Japanese Maple advice

Sgt Pepper 64

So, this is the corner I am cleaning up first.
However I have this beautiful maple that has grown its roots through the pot.
Not sure if its a good place for it but I don't want to move it.
I thought the pot would restrict its growth but its getting bigger every year.
Its actually under some trees.
Any advice, just leave it well alone?
Its my favourite tree much helped by the fact I got it really cheap, €20 euros lying around unloved in a Cavan garden centre

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pwurple

Beautiful acer. Not sure what you are asking?

Yes, take it out of its pot and plant it.

looksee

Japanese maples seem to like those sort of sheltered woody places, so I would leave it there. What kind of pot is it in? I would not attempt to do anything with it at the moment, but in the winter look at the possibility of cutting or breaking the pot off it.

I presume it has grown roots into the ground? You are unlikely to be able to dig much just there as there will be roots from the other trees, but see if you could settle it a bit into the ground without breaking the roots, then maybe pile some soil around it to the height of the pot and surround it with a few rocks to stop the soil falling away.

A bit unorthodox, but that is what I would do.

Sgt Pepper 64

looksee wrote: »

Japanese maples seem to like those sort of sheltered woody places, so I would leave it there. What kind of pot is it in? I would not attempt to do anything with it at the moment, but in the winter look at the possibility of cutting or breaking the pot off it.

I presume it has grown roots into the ground? You are unlikely to be able to dig much just there as there will be roots from the other trees, but see if you could settle it a bit into the ground without breaking the roots, then maybe pile some soil around it to the height of the pot and surround it with a few rocks to stop the soil falling away.

A bit unorthodox, but that is what I would do.

Embarrassed to say but its just its original plastic pot
Yes the roots have gone right through into the ground

catastrophy

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Embarrassed to say but its just its original plastic pot
Yes the roots have gone right through into the ground

You should prob dig it out while its still young, but you could always break or cut off the plastic pot, tease out the roots in case it's a bit pot bound then build up a raised bed around it.

Oldtree

What a lovely picture and the acer looks like it was made to stay there.

Its roots will be all squished up in the pot so you will have to remove it from the pot, as it is plastic it is best to carefully cut it away, and as mentioned above i would leave it till november and the dormant season. Using a very sharp scatures clip the roots off around the pot as the will have already ingressed some of the pot and you dont want to damage the plant further by ripping the ingressed bits out. I would then dig a hole and plant in the ground and see what happens. It may need a bit of extra water in dry periods next year.