Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Moving a large Japanese Acer

shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
in Problem solving
hello, firstly i hope everyone has managed to stay safe & well in the current situation. 
My son has just moved house and in the back garden there's a lovely, large Acer. He wants to get rid of it to make room for the children's toys. I'm quite happy to take it but i need to know if it will survive being dug up and transplanted into my garden. I do realise that it should be done in winter and if that's correct, i'll have to persuade him not to chop it down before then. Is it likely to survive the move ???

many thanks
shazza     
«1

Posts

  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    Doesn't sound as if it will survive the not move, so you might as well give it a try!
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If you need to do any pruning in order to move it it is best to wait until the dead of winter to prune it.
    They bleed a lot of sap during the growing season if pruned and need a period of a few weeks of very cold to shut them down properly so you can prune and move it.
    They are lovely trees and I hope your son gives his one a chance of a new home.
    Good luck 🤞

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    thanks for the replies. i don't really want to try and move it before winter, it's not in the way of where the children will play, it's against the boundary with next door. i haven't had a proper look at it yet because when he moved, it was pouring with rain, i just noticed it through his window. it seems a shame to dig it up, maybe i can persuade him to keep it.    
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Hopefully when he sees the autumn colours he won't want to loose it and some have lovely leaves in the spring too

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We have moved a mature Acer (about 6ft high) twice: from ground to pot, and then back to the ground.  It's not advisable I know, but it has survived.  When you do move it, water well before digging it out, get as much root as possible, and make sure to water well in it's new home.  Even Winter days can dry out the soil if it is windy, so don't assume that you can ignore watering completely if you move it in the Winter.  It may also need some staking.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    thanks. i'm hoping to persuade him to keep it where it is. i'll let you know how i've got on after i've been over his house sometime tomorrow.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    I'm back (finally) to update you on progress of the tree. My son kept his promise & left the tree for us to deal with. thankfully, we discovered that it was not in the ground but a very small ceramic pot that it had really outgrown. We had to smash that to pieces to remove the tree then wrap it securely to get it in my (not very big) car to take home. All done on an extremely hot day !!! We wrestled it out of the car then OH made a temporary water tray for it as it was bone dry. We left it a few days to settle then planted it in my garden. I had some ericacious compost (about 1/3 of a bag) left over so sprinkled that around the rootball and gave it a good watering. I'm very happy to report that it has survived all the messing about and looks lovely. I'm grateful that I persuaded my son not to hack it down like he did with everything else that was overgrown. many thanks for all the advice
    shazza         
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Photo??
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    i've taken photos but haven't got a clue how to upload them !!!!
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    That's great - I love Acers and I needed a good news story after a bad day!

    To upload photos, click on the little icon that looks like a postcard with a landscape on it.
Sign In or Register to comment.