Collecting Japanese Maples

Newt

I asked on the distorted growth thread but it must have been missed.

How about collection? My Mom has a couple small volenteers (japanese red maples) that sprouted in her flower garden. Would it be safter to collect them now? I thought I had missed my oportunity this year. When is the best time and best method to collect japanese maples.

My only try I collected in spring, it thrived over that grow season then never shot any leaves the following spring.

Thanks for any advise or experiance!!!

Newt

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Opportunity must not be lost while the gods smile.
-Li Jing

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Aurelius

Generally the best time to collect in when they are dormant.
They have no leafs when dormant, having their roots disturbed isn't such an issue.
If your prior trees did OK after collection, collecting them wasn't the problem.
If these plants are just seedlings, their roots can't be very large.
It should be very easy to grab all the roots, and then some, without ever disturbing a root hair with just one leg on a shovel.

Newt

Thanks for the advise!

Newt

__________________
Opportunity must not be lost while the gods smile.
-Li Jing

heymikey(deceased)

heyNewt; I am no authority on collecting J. Maple seedlings but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night (he said kiddingly). Although there are thousands of varieties of J. Maple, Red J. Maples are "usually" Atropurpurea or Bloodgood and these are "usually grafted onto common rootstock. Seedlings from such trees are unlikely to resemble the parent (they do not come true). That being said the seedlings are more likely to look like common Acer Palmatum. This reduces their value relatively speaking. Also I have found J. Maple seedlings to often have contorted lower trunks. These still may have value if you have access to a lot of them or if they are several years old.

I have observed 6-inch tall seedlings having roots a foot long so you must dig deep and/or wide when collecting and you must collect at the right time or they will suffer and perform poorly the first year. It may take several (4-6) years to obtain a trunk caliper equal to the size commonly found in one-gallon nursery stock selling for less than $10. That means you saved $2/yr and lost about 5 years in the process. You may be wiser choosing between a $50 and $75 pre-trained stock with much better developed trunk and rootage.

Collecting the seedlings may be fun and inexpensive but not likely to lead to anything impressive for many years.