Japanese Maples, when / how to water in a heat wave, making sure roots are moist and other measures

Sharing my experience of dealing with hot weather to help preserve moisture, and prevent leaf scortch. With the UK about to experience record temperatures, what I am doing differently to help with this. While we can label an area zone 8, what happens when we experience conditions from zone 9 or 10?

[@MapleWorld]

Great advice Carl. We're doing the same here in preparation for this unprecedented heat. We've been busy adding extra shade cloth to our polytunnels too. I spent 2 hours giving everything a good soaking tonight. I've also been busy potting up our smaller grafts from this year into the next size up, to provide more medium to hold more moisture.

[@Japanesemaples]

Hi and thanks for you comments, its good to know that someone like yourselves are thinking the same way! An I though I had my work cut out!

[@kevinallison2856]

That's interesting buddy.
Thank you 😊.

[@Japanesemaples]

Glad you enjoyed it Kevin!

[@Steviejapanesegarden]

great video carl learnt alot

[@Japanesemaples]

Thanks Stevie, glad you enjoyed it!

[@kevinallison2856]

Hi mate sorry to bother you my acer just repotted it. It was ready I moistened the new ericaceous media but did not water it in should I water it tonight as its going to be hot again tomorrow. Thanks.

[@Japanesemaples]

No problem Kevin, if I doubt water! As long you have good drainage this will not cause a problem. Carl

[@kevinallison2856]

@@Japanesemaples thanks you.

[@martinfitzgerald6705]

I see you buy some of your Japanese maples in Aldi, I’ve got some great bargains there also!

[@Japanesemaples]

Hi Martin, yes my son went past or local store and called me straight away! Proper grafted trees at bargain prices. Yes the range is small and you can't beat a proper nursery for sheer variety, but a good tree is a good tree wherever it came from. (Probably Holland!)

[@martinfitzgerald6705]

You need to get Japanese maples on day 1 of sale in Aldi as the staff don’t keep them watered and they tend to suffer by day 3 or 4, also the good ones are gone !

[@janedaniels9307]

Well said I do this myself

[@Japanesemaples]

Many thanks Jane, I try to only discuss what I have learnt from personal experience, so it's great to know that others share the same solutions. Thanks for posting. Carl

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Wow~ Amazing Tree^^
Include Like 38 , I leave 3 Presents.
Have a good relationship.
My friend, always stay Connected.

[@Japanesemaples]

Many thanks and thanks for joining!

[@capesbonsaipotvlog]

Nice binsai idol

[@Japanesemaples]

Thanks and glad you are enjoying the videos. Carl

[@mooncatandberyl5372]

japanese maples are half price at the moment in B n Q

[@Japanesemaples]

Thanks really helpful to UK viewers and and worth bearing in mind if viewers are coming to the end of the summer in their part of the world. Over winter many garden centre's mainly stock Sango Kaku, Going Green and Bi - Hoo for their red green and yellow bark during winter, but sell off other cultivars before they drop their leaves. Thanks for the info! Carl

[@OrganicGreens]

A bigger pot will help you out i would guess.

[@Japanesemaples]

Hi Phillip, thanks for the post and yes it would help to an extent in the summer, however would tend to perhaps get too waterlogged in the winter. To be honest I tend to over pot the smallest ones a little as I did with my new trees, because on balance drying out is the bigger danger. It’s worth remembering that a larger pot has a bigger volume to surface area ratio, so will dry out more slowly. I also find that strangely over potted trees grow more slowly in the year or reporting & I can only think it’s because more energy can be put into the root system at the expense of the actual tree. Carl