Transplant Japanese Maple Now???

I live in Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a). We are still experiencing warm days (80-90's) with nights in the 60's and 70's. We are starting to experience some cool fronts such as the latest one that dropped our nighttime temps into the 50's with daytime temps in the 70's and 80's.

I really want to move a Japanese Maple now, so I can get some hydrangeas out of pots and into the ground this fall. I know I should wait until the JM is dormant, but I don't want to overwinter the hydrangeas in pots. Is the risk too great to move it now? What should I do to ensure its survival if I decide to go ahead and move it now?

You can move it now but I would advise against it. It would be fairly risky to move it when the daytime temps are still getting into the upper 80s. Ideally you would like to wait until its cooler and preferably until the leaves have dropped and the plant is dormant.

That being said, if you insist on moving it, make sure you soak its root base very thoroughly. It adds much weight to the root ball but it is so worth it as it will decrease the transplant stress. I would make sure to dig out as much of the root ball as possible. You should already have the new hole dug to minimize the plant's time out of the soil. I would mix the back fill soil with compost 50/50 with the original soil. Make sure you are watering it weekly if you aren't getting rain. This watering should be a hose near the base of the tree running slowly for an hour or two. You will need to deep water it as that is the only type of watering that matters to trees.

Good luck to you!

move it in the spring - jm's can be more sensitive than other trees/bushes - I always move mine in the spring after losing a few that were purchased and planted in the fall. not worth the risk.

What about moving a jm to a larger container? Same advice hold true?

Yes as containers are more vulnerable to adverse environmental conditions. I definitely would not put one into a container unless you don't want it for more than a few years or so. These are trees and are meant to be in the ground.

I will disagree with Sequio on this one.

where will you store the tree in the winter - I have many in containers and I being them into the garage after thanksgiving for the winter. most of mine are dwarfs and the larger ones stay in containers for only 3-4 years or until the perfect spot in the yard identifies itself.

on many past threads here folks have had jm's in containers for years - one Dave in NJ had in a container for 25 yrs and it is still going strong - containers will limit the size of the tree and they will require root trimming from time to time.

Wha - My jm is a Coral Bark and still has its leaves. It's in a pot that I have set inside a larger clay pot padded with mulch. Because I live in Zone 8a in TX, I'd like to keep the jm in a pot for a year or two to figure out the best space for it. As you might imagine, our summers can be brutal while the rest of the year is somewhat unpredictable. And obviously the amount of light it will get will make a difference as well. In the meantime, should I go ahead and pot it up a size now?

The tree will remain outside as I do not have indoor space. When we get our one or two really cold spells I can cover it. My garage is not heated and has no outside light.

Just guessing, but from ground to tip top, the tree is a little over 5' tall. Didn't measure girth but it wouldn't be much.

Do you have light in your garage, Wha? I don't have light in my garage so that's out. I think it's undeniable that a plant is happier in the ground rather than in a pot. That being said, I've seen larger trees die even at a greenhouse, after being in a pot for so many years. For the average person, trying to grow something in a pot for several years is not an option as pots require much more care than something in the ground. There will always be that time that the average person will inevitably forget to water it at a crucial time and then you have death. Most people on here are not the average person so we might be able to get the plant to live more long term. When I worked at a nursery, I always advised against people trying to grow trees in pots because of this reason. If someone is willing to put the sort of time and care into long term growing of a containerized tree or shrub, yes it is possible.

Well, since the trusted garden center where I bought my jm is only a few blocks away and they're having free food today, I may just have to wander over there and talk with them some more. And then consult another trusted garden center at their free happy hour next Friday. Life can be hard sometimes. :D

tx flower child - I would wait till spring

sequoia - jm's are not a thirsty tree - I hardly ever water mine here in containers - maybe once a month if there has been no rain - no deaths yet. everything does better in the ground - jm's happen to be a tree that does well in containers

where is davidsan when I some back up :)