![]() ![]() I bought a Red Dragon dwarf Japanese maple about four days ago. It is hard for me to believe that one year of growth would give this tree enough stability to withstand the Lake Michigan gales that took it down right after transplanting. But everything I read online says we should remove stakes after one year or else we will undermine the long term health of the tree. My dad’s rule was that you stake it for the number of years of the caliper (which would be 3-4 in our case). This is the second winter the tree has been staked. And we then doted on the tree all summer. So we screwed in three dog tie-ups rather than garden stakes. The first winter, we learned the hard way that the stakes we plunged into our sandy soil were not sufficient when the tree toppled several times. It has survived beautifully thanks to your good guidance. It was in the way of construction, so we figured that moving it was worth a try. The tree is about 15 feet tall with a 3” caliper. This post was very helpful to us when we transplanted a large Bloodgood Japanese maple 18 months ago (fall 2020). If you didn’t wrap it yourself, take a peak underneath the first layer of burlap. Sometimes when trees are at the nursery for a while, they re-burlap right over the old. If you choose to plant with burlap, loosen the top and cut the twine. ![]() Your tree will be happier if you cut it off. It can take a very long time for sandy soil to break down burlap. Most people can plant their trees without removing the burlap, however, if you have really sandy soil it is best to remove it. Poly Burlap takes a little longer to break down. Season makes no difference when planting your Japanese maple. Here’s more information about protecting Japanese maples for the harsh elements. If you are leaving your balled and burlapped plant above ground during extreme weather, it will benefit you to throw a layer of mulch or leaves over the ball to help with insulation. However, digging a non dormant plant is not recommended. If you are digging a Japanese maple that is not dormant, then it’s very important not to sever any major roots. ![]() See this post for more details on this process. A tree with a 2″ caliper trunk would need a root ball 24″ in diameter. Tree caliper is the diameter of the trunk, measured six inches above the soil line. The rule of thumb is 12″ of root ball per 1″ of tree caliper. This will help your tree become established in its new home. In fact, root pruning will force the tree to produce more fibrous roots at the cut. As long as your tree is dormant, cutting the roots will not damage your Japanese maple. Step #1: Dig Your Treeīegin by digging a trench around the root ball. Sometimes it’s unavoidable and you gotta’ do what you gotta’ do, but if at all possible, it’s best to wait to dig your tree. Likewise, digging a Japanese maple that is “wide awake” and actively growing can put your tree into shock. ![]()
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