I have a baby one growing fast on the ground but two branches are now laying on the soil and being soak by the rain. Dont wanna prune them but if i just leave it like that i'm sure they'll rotten. Dont know what to do, really. Never had an acer before an love the fact that it's spreading it's wings, but resting on the ground with the Scottish weather wontnt help them. Help? Please?
Unfortunately i can't help, but i'm sure there is plenty of help available on the forum. I am going to keep my Acers in pots for the foreseeable future to hopefully solve the ground trailing senario, but all the best in solving your problem.
"Life is what happens to you, whilst you're busy gardening!"
It'll be fine @ninac-z. They well adapted to our weather, which is why they do so well here @punkdoc is right re the pot sizing when moving on. If you've only recently put yours in those pots @B_leaf, which I think is what you said, you can leave them there till at least next year. It's a gradual process. Just be aware of the fact they're metal, as I mentioned earlier. A glazed pot is better
I'll be doing mine next spring. It's one I bought last autumn. It's still in the pot it came in [about 6 or 7 inch] and will just be moved up a size. I have it inside a glazed pot with gravel filling the space round it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Sorry @B_leaf - I probably didn't make that very clear. The pot it's in is sitting inside a slightly bigger glazed pot, so there's about an inch of space round it, and a few inches below. That's all filled with gravel so that it looks like it's directly planted into the glazed pot. The gravel is also a mulch. I didn't have a suitable pot that was the right size to plant directly at the time, and this one was small enough that it didn't look too unbalanced.
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 Acers in pots and they should only be potted-on to a slightly larger each pot. @Fairygirl has a fantastic idea there - I have done similar with one of mine. You could also try pot-feet to raise the plant off the ground, plus the drainage will be good (I take it your current pots have draianage holes?).
Yes @AuntyRach, I have good drainage, but my problem was that i was deliberately not wanting to over water them, as i killed some seedlings around the same time by doing so. Then i found out that the Acers like to stay moist which explained why the leaves were curling up and dying with holes through them etc, so now i water thoroughly with good drainage and i am hoping they come back, even if its next year before i see it.
"Life is what happens to you, whilst you're busy gardening!"
This is one of my acers. I bought it from Tesco 5(?) years ago or less. It went into its current pot the autumn after purchase and has been there ever since. The pot is about 15 inches square and 15 inches deep, with a water reservoir and little wheels hidden in the base. It was not much more than a twig when I got it but gets a feed of Osmacote once a year. It hasn't had any this year as I don't want to encourage it too much but it has had the odd feed of weak Miraclegro for acid lovers. My other acers have been in similar pots for longer but as they have had a very rough life, look beautiful but are much older than this one. The pots are still available at B and Q and cost about £20.
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@punkdoc is right re the pot sizing when moving on.
If you've only recently put yours in those pots @B_leaf, which I think is what you said, you can leave them there till at least next year. It's a gradual process. Just be aware of the fact they're metal, as I mentioned earlier. A glazed pot is better
I'll be doing mine next spring. It's one I bought last autumn. It's still in the pot it came in [about 6 or 7 inch] and will just be moved up a size. I have it inside a glazed pot with gravel filling the space round it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Usually the compost fills the pot, or am I reading this wrong (probably lol)
The pot it's in is sitting inside a slightly bigger glazed pot, so there's about an inch of space round it, and a few inches below. That's all filled with gravel so that it looks like it's directly planted into the glazed pot. The gravel is also a mulch.
I didn't have a suitable pot that was the right size to plant directly at the time, and this one was small enough that it didn't look too unbalanced.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks.