I think that would be good. I wasn't sure how much of the surroundings you were prepared to lose. I take it the Acer is basically south facing? Apologies if you've said, and I missed it
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree with the advice you have had from others, there is another possibility. Acers do not require very rich soil or need a lot of feed, it is possible that too much Humus (the brown sticky liquid you get from compost) is leaching from the compost bin. Ironically having said that on a dull day you could try giving it a dose of seaweed TONIC (not food) as a foliar application. The Iron in seaweed helps to toughen up leaves and may help it stand the sun & wind, but I agree it is really in the wrong spot unless you can give it shelter, & move that compost bin.
That's a good shout @Allotment Boy, re anything leaking. I don't feed shrubs in general - makes them too soft. A wee tickle of B,F&B, and I don't always remember that! I prefer to add matter to the soil on a frequent basis. I do occasionally give a foliar feed to one or two plants though.
I think you just have to try some options @garnham, and see how it goes
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have several hostas in my south facing garden including an Orange Dream. They are all planted in pots. I experienced the same issue that you are with my Orange Dream for a couple of years when it was fairly young. I have found that the scorching sun and wind are the main enemies of young hostas. When they mature the scorching sun does not affect them as much and neither does the wind.
I like planting hostas in pots for several reasons. The pots keep them mobile and I can move the hostas around when I am "changing the scene". I can also move the plant if a specific place doesnt suit it. The pots also control their size and speed of growth. You can place the hostas much nearer to each other since the roots are confined by the pots.
In regards to uprooting the hosta when the time comes, dont worry too much. I had a Sango Kaku in the front garden (north facing) which was about 2m tall when planted there and got established for a good 6 years. I built an extension at the front and I had to remove the hosta. The roots had grown and spread a lot that I had to use a digger to get it out. The hosta was left to the side unplanted for a good month or more and I thought that it wasnt going to make it. I decided to try and resurrec it and plant it in the back garden. I chopped the roots off and left a rootball of about 2 and a half feet in diameter and very shallow. I also lopped a lot of the branches and then dragged it in the back garden and planted it. It's been 2 years now and the hosta looks glorious. Moral of the story, plants can take a lot of abuse abd they will survive.
That's comforting to think that maybe this tree could be OK once it matures a little. It's been there 6 years now. Would you still class that as being in the "young" category?
I was watching the sun closely last night and this morning and my estimation was quite right. Certainly at this time of year the sun first hits the tree directly at almost exactly 8am and it then it goes into shadow at 5pm.
I'm planning my makeshift "pergola". What I have in mind now is to have a square lattice trellis panel horizontally above it at the top of the fence. This would be 180cm wide and 120cm deep so it would come forward to just beyond the front of the flower bed as you see in the picture. I can nail this to the fence and then have two 30cm wide trellises coming down from the front corners. (Hopefully that won't be destroyed by the wind). My thought is then to plant two Chinese Trumpet Vines at the base of each of my vertical trellises. I'm not sure if that is a good choice, but I wanted something that would grow really fast to cover the structure.
This won't protect it from all of the direct sun, but I would've thought that it could easily shade it from a couple of extra hours in the morning and maybe 3 or 4 extra hours in the afternoon / evening.
Now I'm just trying to figure out something else to do in that area so my trellis kind of looks like it makes sense being there.
If anyone is interested in a follow up, here's what I built today. I'm certainly no craftsman and I have no idea how much it will help, but it was fun to do something new in the garden...
They're Passion Flowers I planted at the bottom, by the way. (Caerulea - two slightly different variants. I think one will have white flowers and the other one blue).
Posts
I take it the Acer is basically south facing? Apologies if you've said, and I missed it
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Seaweed tonic? Interesting. Thanks Allotment Boy. Definitely something to try. I never would've thought of that.
I don't feed shrubs in general - makes them too soft. A wee tickle of B,F&B, and I don't always remember that! I prefer to add matter to the soil on a frequent basis.
I do occasionally give a foliar feed to one or two plants though.
I think you just have to try some options @garnham, and see how it goes
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I was watching the sun closely last night and this morning and my estimation was quite right. Certainly at this time of year the sun first hits the tree directly at almost exactly 8am and it then it goes into shadow at 5pm.
I'm planning my makeshift "pergola". What I have in mind now is to have a square lattice trellis panel horizontally above it at the top of the fence. This would be 180cm wide and 120cm deep so it would come forward to just beyond the front of the flower bed as you see in the picture. I can nail this to the fence and then have two 30cm wide trellises coming down from the front corners. (Hopefully that won't be destroyed by the wind). My thought is then to plant two Chinese Trumpet Vines at the base of each of my vertical trellises. I'm not sure if that is a good choice, but I wanted something that would grow really fast to cover the structure.
This won't protect it from all of the direct sun, but I would've thought that it could easily shade it from a couple of extra hours in the morning and maybe 3 or 4 extra hours in the afternoon / evening.
Now I'm just trying to figure out something else to do in that area so my trellis kind of looks like it makes sense being there.
My brain has short circuited somehow. I need to replace the circuitry.