train red maples

siochain

Hey folks,

I have two red maples that planted from root stock last year in large tree tubs (about 5ft). They were planned for a move to a site which we were to build on. That’s not happening now so I was wonderings is it possible to train red maples for a large estate back garden?

Any suggestions or guidance welcome.

Cheers

looksee

When you say train do you mean stop them from growing too tall? They are pretty big trees and if they get well established I can't see that taking the tops off would be very helpful, they would just grow wide. I think it would have to be a very large estate garden just to accommodate one. It is the rubrum you are talking about?

Would you consider selling them and getting something a bit more domestic sized?

siochain

yeah thats it, looking to see if its possible to restrict their growth. Not sure if they are rubrum.

looksee

The best way to restrict them would be to leave them in the tubs! I wouldn't really recommend that though.

It really matters what variety they are. There are all sorts of acers - maple, sycamore, japanese acer, and they vary in size from tiny (some of the Japanese) to huge forest trees, though there are a lot in the middle size range which could be very suitable for a suburban garden. I have a red acer in my garden with a leaf more like a sycamore than a maple, and at 30 years old it is a lovely tree but only about 18 ft tall.

Whatever they are you will not get satisfactory results from topping them though. Any chance of a photograph - when the leaves are out?

siochain

yeah will stick up a photo as soon as they are out, cheers

Nonmonotonic

As looksee explained, the only way to keep your trees small is to restrict root growth (A La Bonsai). Pruning the branches would probably accelerate growth. Remove from tubs and put in similar size (or smaller), non degradable container before planting. I buried an old wheelbarrow and planted mint in it to prevent it taking over the garden (Partially successfully).

The selling suggestion is a good one as mature trees are expensive.

siochain

I hear ya on the mint, planted mint still conatined in a large pot and its spreading like wild fire..