Michael J. McGroarty
Perry, Ohio 44081 Copyright 2011
When and how do you go about transplanting a Japanese maple tree?
Let’s first make the distinction between planting and transplanting. I’m sure you already know this, but just in case.
If you have a plant that is in a container, or sitting on top of the ground balled in burlap, you can install that plant into your garden anytime the ground is not frozen. It is my very firm belief that any plant is much better off in the ground rather than sitting on top of the ground, and I should point out that I’ve been involved in this industry for forty years. I learned the ropes working in nurseries as a kid, spent many years in the landscape contracting business and many years as a nurseryman or nursery stock producer, which I still do today.
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So, if you have a Japanese maple that is in a container or in burlap and are wondering when you should plant it, today is the day! Yesterday would have been better, but today is the next best day to get it planted. Don’t wait for fall, spring, or cooler weather. Mother Nature intended for that plant to be in the ground, and that’s where it will be the happiest.
For detailed instructions on planting a Japanese maple visit this page.
When and How to Transplant a Japanese Maple
Transplanting means that you are going to dig a plant out of the ground and re-plant it into a different location. It’s important to understand that the most critical part of this process is the first step of the process, the digging the plant out of the ground. So the true question is; “When can I safely dig a Japanese maple tree?”
Japanese maples are deciduous plants, which means that they are not evergreens. Come winter, they drop their leaves and go into a resting period until spring. This resting, or dormant, period is a chance for them to re-charge their batteries, if you will. The date and time of dormancy is not set in stone, it’s more of a rolling schedule depending on what the weather does.
Dormancy is triggered by the first hard freeze of the winter season. Not a frost, but a true hard freeze where the temperature drops down below 32 degrees F. for a period of several hours. That really and truly is the start of the dormancy period. Deciduous trees and shrubs start losing their leaves in the fall as the temperatures start to cool down and the daylight hours become shortened. Some plants may lose all of their leaves fairly early into the fall season. But that doesn’t mean the plants are dormant and they should not be dug until after they’ve experienced that first hard freeze.
Here in zone 5, northern, Ohio, dormancy usually starts around Thanksgiving. Sometimes a little earlier, sometimes not until mid to early December. Once dormant, the plants will remain dormant until spring. Again, here in northern Ohio, most deciduous plants typically remain dormant until about the third week of April. They actually start pushing out buds earlier than that, so technically they are probably no longer dormant, but until they actually produce their first leaves they can still be safely dug and or transplanted. Once they have leaves it is game over until fall. And I really mean, it’s game over. Digging a plant that is in leaf is a traumatic experience for the plant and severe damage if not death of the plant will occur.
Are there exceptions?
Maybe, but not many.
When you dig a plant you are severing roots. Think about it along the lines of the human body. When a human being is seriously injured, with a broken bone or severe laceration, the body can and will go into shock. If not treated immediately, this shock can be life ending. However, if a human being needs major surgery the surgeon places the patient into a deep sleep that somewhat mimics dormancy in plants. The surgeon can safely perform the operation while another doctor sits at the head of the patient, constantly monitoring the patient’s vital signs and regulating the deep sleep.
With plants, the severing of the roots is what causes the shock when the plant is not dormant. So if you have a plant that has not been planted for very long and you can dig it out of the ground without actually severing roots, then you probably can get away with digging the plant if it is not dormant. But in most cases that is not the case, and the only way to dig the plant is by severing some roots.
If you do that while the plant is dormant there is no shock to the plant at all. If you do it when the plant is not dormant, the plant will suffer some shock. What degree of shock is really difficult to say. But I will tell you this, as a professional in this industry for over forty years, I simply do not dig deciduous plants like Japanese maples, or any plant for that matter, during the growing season. I just won’t do it. I’ve seen what happens.
So now that we’ve determined when you can safely transplant a Japanese maple, I’ll let you watch this video about how to go about digging plants out of the ground.
Once you have the plant dug and ready to be re-planted you should visit this page for tips on re-planting your tree.
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Great tips. Do you have any suggestions for transplant shock for a sun-exposed orangeola?
Chuck,
Shade is like magic for small Japanese maples.
I get it and I don’t want to hurt my trees in any way. I keep reminding my roommate after the first freeze that we need to transplant them (they are not doing well where they are) to the other side of the yard. He just asked me to look it up again yesterday and it is MAY!!!. Here we go again. We have 6 Japanese Maples (variety) 1 lionsgate, 1 red and green bushy maple and the rest are Red leaf Maples. The one on the west side of the yard is doing great but the three on the east side are not. Its been 3 or 4 years now and they’ve hardly grown at all.
Probably too wet for them where they are, maybe planted too deep, but I wouldn’t move them now. Wait until Thanksgiving.
Just bought a maple tree. Can I keep it in the same container until the right time to put it in the ground?
Maria,
You can, but you can plant it in the ground at any time of the year. The sooner the better.
We are in the process of buyig a house. We may be moving in the middle of winter. My question is, can I dig up my japanese maple once it is dormant, and store it until spring? I obviously will not be able to dig it up in the middle of winter, so can I dig it up (following your guiide for doing so) and somehow store it till early spring when I can get it back into the ground at the new house?
I also have 2 small sruce and a magnolia I am wondering about.
Mike,
I relocated a Japanese maple last Fall. It is now the middle of May and it has come back beautifully. Unfortunately, it’s not in the location we desire. Would it be a mistake to relocate it to the desired location now? Could it be dug out without severing roots? I’m thinking that the roots may not be established just yet? Your expertise is appreciated. Thank you!
Elaine
Thanks for this. Any advice for what I assume is transplant shock? We re-potted a bloodgood JM in the middle of summer, which I later learned is a no-no. We did this about two weeks ago and it quickly started look unhappy. About half of the leaves are dead. The tree is about 7 feet tall and is in full sun (which I also learned isn’t great). We live in NYC. Any hope?
Hello.I am totally in love with the snapping red dragon maples and you and your experience is very inspiring.I have been learning for about 6 months and they are a wonderful conversation piece.Nurseries charge so much for these trees and I have started my own little nursery.All your tips,tricks,and experience have been absolutely gratious.I have found a constructive way to give back to the community as I have planted over 4000 in the area over the past few years.I live in Norwalk,Ohio and would like to visit your farm.Is it open to the public? Thank You for your time reading my letter.This hobby has changed my life in more ways than one.I hope to retire from my concrete job someday.I want a better quality of life and growing things is a job of happiness.
Robert,
We are open the public but don’t really keep consistent hours. Usually here in the mornings til early afternoon. In September we’ll have at least 3 weekend sales where we’ll be here 8 to 5 Fri, Sat and Sun. Probably won’t start those until the second week of Sept. We open the members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, I think early August, then shortly after that we’ll have an all day members get together at my nursery. We usually have at least 50 backyard growers at this event from several surrounding states.
I have 3 seedling Japanese Maple trees that are no taller than 2 1/2 feet. How tall should I wait for them to grow before I transplant them during the dormant period?
Gary,
Once dormant you can transplant them at any size. Just get a nice root ball when you move them. See this, doesn’t really apply, but some info you can use; http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/11/moving-a-large-laceleaf-weeping-japanese-maple-tree/ or this http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2014/03/transplanting-japanese-maple-trees-in-3-easy-steps/
I have a laceleaf Japanese maple that has been in a big pot for 7 years I want to put it in the ground but the branches will touch the ground when and how is a good time to do this? It is absolutely Gorgeous!! And i don’t want lose it
Mary,
You can plant it at any time, plants are always happier in the ground. Do not plant it too deep, a little high actually and only water as needed. Prune as much as you need to at any time.
We have a Japanese Maple (unknown variety) that we planted in 1992. It is now appr. 6 ft. tall, with a horizontal spread of appr. 8 ft., and a trunk diameter of about 6 in. We’re putting in a new deck next month and the Maple is in a tough spot to work around. It would be immediately moved and replanted about 100 ft. away. We’re in Northern Ohio, Zone 5b, and understand the “when”. We’re more concerned with the “should” since it’s a 25 yr. old tree. Thoughts? Thank you!
Diane,
If the choice is move it or lose it I’d for sure try moving it. Won’t be easy, make sure you dig out far enough to get as much of a root ball as you can. And by all means get moved as soon as possible. With the warm weather I’d dig it tomorrow if possible. You don’t have to move it right now, but do get it dug and all roots severed. See this http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/11/moving-a-large-laceleaf-weeping-japanese-maple-tree/
hello, we just moved a japanese weeping maple, and it had leaves but the person we hired did it anyway, it looks ok just a bit drab….my fear is that it’s getting over watered, is it better to over water than not? I can attach pics…i’m really trying to make sure this guy lives, we really love it and there’s sentimental value as the person who planted it is no longer with us. Let me know what you think.
Cintia,
Wet the leaves a few times a day but not in the heat of the day. Do not soak the roots. Water the roots maybe once a week. Moving a tree with leaves is usually not “okay”.
thank you! I will follow that, i’m really hope it makes it!!
HI! We have a young (1 year) Japanese Maple that is less than a foot away from our house foundation. To save the tree and the house, we’d love to move it this weekend. It’s May, however, and we’re in NY Zone 7a. I recognize the concerns and the tree’s leaves are definitely out, but I feel like it would be a good deed to send it to a place in the yard that’s 100% better for it and is ready right now. Terrible idea?
Jean,
With a small tree like that if you dig out far enough that you are not severing roots it should transplant fine. Don’t over water it and don’t fertilize it.
Greetings!
I have a 5 yr old Japanese Maple (Emperor) that was planted last September. It is currently looking bushy (I trimmed just bits and pieces of it last week), slanted towards the house and getting crowded on the side closest to the house. I’d like to dig it up and move it two feet away from the house, where it can stay for eternity.
What would your advice be – is this something we can do now, or, are we better off waiting until winter? I’m in Toronto, and it has been unseasonably cold it feels. I had thought we should move it before it gets too comfortable in its current spot, but I don’t want to kill it.
Judy,
I’d wait until it’s dormant, no point in taking a chance.
Hi! I purchased a young Red Dragon JM from a landscaper with the intent of planting it in front of my house. It’s still in the pot and more green than red. I’m far from a greenthumb but am trying to learn some basics. I was told to cut into the roots when I take it out of the pot before putting it into the ground to help the roots grow and spread. I was also told to use triple mix and transplanting liquid, then top with a layer of mulch and use stakes and burlap for wind protection over the winter (I live in Toronto). Is this sound advice? Any other tips you can offer? Thanks!
Rienne
Rienne,
Or you could do like I’ve done thousands of times. Slip the plant out of the container, use your fingers to loosen any roots that are wrapped around the root ball, then simply dig a hole and put the plant in the hole. Not too deep, top of the root ball should be at least one inch above grade. Back fill the hole with what you took out of the hole, making sure that the soil is broken up as you put it back into the hole removing any air pockets. Stake if needed, do not fertilize. The burlap really won’t protect it all. It should be fine unless it gets way below zero and then nothing will protect it. Water but only once a week once planted.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad I stumbled onto your page. When you say, “do not fertilize”, are you referring to the transplanting liquid and triple mix? Instead, you want me to use the soil that was taken out, correct? The problem is, I’m having an arborist take out a mature Yew (where the JM is going) so there won’t be much soil left to put back… long story short, there’s nothing wrong with the soil or the Yew except that my mother hacked at it, thinking she could shape it into something, but it’s beyond fixing at this point and needs to come out. A blessing in disguise because I feel a JM will do well and look fantastic in this spot instead. What kind of soil should I use to fill it in if I don’t have enough of the existing soil?
Rienne,
Just use good topsoil and raise the bed a bit so the Japanese maple can’t possibly get too wet in that area. If the yew did well there the Japanese maple should as well. You don’t need transplanting liquid. I’ve landscaped a thousand homes and each one was the same. We just dug holes and put in the plants, then mulched.
You rock, thank you. Not gonna lie, you’ll probably hear from me again. 🙂
I live in Columbus Ohio I bought my grandmother a Japanese maple a few years ago she just moved and I want to go back and get it do you think it would be fine to transplant today ? This week is going to be up-and-down in temperature we had snow this morning High of 40 today
And 70 tomorrow Snow later this week
Coburn,
If you move it this week it should be fine. Just get it moved before it leafs out.
Thank you!!
We moved our 3 year old Japanese Maple late Oct. 2017 and it seemed healthy, strong and even more vibrant in color. Problem is, the leaves never fell off through the winter and no buds on it yet (April 3, in Ann Arbor, Michigan). Is this a sign it has died?
Evi,
No, not at all. Many Japanese maples hung on to their leaves all winter this year. I wouldn’t be concerned.
I’m in Battle Creek, Michigan and mine did the same thing. I wanted to transplant last fall but was waiting for those leaves to drop. Lol. They finally did in February. Needless to say, I’m moving it this week. I’m trying to get it done before our extended winter turns to summer. 🙂
Hi,
I live in a zone 9a area of canada (althought our winters can get colder). I have a small weeping japanese maple that I’d like to move to a new location. It has large buds now but no leaves yet. Is it still safe to move? The spot it is in now is too hot I was told.
Thank you,
Caroline
Caroline,
Yes, you can move it, but do it right now before the leaves unfurl.
I live in north Carolina nd its april and have a Japanese maple which is maybe 4 ft tall. Can it be moved safely
Dawn,
Not if it has already leafed out.
I have just purchased a Purple Ghost JM from a nursery where it is potted and leafed out. It’s about 6 feet tall and 4 ft wide. I plan to put it into an area that gets morning sun and dappled shade after that. I’m now worried that I have made a mistake as it is not dormant. Should I keep it in the pot until Fall and plant it then?
Annie,
Planting is fine, transplanting, which requires cuttings roots is an entirely different thing. Potted plants can be potted year round.
The Japanese Maple I need to move is more than 30 years old and its trunk is more than a foot across.
Can this tree also be transplanted safely the same way.
Michele,
That would be next to impossible. Sorry.
Hi there. We just sold and bought a new house, in August, in Ga…. and we moved our 5 year old Japanese Maple. It looks like it’s dying. I have watered it daily in the new location. Any recommendations? How do you know when it’s too late? Over half of the leaves look unhappy. 🙁
Tiffany,
You’re timing could not have been worse. Not much you can do, water as needed, maybe put shade cloth over it, do not over water it. Wait a couple of months then check it. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
I was afraid of that. 🙁 Thank you. Maybe it will make it.
Just curious- how is your transplanted tree is doing? I hope it survived! I am in NY and I’m moving around mid-June and was thinking to dig up and transplant my 2 Japanese maples with me- but now I’m thinking its mid-June, its the worst time to move them… I may leave them now =(
I just received a purple ghost in the mail; it is of typical size for a mail box product. It is leafed with a plastic root ball. I will need to park it somehow until I can obtain the right spot for it later this fall and after dormancy has set in. In meantime, what is best way to keep it safe, in a large bucket with new soil added???
Kenneth,
Why not plant it right now? It doesn’t have to be dormant for you to plant it. Plants are always happier in the ground.
Hi mike. I’m looking to move a maple from California to Seattle. It’s a 4 year old tree.
It’s not ideal but it’s my daughters tree that we promised we’d always have with us! Do you have any tips? It will travel by car for 2 days.
Harriet,
This would be very easy to do if the tree is dormant when you dig it. If not, there’s a good chance you’ll kill the tree. I never dig plants, especially Japanese maples out of season. Transplanting season starts at the first hard freeze in the fall and ends in early spring before plants make leaves.
Dear Mike, Thanks for the advice as I am no gardener. However have a small (1 metre high) fine lace type red maple and I will probably be moving mid to late summer here in Australia. I’d like to try to keep and move the maple for sentimental reasons but is there any chance? If you say no I’ll leave it rather than kill but the sentiment remains.
Thanks
David.
David,
As long as you transplant it, or at least dig it while it’s dormant, before it makes leaves in the spring, you should be fine. Don’t dig if it has leaves on it.
My parents have 2 Japanese Maples planted maybe 10 years ago. Trunks now are about 6 inches in diameter.
Problem being they are too close to the house. I try to keep them trimmed backed but I prefer to move them.
I live in Massachusetts. Is the best time if any right now. It is November 9th we have had several frosts.
I guess I’m questioning if a tree of this size can be transplanted successfuly. I’d rather leave them than lose them.
Thank you for your time.
Sharon,
Closer to December would be better. Can they safely be moved? Probably if you get enough roots. It’s going to be a job. You really need to dig at least 36″ away from the tree all the way around.
Hi,
Wanting to move a Japanese maple (not sure what kind). If I plan to re-plant it right after digging it up do I still need to make a ball with burlap and string?
The trunk is maybe 2-3in in diameter at the thickest part. How far around the roots should I dig? Is it necessary to stake or support after transplanting?
Jeannette,
No, you don’t have to burlap it. Dig around the base at least 24″ away from the base of the tree if not farther. Do it now, while the tree is dormant. If the tree is over 4′ tall it will for sure need staking.
Can I safely transplant a Japanese Maple tree that is six years old, preferably in mid to late April?? I am located the the far Southern corner of Wisconsin.
Peter,
Only if it’s still dormant. If it leaves out you are likely to kill it. You can dig it now, leave it in the hole, then move it later in the month. Must be dug before it makes leaves.
Thanks for the quick reply. My fingers went wild.,I meant to say “far southeastern corner of Wisconsin”. Buds still haven’t started to form on the branches. So… It sounds like it would be safe to transplant now. Right??
I ordered and planted my 2ft. Red Dragon JM in mid April. When I received it there were leaves already on it, but it has snowed twice in the last month. After the first time I took off the wilted, dried leaves and I started seeing buds again. When it snowed the second time I covered it, but now I am not seeing any new buds on it. It basically looks like a stick in the ground. (Sad) Do you think that it is dying? What can I do to nurture it and make it healthy again? I have always wanted a JM and don’t want to kill it.
Korin,
Nothing you can really do to coax it along, just give it some time. This is how you test to see if a plant, or a branch on a plant has died. Just scratch the bark of your plants with your finger nail. If the tissue below the bark is green and firm your plants are fine. If the tissue is brown and mushy that part of the plant is dead.
Is it safe to plant a Crimson Queen Japanese Maple in Zone 5b in July?? I am located in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158.
Hi, we just transplanted our beloved Japanese Maple and 6 days later she doesn’t look so good. Her leaves are drooping, and the green newer branches and leaves are losing their color.. we expected there would be some trauma, but we were so careful that no branches were snapped, the roots are intact, and she seemed like she’d made a perfect transition. How do we help her recover??? I have pics but can’t upload here.
Julia,
Not much you can do other than possibly provide some temp shade and keep the leaves cool. Wet them a couple times a day. Transplanting out of season is never a good thing. Transplanting season runs from Thanksgiving to very early spring and then it’s over. Planting is different. But digging up a plant has to be done in season.
Hi – i have Japanese maple sapling in my woods i’d love to transplant now, move it from CT to my summer cottage in NH, the plant is about 2’ tall and the stem is maybe 1/2” diameter- if i were to attempt to move it, how big a ball should i dig? We don’t typically go up to NH past labor day, so waiting til it’s dornant isn’t really feasible. Is there any way to lessen the trauma to improve it’s odds of surviving?
Hans, You would have to dig out far enough away from the tree to cut almost no roots at all. Also, spend several days working on in case you do cut roots, only dig on one side then let it rest a bit.
Hi Mike, unfortunately I just transplanted a maple, had to be moved or destroyed. It’s beautiful, 5 1./2” base 12’ feet tall. I got a 5’6” diameter root ball 20” thick. I put it in a 6’ diameter whole good soils under and around. It’s been in the ground 6 days, I’ve been watering it.
Looking for advice.
Thank you, Peter B Sammamish Washington
Peter,
with a root ball that big you might be fine. Keep it watered but down drown it. Make sure the water is draining or slow down watering it. If it looks good now that’s a great sign.
you have great tips. I have a 20 yr. old dwarf japense maple.I live in Michigan. It has sentimental meaning.Can this be transplanted safely. Right now it gets too much sun. It would go in Southwest corner where it get sun and shade. One person told me to go 14 inches from truck in circle then transplant in spring. My landscaper said he,d do it in the spring if I wanted to take the chance.What do I do? Judith
Judith,
Spring? If the tree is moved it has to be moved while the tree is still dormant. In most states dormancy happens around Thanksgiving and that would be a great time to move the tree as long as all of the leaves have fallen from the tree. A 20 year old tree is going to need a pretty big root ball. As long as the tree is dormant and the root ball is big enough, it should transplant fine. 11″ of root ball for each one inch of tree diameter at the base of the trunk.
thanks so much for your help. My landscaper wanted to move it in the spring but if it will die we,ll just have to work around it.
Hi Mike –
I have a very large, very old weeping Japanese maple that needs to be relocated within my yard in CT. This tree is at least 60 years old and is ~10″ in diameter at the trunk, 10′ in both height and diameter. It seems too large to transplant by hand but it does not have a long enough trunk to leverage a big mechanical tree spade.
Any recommendation on how to go about this?
-matt
Matt,
Years ago, before mechanical tree spades, large trees were always had dug. It’s really a matter of digging a trench around the tree, tapering to a point at the bottom of the tree, severing roots as you dig. This tree could be considered too large too move but if you have no other options it’s worth a try. The tree must be dormant when it’s dug. The rule of thumb is 11″ of root ball for each one inch of stem caliper 6″ above the soil line. With a ball this large you’ll have to make it smaller than that, but still very large. Getting it dug and burlap is manageable. Getting it out of the hole and moved will require a large machine. If anybody around here were to attempt this they would employ, experienced Hispanic diggers.
Thank you, Sir. I made a few calls and got an estimate of $10K without a guarantee of survival. It sounds like dialing for “experienced diggers” without arborist degrees may be the right approach.
Once again, I appreciate your expertise! This is a fantastic resource.
-matt
I have been collecting JMs for many years and have about 70 at this point. Although many of them are still very small, there are some that are 4-5 feet tall. I am building a new house, and need to vacate this house before November 1st. The contract with the new owner specifies that I’ll be digging some trees, as I cannot part with some of my favorites, but I’ll need to dig them in October to get them planted in the new yard before we move. How can I minimize the risk? I’m in Maine, so we should be post-frost by then, but no guarantee of a hard freeze.
Anne,
This is not a good situation. 1. Water them well. 2. Dig around them a little bit one day, then give them a couple days, dig some more, only severing a few roots at a time. 3. Get as much of the root ball that you can. 4. If it’s hot shade them and wet the leaves often.
Hi Mike,
I have a JM that is at least 6 or 7 years old and has been in a giant clay pot on our deck since the day I received it. We live in Whistler, British Columbia and are moving and can not bring it with us so I am wanting to give it to my Sister In Law to put in the ground on her property, they live an hour north in a drier, milder climate. The leaves have only just come out. I know you’ve voiced numerous times that a potted tree can be put in the ground anytime but would the same advice go for my tree which has been in such a huge pot for so long?
Thank you,
Robyne,
It can be planted at any time but being in the pot for so long the needs really need to be disturbed and if they end needing to be cut or broken that could shock the tree depending on how many are severed. Slip it out of the pot and disturb a few roots, the put back in the pot. Keep it in the shade and well watered. A few days later do the same, let the tree rest, then keep doing this until some of those root circling the pot have been broken from that pattern.
Hi Mike,
I am moving 5 miles to a new house in mid-June. I am tempted to try to take my 2 Cutleaf Japanese Maple trees with me if possible. They have been in my ground for about 12 years, and span about 4 feet wide and almost 5 feet tall. They are very healthy. After reading everything you’ve written, do you think there’s any way I can safely move these trees without them dying? Or would you just leave them for the next homeowners instead since its too risky to try in the growing season. Also if I were to transplant them I’d hire a landscaper and maybe they can use heavy equipment to more easily get it dug up.
Thank you so much for your advice!!
Suda,
The chances of them surviving transplanting during the growing season is probably about 5%. It would be a shame to kill them.
MIke:
Last Thanksgiving, I transplanted a Japanese maple that had taken root in a bad location. I dug a big hole, put composted material in it and watered it. It was slow to grow leaves this spring, but it finally did. However, the leaves that grew were only on the trunk. The branches were bare. I’ve been checking the tree regularly and I’ve done a couple of scratch tests, and the tree appears to still be viable. With fall coming, is there anything I should do for this tree or should I just leave it alone?
Thank you,
Jenn
Jenn,
I’m guessing it’s still too wet or too deep in the hole.
Do I dare dig it up a second time to fix it?
Jennifer,
Do it when it’s dormant. I sure sounds like it’s in trouble. Something is wrong.
Mike I transplanted a JM before it leafed out about 2 months ago (I am approx 20 mi north of Atlanta, Ga area). I bought it a little over year ago, It’s a younger, smaller tree about 4 ft tall.
Anyway Lowes tag said it was a Red Dragon – would only grow to about 8 ft tall. After a year I am pretty sure it is a Bloodgood as it is an upright, and the leaves look like those of a Bloodgood.
So now I am wondering about transplanting it yet again (as Bloodgoods grow fairly fast) to a place that allows for a larger tree (UNLESS I can just prune it’s top and keep it shorter, which would be a lot easier???).
Or do you advise waiting until next February or March (when it has buds but hasn’t leafed out yet?
Jan,
Red Dragon should look like this, with weeping branches and dissected leaves. https://www.monrovia.com/red-dragon-japanese-maple.html
Since the tree has only been in the ground two months you can probably move it now, just dig around it so as to not cut any roots, or any large roots. I’d move it rather than try and keep it trimmed down.
How large is too large when it comes to transplanting a Japanese maple? If I have a tree that has branches up to 20+ feet in height, and the tree is at least 10 years old, is it too late to think about transplanting it, or is there a way to successfully do this?
Jenny,
A professional with a giant mechanical tree spade could probably do it, but it would expensive. See this; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m89Z0KkjIw
Hello
I was given a Japanese maple prob 6 foot tall but it had to be dug out prior to going dormant ( dig up Wednesday nov 16 and has sat on a pallet till today sat .) I would say 1/4 of the leaves are falling off since we’d but temps have been cold all week ( below freezing every night . So I am hoping it will survive . Should I go ahead and plant it anyway ?
If it went dormant during the move do you think it will be ok ?
Scott,
It’s probably fine. Don’t plant it in a wet area and do not plant it too deep. No soil up on the stem.
Hey there Mike. Have 3 various Japanese maples (none are large; all under 10 yrs) would like to move to other parts of the garden. Some will just be exchanging places so already have decent soil that is covered in fallen leaves (from 50+ yr old mature trees like oak, etc). It’s a day in the 60’s here but we had near record freezing temps last weekend here in Georgia so thought this good time to do it. Just read on another blog that you can ONLY transplant Japanese Maples up to 3 TIMES in their LIFETIME??? I am sure I have already done that to some of these… as for the last dozen yrs been turning parts of a large Bermuda lawn into an oversized garden area full of flowers, bushes, evergreens and Japanese Maples. So there has been a lot of moving “this & that” while adding more of “this & that” as could not do it all at once. In other words it’s been a very long learning process while dealing with some challenges 🙂
Lynn,
The short answer is that trees do not know how to count so I’ll say that the theory you read is pure bunk. In truth most Japanese maples have been transplanted a number of times before you even buy them. All that matters is that you do it while they are dormant and that you get the right amount of root ball. 11 inches for every one inch of tree caliper measured 6″ from the soil line. Do not plant them too deep and do not put them in a wet area and they’ll be fine.
Hi Mike, thank you for all the wonderful information on Japanese Maples.
My question is can I transplant a recently planted Emperor even though it has started to bud? It has been in the ground for about a month now, but it did start to bud already. I bought the tree on the advice of the person at the nursery in Sacramento who said that a Emperor would be OK in full sun in zone 9a (our summers here are brutal), but after visiting some local nurseries this last weekend who are just now carrying different varieties of red JM Maples, and have them under cover – I was advised otherwise to keep them shaded.
It is early May here in Northern California (Redding) and the forecast is looking to be in the 90’s this next week. It was in the 80-90’s already last week and I got some bleached out spots on some leaves already. I am beginning to think that my JM will not make the summer and I would like to transplant somewhere shady on my property instead of out in full sun. Any advice would be appreciated if you got the time. Thank you.
Rhonda,
If it’s only been planted a month, yes you can move it. Pick a spot that has filtered sunlight. Full shade will turn it green. 50% sun is probably fine.
Thank you for the quick reply. I will get it in dappled shade this weekend (in the cool of the evening). I have a place that gets morning sun and it will be next to a will be next to a very tall Crepe Myrtle that is fully leafed out right now providing shade. We are expecting 96 degrees on Saturday. Yikes!
I have a 3 year old Japanese maple that is in a large nursery plastic pot. I want to transplant it into the ground. It is about 3 ft tall and 4 feet wide. It is in full leaf. Should I do it now or when dormant?
John,
If it’s in a pot you can transplant it at anytime as long as you can do so without doing a lot of root damage. If it’s really root bound in the pot that might require cuttings some large circling roots before planting and that could cause shock to the tree if not dormant. Just depends on how long it’s been in the pot.