Japanese maples should now be looking lush and vibrant, but these fussy trees can lose their leaves if you do not hydrate them properly in June. Gardeners need to keep an eye on their Japanese maples once the weather heats up, as they have a shallow root system and cannot retain much moisture.
When the sun is out the soil around Japanese maples can dry out quickly and cause the leaves to be very vulnerable to sun damage. If you leave your Japanese maples alone its leaves can begin to curl up, wilt and even begin to fall off so it looks bare throughout summer.
However Kiersten Rankel, a plant care expert from Greg has shared it is easy to keep a Japanese maple watered in the hot weather as long as you mulch the soil.
Kiersten said: “Summer’s heat demands vigilance. Your tree’s not just surviving; it’s trying to thrive. Deep, less frequent watering beats shallow daily sips.
“Mulch is your ally, keeping roots cool and moist. Remember, a well-watered maple won’t throw shade but will surely appreciate it.”
Mulching is the simple gardening technique of adding organic material to the topsoil of a plant to help fertilise it, but in summer the mulch can also hold lots of moisture.
The water in the mulch will slowly trickle down into the soil to keep Japanese maples hydrated and healthy so it keeps producing their beautiful red leaves throughout summer.
Having a layer of mulch around Japanese maples helps protect the leaves from burning and also helps suppress weeds, so there is one less gardening job to do this summer.
Mulches that can hold a lot of water but are light tend to be the best for Japanese maples, such as pine bark, wood chips, garden compost or leaf moulds.
Steer clear of nitrogen-rich mulches such as cow manure, as they encourage excessive growth, which can stress Japanese maples during hot weather when they need to conserve energy.
When applying mulch, make sure to add an even thin layer around the tree and keep it away from the trunk, as too much can prevent the roots from being able to breathe.
Once you have mulched your Japanese maples make sure to thoroughly soak the soil once a week to help the tree stay cool throughout the hot weather.
If you mulch and deeply water your Japanese maples then its leaves should stay a radiant red throughout the summer so you can enjoy a flourishing garden without having to hoover around with a watering can.
AloJapan.com