On siting - make sure it is not in a windy spot - they hate it!
Not sure about the best pot - but my gut feel would say terracotta - more stable, looks better, stops the roots cooking in the summer. Good luck with it, they are lovely little trees ! I have a couple of big ones, and a whole set i am nurturing from baby plants from an offer a few years ago. I was advised (nursery lady at hampton court flower show) to only pot them on a pot size at a time, as they try to put on enough root growth every year to fill their pot - and if the new pot is much bigger than the old, they sometimes wear themselves out with the effort
Chicky's right about the wind! They prefer a bit of shade though they'll take more sun if they're in the ground as long as it's moisture retentive. Try to avoid a site where they'll get early morning sun if you get a lot of frosts. The leaves can get burned at the edges when it melts.
Terracotta will always look better than plastic, although some of the new resin pots are very impressive. A glazed pot will also set off an Acer well. If it's a specimen and you want it to look right, spend money on the container as well as the plant. It's the whole package that matters.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Chicky, I always thought it was the terracotta pots that 'baked' in the heat and that plastic (I do have a nice alnate resin one) kept plants cooler, now I am confused
You are right, terracotta pots do dry out quicker than other pots. They are also more susceptible to frost damage unless you pay the earth for a frost proof type.
My two acers have been in strong plastic pots for over 10 years now. As has already been said by Fairygirl, there are some beautiful resin pots around now that look the part until you go close up and touch them! Whatever you decide, make sure the pot is frost proof because you don't want to be heaving a large pot into a frost free place each winter!
As to siting, acers have a reputation for disliking strong winds, but mine have sat exposed on a south facing patio and not suffered at all for some reason. Better not chance it with a new specimen though, which you should keep sheltered and next to the walls of your house if possible, where they will derive extra warmth through winter, and be a bit more sheltered. My experience with them in general though is that they are tougher than folk make out.
Someone may correct me on this, but there are a lot of acers in nearby gardens, and our soil is acidic. I'm not sure if they are happy in alkaline soil? In a pot that isn't a problem as you can plant them in ericaceous compost.
That's right Lancashire Lass, all acers will grow in acid soil, but many won't tolerate alkaline (limey/chalky) soil. If anyone wants to grow them in a pot, add say 25% ericaceous compost to a loam-based compost like John Innes No.3 and you can't really go wrong. Good advice from Fairygirl about siting - keeping them out of the wind and away from early morning sun is best, so avoid East-facing exposed sites if possible.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Hello and thanks for this thread particularly about Acers.
Due to garden redesign my potted acer is now placed in a sheltered corner but east facing. I have to admit to not tending to it much over ten years - apart from talking to it! So feel a bit anxious about the position. However, I have noted your compost advice BtG and will top up existing soil this month.
I have a couple of acers in containers that I have had for several years. Can anyone tell me what is best to feed them with please? Is there anything specific that I should use?
Thanks everyone for your input on this topic, I must say it has proved very interesting. Spot on Bob with the soil recommendations, that's excatly what the guy at the G.C said, only he mentioned adding grit for drainge. He said he fed his on Growmore, but he also agreed with smflyman that c.m pellets are fine.
LT2, hi - re feeding acers. I don't give them anything extra special, they get the same dose of organic pelleted chicken manure that the rest of the garden gets in April. Other than that, certain things get some seaweed mixture if I think they look a bit in need, and I do use specialist clematis feed on those if I remember! So acers get the pellets and nothing else, they have a thick layer of gravel on the top of the compost which a) keeps some of the weeds out, b) prevents too swift drying out if we get heat (??!!), and IMHO looks nice. That's it - oh, I do stroke them as I pass and tell them how wonderful they look - up to you if you do that - mine now expect it of course.
Posts
On siting - make sure it is not in a windy spot - they hate it!
Not sure about the best pot - but my gut feel would say terracotta - more stable, looks better, stops the roots cooking in the summer. Good luck with it, they are lovely little trees ! I have a couple of big ones, and a whole set i am nurturing from baby plants from an offer a few years ago. I was advised (nursery lady at hampton court flower show) to only pot them on a pot size at a time, as they try to put on enough root growth every year to fill their pot - and if the new pot is much bigger than the old, they sometimes wear themselves out with the effort
Chicky's right about the wind! They prefer a bit of shade though they'll take more sun if they're in the ground as long as it's moisture retentive. Try to avoid a site where they'll get early morning sun if you get a lot of frosts. The leaves can get burned at the edges when it melts.
Terracotta will always look better than plastic, although some of the new resin pots are very impressive. A glazed pot will also set off an Acer well. If it's a specimen and you want it to look right, spend money on the container as well as the plant. It's the whole package that matters.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for replying Chicky and Fairygirl.
Chicky, I always thought it was the terracotta pots that 'baked' in the heat and that plastic (I do have a nice alnate resin one) kept plants cooler, now I am confused
You are right, terracotta pots do dry out quicker than other pots. They are also more susceptible to frost damage unless you pay the earth for a frost proof type.
My two acers have been in strong plastic pots for over 10 years now. As has already been said by Fairygirl, there are some beautiful resin pots around now that look the part until you go close up and touch them! Whatever you decide, make sure the pot is frost proof because you don't want to be heaving a large pot into a frost free place each winter!
As to siting, acers have a reputation for disliking strong winds, but mine have sat exposed on a south facing patio and not suffered at all for some reason. Better not chance it with a new specimen though, which you should keep sheltered and next to the walls of your house if possible, where they will derive extra warmth through winter, and be a bit more sheltered. My experience with them in general though is that they are tougher than folk make out.
Someone may correct me on this, but there are a lot of acers in nearby gardens, and our soil is acidic. I'm not sure if they are happy in alkaline soil? In a pot that isn't a problem as you can plant them in ericaceous compost.
That's right Lancashire Lass, all acers will grow in acid soil, but many won't tolerate alkaline (limey/chalky) soil. If anyone wants to grow them in a pot, add say 25% ericaceous compost to a loam-based compost like John Innes No.3 and you can't really go wrong. Good advice from Fairygirl about siting - keeping them out of the wind and away from early morning sun is best, so avoid East-facing exposed sites if possible.
Hello and thanks for this thread particularly about Acers.
Due to garden redesign my potted acer is now placed in a sheltered corner but east facing. I have to admit to not tending to it much over ten years - apart from talking to it! So feel a bit anxious about the position. However, I have noted your compost advice BtG and will top up existing soil this month.
Thanks to
you all.
I have a couple of acers in containers that I have had for several years. Can anyone tell me what is best to feed them with please? Is there anything specific that I should use?
Thanks everyone for your input on this topic, I must say it has proved very interesting. Spot on Bob with the soil recommendations, that's excatly what the guy at the G.C said, only he mentioned adding grit for drainge. He said he fed his on Growmore, but he also agreed with smflyman that c.m pellets are fine.
Thanks Meomye-thank the Lord for Growmore!!
LT2, hi - re feeding acers. I don't give them anything extra special, they get the same dose of organic pelleted chicken manure that the rest of the garden gets in April. Other than that, certain things get some seaweed mixture if I think they look a bit in need, and I do use specialist clematis feed on those if I remember! So acers get the pellets and nothing else, they have a thick layer of gravel on the top of the compost which a) keeps some of the weeds out, b) prevents too swift drying out if we get heat (??!!), and IMHO looks nice. That's it - oh, I do stroke them as I pass and tell them how wonderful they look - up to you if you do that - mine now expect it of course.