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.

Help for our 2 Acer trees

JoiceyJoicey Posts: 5
in Problem solving
Storm Babet has just damaged our 2 Acer trees which are in pots but whose roots have escaped into the ground quite a few years ago. The trees are about 20 years old and the high winds have blown the pots over and damaged the roots. Any advice on how we can save them would be greatly appreciated. I will be devastated if we lose them as they are beautiful healthy trees. Thank you.
«1

Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Welcome to the forum.
    Anybody out there who knows about acers? As a non-acer grower, I'd trim the trees back to account for the loss of roots but I know *** all about acers and understand them to be a bit finicky so I'm hoping someone knowledgeable will heed your cries.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    A couple of photos would be useful @Joicey ...I would advise against trimming the actual branches as it usually spoils the shape. But it sounds like a root trim mat be the way to sort the problem. But it all depends on size 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • JoiceyJoicey Posts: 5
    Hello. Thank you for your reply. I've attached a couple of photos. Hope you can help 🤞
  • Bee witchedBee witched Posts: 1,295
    Hi @Joicey,

    They are lovely ... and it would be a shame to loose them.

    I'm no acer expert either, but if I had the same situation I'd be tempted to smash the pots off and then create some sort of circular raised beds around them. 
    You could use some of the nice stones you have to create round beds of, say, 100cm diameter, and then fill up to the existing soil level with some soil-based ericaceous compost (add some leaf mold if you have it), and top off with a mulch.

    Just an idea.

    Good luck with them.
    Bee x



    Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders  

    A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
  • JoiceyJoicey Posts: 5
    Hi Bee. Thank you for your advice. They're so beautiful when in full colour. You become very attached to your plants don't you. 
    I'll let you know how we get on. 
    X
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Oh dear, we do grow Acers but I have not encountered a problem like this before. Looking at the size of the top growth I would say they must have been very well rooted into the soil, breaking those roots off now means the top growth is out of all proportion to the size of the root ball required to sustain them. Acers generally have very fine roots, roots will continue to grow while the soil is still warm, so  I agree with the suggestion above I would try to get them out of the pots and either planted in or as suggested with some sort of raised bed around them. A good dose of mycorrhizal fungi for ericaceous plants might help too. The top will be going dormant soon wait and see how the top manages to grow next season.
    Good Luck.
    AB Still learning

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    My first though was that those are very small pots for the size of the trees - no wonder they put roots out through the drainage holes. I don't grow acers either (conditions here don't really suit them) but I think at that size they'd be happier in the ground. If the roots that are outside the pot have broken off, it's a good opportunity to get them out of the pots and into the ground.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • JoiceyJoicey Posts: 5
    Thank you for your replies. When they were planted many years ago they grew very quickly and sadly we did not realise that the roots had escaped. They have continued to grow over the years and always without any problems so we didn't want to risk losing them by disturbing them but now we are going to have to. We will use all the advice you have all kindly given us and keep everything crossed for success. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I expect the reason they were OK in the pots for so long is because they'd got their roots out into the ground! I hope you manage to keep them going.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    As a long term grower with half a dozen, yes, the pots are far too small, they need to be about 6 times bigger. Depending on where you live and your temperatures,(I'm in the SE UK corner) if it's reasonably mild, I would get bigger pots,Ericaceous compost and repot. If it's not mild, I would protect the roots, again Eric. Compost and sacking or similar and wait till spring to re pot 
Sign In or Register to comment.