Beautiful, colourful, easy to grow, and fully hardy in the UK. It’s no wonder many of us have a Japanese maple taking pride of place in our garden. They are a wonderful centrepiece and if you haven’t grown an acer before I recommend you do so. You and your garden are missing out.

Japanese maples are straightforward to grow but, as with any plant, there are ways and means of getting that little bit extra out of them. With that in mind we’ve compiled our top 7 tips on planting and growing Acer Japanese maples (Acer palmatum).

Tips for planting Japanese Maples

1 The best place to plant 

When choosing a place to plant your acer Japanese maple you will need to consider that they typically prefer a shady spot. It’s also imperative to ensure that they are not exposed to any wind or frost as they are very sensitive to this.

The best type of soil for the acer Japanese maple is a slightly acidic loamy soil that is very well drained. They struggle in alkaline soils that are very dry. If you plant your acer and find that it isn’t doing as well as expected for the first year, it is OK to dig it up and move it to a better position.

2 How to plant Acer Japanese Maples in the ground

You will need to dig a hole that is twice to three times as big as the diameter of the root ball. At the bottom of this hole, you should loosen the soil before adding at least a 5cm layer of grit and compost.

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When you are ready to plant the tree, take hold of it at the base of its trunk and very carefully take it out of the container it came in. Once you have put it into the ground, you need to be very careful to fully fill in the hole. Make sure that a very fine amount of the root ball remains above the surface so that oxygen can reach it.

3 How to plant acer Japanese Maples in container

Acer Japanese maples grow just as well in a container especially as a patio plant owing to their slow growth. To begin, you won’t need a container that’s any bigger than double the current size of your tree. Just make sure that whatever container you choose, it has plenty of drainage holes. If it does, you can drill these yourself.

It’s best to choose a loam-based compost and make sure it has a lot of organic matter. Once your acer is in the pot, choose a location that’s sheltered. It’s a good idea to put your container on ‘feet’ as this will ensure better drainage.

4 The best time to plant Japanese Maple

As well as choosing the right spot, it is essential to make sure that you plant your acer Japanese maple at the right time of year. The good news is, if you are going to put it in a container, you’ll be OK to plant it at any time. This is as long as the ground is not icy or covered in snow.

We would also recommend choosing a day that isn’t overly windy as this could adversely affect the tree if it were to blow over. With all of that in mind, it is best to plant your acer in autumn, leaving at least a month before the first frost.

5 Using fertiliser and mulch

The good news is that the acer Japanese maple doesn’t really need a lot of fertilisers. You can usually get away with just feeding them once in spring. Make sure to use nitrogen and phosphorus with a 3:1 ratio respectively.

You should, however, try not to use nitrogen feed on any nearby lawns as too much of this substance can make the plants more prone to disease. You can apply mulch made from straw, bark and rotted compost in the spring being careful only to apply around the soil and not the trunk which can cause disease.

6 Pruning your plants

The great thing about acer Japanese maples is that they tend to retain their shape pretty mean so you won’t need to do a lot of maintenance when it comes to pruning. If you notice any damaged or crossed stems then feel free to remove these but otherwise, do as little as possible in terms of pruning.

There are some people that like to prune their acers into an elegant shape. While this is possible you should make sure that you leave space between any major limb branches. There are lots of photos online of mature pruned acers to give you a guide.

7 Common problems

Acer Japanese maples are prone to some problems with vine weevil attacks being very common. In this case, you will need to repot your acer in a fresh loam-based soil making sure that there are no traces of vine weevils.

It can help to layer pebbles over the surface of the soil as this will create a hostile environment for egg laying.

The worst problem for acers is wind damage especially in potted plants. This is why it is very important to find a sheltered spot such as behind a hedge or wall.

Are you ready to plant? Discover our full selection of Japanese maple plants.