Coral Maple Game Plan

[Gr8tfuldad]

Ok, so I found this grafted coral maple that I had to save and bring home. At least that’s the way I explained it to my wife.
I could really use some help coming up with a game plan.
1) over wintering - it currently is in a 10 gallon pot. The pot is shallower than your normal pot. It is currently is in the back garden, buried mostly in the ground. I was hoping to keep it here over the winter, hoping the ground would keep it insulated better than an I heated garage. Good idea?
2) It seems like it needs a repot. I haven’t taken it out of the pot, but it was tough to stick a pencil in the root ball. She feels full. Can I repot in the spring and then take air layers? Is that asking too much from her at once.
3) A few branches grow vertical off the trunk. Is there any hope of bending them down? Or am I better off air layering those branches and hoping it throw another from a close location?
4) I have a design in idea and a front selected. I really want air layers so I can have coral maples that aren’t grafted. I like this tree despite the graft, but more is better
Thank you for you help and guidance.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Please pardon the fried leaves. She dries out way faster than I anticipated I have it dialed in now.

 

[AlainK]

I don't know if it's the photo, the light, but it doesn't look very healthy; I may be wong.

Anyway, I would remove the branch on the right in the 1st photo.

 

[0soyoung]

Embedding the pot in the ground is okay IF the ground had good drainage, else you just risk drowning your tree's roots. It is easier to avoid this fate by just mounding stuff up around the pot instead. Regardless, roots will be okay just sitting on the ground as long as temperatures are above 15F. The above ground part of the tree will be hardy down to -10F or so.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

I don't know if it's the photo, the light, but it doesn't look very healthy; I may be wong.

Anyway, I would remove the branch on the right in the 1st photo.

I believe what you are seeing is a combination of more sun and getting a bit too dry. I also fed it a little heavy with was a mistake because I don’t know when it was fed before then since it was new. If anyone sees anything otherwise please let me know.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Embedding the pot in the ground is okay IF the ground had good drainage, else you just risk drowning your tree's roots. It is easier to avoid this fate by just mounding stuff up around the pot instead. Regardless, roots will be okay just sitting on the ground as long as temperatures are above 15F. The above ground part of the tree will be hardy down to -10F or so.

We have very good draining soil here. Lots of Sandy loam.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

I don't know if it's the photo, the light, but it doesn't look very healthy; I may be wong.

Anyway, I would remove the branch on the right in the 1st photo.

That was my plan and use the left as the leader. There are two branches there. The tree branches strangely in some spots. That’s why I was asking about bending them. They almost go vertical and other go horizontal. Is this from it fighting for light?

 

[_#1_]

I found that zone 7 to be great for people lazy with winter protection

When I was in Philly, used to be 6b now 7a, I half heartedly mulched some regular maple saplings sitting on the ground and they have no problem at all the following spring. Actually none of my trees had any problems with winter here.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

I found that zone 7 to be great for people lazy with winter protection

When I was in Philly, used to be 6b now 7a, I half heartedly mulched some regular maple saplings sitting on the ground and they have no problem at all the following spring. Actually none of my trees had any problems with winter here.

Less is more in my eyes at least my work sensitize nature tells me that.
I bring my potted figs for next season sales in the basement. Everything else stays outside with no issues. CM is new to me.

 

[_#1_]

You mean figs that produces edible fruits? Figs planted in the ground have no problems with winter in 7a.

I see people have them in their front yard in the ground. So I planted two varieties in the yard myself.

One had very minor tip die back back while the other was good. Made a bunch of fruits this year too.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Yes. Mine for resale are in 1 gallon and 3 gallon pots. The ones in the ground are 12’ ready for a trim back. I am a 1/8 mile from the bay and 2 miles from the ocean. I am in 7b, here. They would not survive the outside in pots in a cold winter.

 

[Maiden69]

We have very good draining soil here. Lots of Sandy loam.

I second what Osoyoung stated about the pot in the soil. Maples don't like wet feet at all. How much rain do you get during this season? Being so close to the ocean I bet you get quite a bit. If the soil in the container is still nursery soil it will retain a lot of water. The small holes at the bottom of the can will soon get clogged up by the sandy loam and roots growing out of them. Fall sees quite a bit of root growth. If the can is full of roots as you think it is, that means that roots are already circling the bottom.

My winter is not a harsh as yours, but I follow the same recommendation given above. Thin layer of mulch in the ground, place the pot on top and build up the mulch to the sides.

I think that is one of the nicest graft I have seen in maples.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

I second what Osoyoung stated about the pot in the soil. Maples don't like wet feet at all. How much rain do you get during this season? Being so close to the ocean I bet you get quite a bit. If the soil in the container is still nursery soil it will retain a lot of water. The small holes at the bottom of the can will soon get clogged up by the sandy loam and roots growing out of them. Fall sees quite a bit of root growth. If the can is full of roots as you think it is, that means that roots are already circling the bottom.

My winter is not a harsh as yours, but I follow the same recommendation given above. Thin layer of mulch in the ground, place the pot on top and build up the mulch to the sides.

I think that is one of the nicest graft I have seen in maples.

It has been exceptionally dry since I got the tree. I think it has rained once for 15 minutes. That is why it got sun scorched. I didn’t think it would dry out as quick as it did. I will pull her out and mulch around her when it comes time. I thought so too. It took me a minute to find the graft. Without the yellow Iit would have been harder. Who ever did it, hats off, they did a nice job.
This is what it looked like before I dried her. She already set buds for next season in damaged areas.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

So anyone want to take a stab at the repot at bud swell and taking multiple layers weeks later? Is that asking too much from her in one season?

 

[Pitoon]

So anyone want to take a stab at the repot at bud swell and taking multiple layers weeks later? Is that asking too much from her in one season?

If it was mine...............I would repot right before the buds break. Let the first flush run and then harden off. At that point I would then try a few air layers.

Really depends how the tree is looking when it's time to air layer. It it looks stressed I would hold off a season to recoup. If it looks healthy I would proceed with the air layers.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

If it was mine...............I would repot right before the buds break. Let the first flush run and then harden off. At that point I would then try a few air layers.

Really depends how the tree is looking when it's time to air layer. It it looks stressed I would hold off a season to recoup. If it looks healthy I would proceed with the air layers.

Thank you my friend.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

Considering the size of the current pot would my best option be to build a grow box when I repot? If so how do you determine a good size base on the current pot size? Thank you.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

So I pulled it out of the ground. It was just starting to send roots down in the soil. When taking it out of the ground I popped it out of the landscape pot to see what it looked like. Roots looked healthy and even some new roots growing

 

[Pitoon]

Considering the size of the current pot would my best option be to build a grow box when I repot? If so how do you determine a good size base on the current pot size? Thank you.

If it were my tree..... I would do half the current height next season, then half of that height the next season. Avoid going all out in one season. It's healthier for the tree to do it in steps......especially if you plan to air layer.

 

[Gr8tfuldad]

If it were my tree..... I would do half the current height next season, then half of that height the next season. Avoid going all out in one season. It's healthier for the tree to do it in steps......especially if you plan to air layer.

So what your saying is just cut off half the height of the rootball next season without raking them out and repot? Thanks for clarifying.