my son just died. i bought 3 japanese maples to plant in his honor in my yard, they are still in their pots. i want to plant them in a not so perfect place. they will get partial sun not shaded. luckily i have a somewhat acidic soil which is also sandy. i do tend to have a green thumb but i can't deal with them dying. i need advice on how i can care for them so they can grow like my son couldn't (SIDS). I don't want to keep them in their pots long, i want them to take root. Please this is for my lost 3 month old son, anything you can tell me i would appreciate. Thank you so much, Andrea
Andrea, I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine how devastating that would be. I've never known how it would be possible to go on after such a loss. As far as your trees, I would put them in the ground in a holding area. Maybe you could to a drip system, because I figure there will be days in the future that you just won't feel like dealing with them. That way they should live. Then in maybe a year, when the pain is not as acute, you could make a memorial garden and simply transplant the trees to it. Unless you feel you need to be doing something just to cope. If that's the case, I think I would really throw myself into it, amend the soil, add rocks or other decorative features and plant them as a memorial garden. I'm not sure any of that helps, it looks like you're in LA, I'm in the Midwest. Maybe others in your area more familiar with the climate there will have better suggestions. You're soil doesn't sound that bad. Kay Dye
Andrea i'm so sorry for your son ,in FAQ there is a big thread about plant maple "how to plant maple" your son is in my mind ,and my hearth is near you in this hardy moment....not another word......if you want another advice reply again.... "sincere condoglianze" Alessandro
If i put up some kind of screening would that help? thank you for the sentiments, one minute at a time. what kind of soil prep should i do
For the soil :your soil is good for maple is important watering, after planted use pine bark around the trunk The hole:first layer vulcan stone ,for good dreinage ,and a little "reserve" of water after layers your soil ,control the roots if are roll remove roll and cut a little. Someone in this forum have good result with Mycorizal a "fungi" for roots ,good thread by "E.nursery".. ask again no problem! ciao with love Alessandro
I hesitate to offer too much advice as I am a complete beginner, but did not want to let the opportunity to offer my most heartfelt condolences pass by. I can only add that I wish that I had screened my maples a bit better last fall/winter as two of them got some pretty good deer/rabbit damage. I had a small fence around the side but a much taller fence would have been in order.
I think the Mycorhizal fungi are a beneficial addition made on purpose... search the forums for that term and you may find a thread here on the topic. I think an important point to make here is that with plants, there is no certainty of survival; mind you perhaps it is their survival against odds that makes them so appealing as a memorial rather than something certain like stone. I do think Alex makes an important point too in his comments about root "rolls" with which I gather he means that if your plants are potbound, and have roots circling the pot or if you can see that they have begun girdling when in a smaller pot, you should cut those roots so that they do not, later, choke off themselves or other roots. And water well (but not excessively, especially avoiding overwatering in very hot weather) through the first couple of summers. Usually it's best (though I don't know your climate well) to water thoroughly every few days, not lightly every day.
