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Help with acer please
laurabennett77XYouzgYF
Posts: 3
in Plants
Hiya, so I’m extremely new to gardening. I have bought an acer, only a little one about two foot in height. I potted it a pot I now feel is too big, I didn’t put crocs in the pot and I didn’t plant it in correct compost. I have however put it in the correct position (I think) and have now given it a good feed of ericaceous food. It’s only been in the pot about 3 weeks- should I risk re- potting into a smaller pot? I don’t think it’s very happy……. Thanks very much.
0
Posts
Crocs are there to stop the planting medium from blocking the drainage hole so the roots don't sit in a bog and rot. Putting the pot up on pot feet or bricks will also help with drainage.
Using the correct compost - loam based for Japanese maples - gives the roots the best medium to keep them happy but in a pot any plant is entirely dependant on you for feeding and watering so make sure you use occasional feeds when watering and that you top dress the pot with some fresh compost and fertiliser every spring. Use rainwater if possible or correct any alkalinity in tap water with liquid ericaceous feeds.
As for position, most Japanese maples are woodland edge plants and like dappled shade to protect them from the midday sun and also shelter from strong winds which can dessicate the leaves.
Have a read of this info from the RHS - https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/acer/japanese-maples/growing-guide