "red" ones like 'Trompenburg' or 'Rainbow' (in full sun) :
Hi, It's getting hot around here, the umbrellas are back in the garden for the younglings. A few from today (Ukigumo, Beni tsukasa, Midori no teiboku, Summer gold, Kamagata and Beni chidori):
Orion (or so it’s labelled. In my area this is what Orion appears as). The part in the afternoon sun is very red but the shaded section is green variegated. Lovely either way.
Hot mess!! This is the grouping on my front deck where we sit on the couch and just oogle them. One of my favourite spots. hoping to build like bleachers instead of the dirt bottom
Have just added two small trees to my mapple collection - Benishidare Tricolor and Hana Matoi. Somehow tricolor is very similar to my other Toyama Nishiki, some people say they are same but some don't agree.
Time to get in on this thread! Dark as night here at 15h30, more thunderstorms moving through and more much needed rain. Already nearly 26mm today, some boomers, but not as bad as last week when they were landing almost on the house. I was restoring power to the computers and internet, when the modem/router blew up about a foot away from me with a huge flash/bam. We have some crippled internet back working, but not even at half efficiency, as the box still needs replacing (switch not working) and I'm afraid the Cisco security box which does most of the heavy lifting was also taken out in the explosion. Meanwhile, here's one of my favorite maples in summer, A. pseudoplatanus 'Prince Camille de Rohan', this year covered with pink samaras that positively glow in the late afternoon light. The tree is very bright in early summer, but becomes quite a dark and brooding presence in late summer as the leaf undersides get very dark and the top variegation moves from cream to almost tan. It doesn't burn (well in normal sun; let's say it doesn't burn more than any other tough green tree), but it's really admirable all told. Less flashy than Esk Sunset' but much, much tougher, and in many ways a better choice for a mixed garden pallette. This is what Tasha does when she wants personal door service. Sigh…
The encghanting smell of earth when the first raindrops fall at last! Then, thunder and lightning, gusts of strong wind and heavy rain for about 15 minutes. Some of my pots tipped over, from what I can see from the kitchen window, including a Larix bonsai :-[ I hope the pot is not cracked.
That's what I feared, the pot broke. I must find another one, and it's really not the right time to repot/slip-pot a Larch : Back to Maples : The A. Laevigatum is thriving : The A. sikkimense that Emery was so kind to send me also seems to enjoy this unusual wheather in the Loire Valley : Cheers, Alain
Why are the leaves on this silver maple turning blackish/brownish at the end? the tree is definetly not underwatered/overwatered.. Also if you notice in the second photo, the tree has developed a strong resistance to gibberellins (or ran out), so stem elongation in new growth has halted, resulting in a very compact look.
These are strange maples, they have me a little baffled. Here they're keeping the "sikkimense purple" still, and new growth is somewhat purple. I have a little A. sikkimense from a wild collection, the leaves are actually very similar, but it is much more purple. Or purpler. Anyway the jury is still out on these. The laevigatum you gave me is doing great, I will get a picture for sure. I potted it up a few weeks ago, it seems to be growing happily. Thanks! Because the other 2, in the ground, are both really most sincerely dead, to quote a famous authority on deadness. "The Larch" is also growing really well in the rain, hopefully this year will establish it (knock knock). Bummer about that pot. Um, it looks pretty off kilter. Maybe too many chemicals, or it has a virus. Hopefully it will be OK next year, if you don't juice it any more! Here's a nice summer maple that keeps it's color really well all summer: A. x hillierii 'Summergold'. A. miyabei × A. cappadocicum 'Aureum', found at Hergest Croft. This one suffered badly in ground, and lost the central leader, but is now luxuriating in a pot for a few years, and looking nice. Actually a little more yellow than in the pics.
A lovely sunny Summer's afternoon in my garden with some of my maples giving a nice show. It's 27°c btw. Tsuma beni x 2 Peaches and Cream x 2 Olsen's Frosted Strawberry Red Dragon x2 Amagi shigure x2 Moonrise x2 Ukigumo x2 Lileeanne's Jewel x2
Something like 30+ here, and after the rain a lot of my trees have brown spots, including those that never had any like A. shir. 'Autumn Moon'. But : saw some "piéride du choux" (Pieris brassicae), these yellow butterflies that were so many when I was a kid, and different kinds of bumblebees, big black ones, orange and black ones, etc. So, mother nature is still alive, which is good news !
Good to be back. Hope everyone's trees are coping well with the heat in Europe and beyond. Will try and post a few photos tomorrow.
Finally got a Japanese maple! Not sure of the variety but pretty sure the label is wrong. Anyway it was the only maple in the supermarket so had to have it. I guess I'll need to give it winter protection...
Here are a few of mine that are enjoying the cooler weather this Summer here in Southern England. Iijima sunago Mushashino x2 Red Dragon x2 Beni shigitatsu sawa x 2 Aconitifolium X 2 Ornatum X 2 Trompenburg X 2 Green Trompenburg x2 Vitifolium X 2 Momoiro koyasan x2
If it's from seed, it might not keep the red colour very long, especially if it was kept in a shaded place before being sold. Winter protection ? No, I'm pretty sure it needs no winter protection, even in the north of England, even if it stays potted. The only thing I can think of is the soil : when you buy J. maples, very often the mix retains too much water. In a region where it can rain a lot - does it, in Darlington ?... :-) - too much moisture can damage the roots.
In these conditions, "Winter protection" for your tree probably means making sure the rootball is not completely soaked 24/7.
