Too many Japanese Maples

I started collecting seedlings and putting them in pots almost ten years ago. I now have over 150. Obviously I don't have room to put all of them in the ground, so I tried to select just my favorites ones. aagh! I love them all.

But last Fall I pulled out the best color, and this Spring I have pulled out my favs. Then I selected my fav leaf shapes. I think I have it whittled down to about 40.

So this is an invitation to pick up a few maples if you are ever in my area. All I ask is a small donation to cover overhead, or bring me something that blooms blue! Some of them are five to seven years old and are about waist high.

My friend told me to just put a sign out and sale them, but I really don't want strangers coming to my home since I live alone. We have a community yard sale once a year, so I plan to sell whatever is left over.

I guess you guys went to Heidi's already this year or I could have brought some then, but I didn't see anything mentioned about it. I passed along about a dozen last year, but I don't remember who ended up with them. I hope they are bringing joy!



This message was edited May 2, 2009 1:06 PM

here's a panorama of my back patio.

as far as the eye can see. . .

Dang! I wish I were closer!

me too! they take a lot of time, and I am always afraid I am going to kill one from neglect. ;) I lose four or five each year, usually the youngest, during the harshest winter days, but I don't do anything to protect them, so it is survival of the fittest.

I just spent two full days restaking and shaping them. Sometimes when they are growing straight up with no limbs, the tip dies and then the tree forks. At this size I like to keep the trunk as tall as possible, so I take one of the forks and stake it straight up so that it becomes the trunk again.

That has worked really well on the ones with highly dissected leaves that tend to grow low and spreading. It keep them growing upwards until they are tall enough, then I let them spread out.

This message was edited May 2, 2009 10:45 PM

I love the JMs that I've seen so far. How did you get so many?

I pulled the seedlings up from under the parent plants every where I went for years. Last year I did not gather any. I figured with over 150, I had better just take care of the ones I have!

When you go somewhere that has a lot of Japanese Maples, you will see the seedlings emerging in the late spring. I always consider myself rescuing them, because for some reason they die out if directly under the parent tree.

Neofarmer
Could you tell me the price you are looking at as looking at getting many with my friend who lives in WA near Olympia and he will travel.

He would pick them up and store them until I can get to him.

Let me know as highly interested

Denise

Me also. My sister lives in Suquamish and could pick out about 10 for me. D-mail me your address and I will let her know. What is your price range on the biggest ones?
Patricia ps My sis' name is Sharon.

Hey, that's great. Neo, you can meet new people and get your rescues to people you know will love them.

I have three - you sent a bunch with Gordon last year. They are all doing great didn't even blink an eye in the cold temps from last winter. I still have them in pots until they're a little bigger and there's less danger of a happy dog running over them.

Thank you!!

irisloverdee, Gosh, I haven't even thought about prices! I was thinking just whatever you wanted to donate, just to cover the price of the potting soil and pots! ;) Each little tree is priceless in its own way. I only offer them to this group because I know they will be loved and well cared for.

Willow, sure thing. I have priced some the same variety and height as mine and they run from 50 to 75! There is no way I would want to do this for a business, takes too long. Naw, these babies are a labor of love and I have too many that need to go in the ground. Just empty your piggy bank and take them home and put them in the ground where they can really stretch out their roots and grow. Then send me pictures as they grow big and beautiful!

katie, that is great to hear! One reason I don't protect them in the winter is to make sure they are good and hard, and if I gave one as a gift it wouldn't up and die the first winter.


This message was edited May 2, 2009 11:52 PM

Neo, are you planning to come to the roundup in August? Soferdig is looking for Japanese maples for his property and he will be there. It would be a good place to trade some maples for blue flowering plants, too.

Neofarmer,you have Dmail.

Oh my gosh! Boy, do I have Dmail! ;)

Since everyone asked the same questions, I'll just answer them here. I have never shipped anything alive before. I have received dead plants from even the best nurseries who know what they are doing, so I don't know if that would be a good idea. I was really just making this offer to the local folks that I have met here. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I just can't be too accommodating at this point in my life. No job.

I only have about 5 of the red, heavily dissected/lace leafs; they are still very small, were very hard to keep alive, and all mine! ;) I lost half of what I planted each winter. Some of them are only 7 to 10 inches tall and are already five years old! They take years to get any size at all, which is why a large specimen can cost $1000 to 2000.

But I do have a huge variety of nicely dissected red ones, and others with some pretty leaf shapes and great colors. I have grouped them into reds, greens, and bronzes for Spring. The bronzes tend to change color more than the other two groups. I don't think any two trees are the same.

As to price, I guess 10. to 25. depending on size would be half of what they are at the nurseries, but as I said before, I'll take a donation that fits your budget! I paid around 75. to 125. for the ones I bought (couldn't find the Orange Moon, August Moon or the Shin de Shojo as seedlings ;) so had to buy them). I did finally grow a chartreuse moon from a seedling and it is the love of my life! :)

Most of them are still only a couple of feet high (not including the pot), a few are up to three plus feet, so there will still be plenty of years to watch them grow. But it will be more like enjoying bonsai. Small and beautiful!

Because I have so many sizes and kinds, I would not know what to transport to a swap, so it would be great if everyone wanted to just pick a day and carpool over here. There are some nice nurseries on this side of the water and you could make a day of it.

Hope this helps!

This message was edited May 2, 2009 10:48 PM

Now can you tell the kind they are at all. approx height and say 1.00 a feet, or something, so if you can get the list doen of how many of each tree you have, approximate height, list of trees, how old they are....I think we should be able to do a deal. He will pick them all up, give you the money and bring down to his place for 2-3 2weeks =AND THEn he will bring them to me...please give me counts, names and approximate height this week, thank you for consideration.

Denise SnowpeakIris.





d

dang neo! I sure wish that I lived closer. what an awesome thing that you're doing!

Denise, I am glad you love japanese maples. I think you missed my point. These trees are for sharing among friends and family. I give them to guests that stop by. I put a lot of time and energy into these trees. They are a labor of love and I wanted to share them with the nice folks here in Western Washington that I have met before. Several of them have sent me plants or seeds, and it was my way of saying thank you. I was extending an invitation to the people I have met here, to stop by if they are in the area.

They are not intended to go to just one person. If you want say, 7 to 10 trees max, that would be ok, but I am not going to let them all go to one person, and they certainly are not for resale, not that you are intending to. If anyone were to make a profit from these babies, it would be me. ;) I haven't had a job since January and I am disabled.

Hope that doesn't ruffle anyone's feathers.

Hi Kiddo

There were not going for resale, as I have 10 acres and most are without trees, and I love trees, the JM the most.

So I could get 10 for me and 10 for my friend? All different colors and about $5.00 each?

I am a commerical iris Grower that have many tours here, and want more shade for the customers to sit under and to help shade the house.

You did not ruffle my feathers at all. From the sounds of the writeup, sounded like you really wanted to get rid of as many as you could as soon as you could. No hard feelings

Let me know what you think of the deal.

Denise

Thanks Denise, I get overwhelmed pretty easily from Fibromyalgia, especially late at night when I am in so much pain from the day. I should have waited until this morning to type a response :)

I would love to know that the trees were being seen on tours. So that would be cool.

I only have one concern for you, I don't think these trees are going to be big enough for shade for a LONG time. One reason they grow so slowly is because they are growing on their own roots systems. Japanese Maples that are purchased are usually grafts onto fast growing root stock.

It would take another 10 years before these would be tall enough to sit under.

Hi neo,,
I was wondering if you'd be able to ship them priority and and bare root?Wrap in wet paper towel,and newspaper and then wrap in palstic.If I repotted instantly they should be fine.I'd pay you for shipping of corse and for your time.If you don't want to chane it,or be bothered I'll understand completely.!!!!!!!! We have a acre for a yard and I want to get it to not look so baron.

I know all about the fibro,I to have it and it kills me at times more than others,but I'm constantly in pain.


Blessing,
Synda

Hi Synda, thank you for the good idea. My problem is that it is very difficult for me to drive, so I don't get out much. But I will think about it. Dmail me your mailing address and someday when I am feeling extra peppy, you just might get surprised!

Now that I have swiped some coffee I would like to add that I pondered my feelings last night and realized that these little trees mean a lot more to me than I had thought. I started acting protective of them just like I would if giving away my favorite pet. Who are they going to, will they be loved and cared for, etc. :)

So again, my apologies for being snippy last night. Denise, I wish I were closer to your gardens, I would love to walk through them and see my trees providing beauty and shade some day.

If I had ten acres, I would plant 365 Jmaples, one for each day of the year. I would assign a specific day to each tree when it is the most glorious. It would be the birthday tree for that day and there would be benches around it for people to sit and enjoy their birthday, or sit and remember the birthday of a loved one who had passed away.

I am a hopeless romantic!

Anyway, yes, I do need to let a bunch of these babies go, so I will do what I can to accommodate each person! :)

Kathryn

Here are some tips that I have learned by trial and error. I was raised by a scientist so I love experimenting.

We are actually too late this year to transplant the Jmaples. I repotted all of them last year, one pot size up so they can stay in their pots this year just fine. I repotted some late in the Spring one year and they let me know that they did not like that! I lost a year of growth.

Fall is a great time to repot or transfer into the ground. This is also when bare root shipping would be the best.

When I repot, I fill a large tub with tepid water. I submerge the pot into the water and let it sit, then gently slide the pot off. While the roots are underwater, I gently work the potting soil loose. I then let the plant sit in the water for a bit until the roots are softer, then gently unwind them from their circular pot shape. I have a larger pot ready with some of the lava rock that is used for orchids in the bottom, then a layer of potting soil. I place the tree into the pot, reshape the roots and fill in the soil around them, then water in quickly to remove any air from the tiny hair roots.

If you give them much more than a tiny bit of fertilizer, they die. And foliar feeding with Miracle grow burns the leaves BTW.

I killed a large expensive maple one time that I was planting for a community garden. I let the neighbors dig a deep hole and put the tree in without unwinding its roots. The hole went down to the hard pan clay and basically formed a pot in the ground which held all of the water. The leaves began to wilt, so I watered it more. I drowned the poor thing! Now I know to dig a shallow but wide hole and spread the roots out nicely. The second tree, same variety, I planted there is beautiful and has grown into a real beauty.

Hope this helps!

HELP GREATLY !!!!!!!!! My grandpa always say,he is gone now and would be 107..............anyhow,only to transplant or trim a tree with an "R" in the month.Other wise ,they run a VERY high chance of bleeding to death and dying.Anyone can disagree or not ,but I believe in what he said.

And if you'd like to share come September - October that would make me very happy.

Synda ^_^

You have dmail

Denise

Synda, that does make sense. Just Dmail me again later in the year to remind me!

Denise, got it, sent you a reply. It will be fun knowing that many people will be enjoying the Jmaples!

Boo hoo, did not receive and want my friend to make it out there soon and also see first hand that wonderful greenhouse. My greenhouses are the bigger commerical no personality ones, but one is used for storage of packing supplies and the other has all the plants...too many plants right now. But like you receiving freezes at night still and way way too much rain.

Denise

Hi Denise, I just sent another Dmail. Did you get it this time?

You have large commercial greenhouses, and still have too many plants?
Then we are all doomed. :)

I just had an idea, how about picking out some of your bluest iris and trade them for the maples? I saw some clear sky blue and some deep true blue in an iris garden in Arkansas.


This message was edited May 4, 2009 9:17 AM

why don't you look at my webpage www.snowpeakiris.com

D

Well, three hours later I think I have looked at them all. And you do have some killer blues!

My mother had so many iris down in the South when I was growing up. I had forgotten how beautiful they are. I tried to grow them after moving to the great Northwet and they all got nasty fungus.

Last summer I traveled to my Grandmother's home, and while she is deceased, her iris live on. The lady that owns the home now dug up some for me. They haven't bloomed yet this year, so I don't even know what color.

Also, last year a coworker gave me about seven iris that she said came from her home country of Romania and were very rare. Can't wait!

This message was edited May 4, 2009 8:42 PM

How exciting for you to have some iris from your grandma's and for the gift fromyour co-worker!!!

Maple trees are all over my property I really don't like al the seeds thay sprout and grow all over GRRRRRRR
any one wants some you can have them.

Yes, the coworker was getting divorced and had to move into an apartment. She could not take the iris with her, so I found them in bags on my desk. I guess she knew I would love and take care of them. I told her that someday when she has a place, there will be more, then we both can have some. :)

Maple seedlings all over your property and you are growling! So are they just vine maples which spring up like weeds in the woods, or from Japanese Maple cultivars?

I JUST KNOW THEY ARE Maple Trees not vines they are tall trees. I don't know what kind they are.

Probably the big leaf maples. They are everywhere in Western WA, and do grow like crazy. The vine maples aren't actually vines, I think they are called that because the branches are long and thin, and the leaves are spaced far apart, at least when they are growing under the canopy of the forest. They do have small leaves and look similar to Japanese Maples.

And the vine maples, while they are trees, tend to lay down and re-root and look pretty messy. They are beautiful small trees when they are shaped from youth.

I have lots of big-leafed maples and vine-maple seedlings, too. This is perfect maple germination country, I think.

Aaagh! I have to retract my offer. I had COMPLETELY forgotten that I had promised all the extras to my best friend Susan. She has 15 acres and is creating a meditation trail with benches along the way. She is counting on me planting Jmaples at each station and was upset when I mentioned the offer I had made here.

I feel like such an idiot! I am very sorry for getting anyone's hopes up! :(

That is Ok, I think that would be better for the trees and for all.

Good luck to you both.

Denise

Hey all I'm kinda back, but not completely. I miss my big puter ( it had spell check) LOL

Welcome to all the new DGers that don't know me.
^_^

Neo, don't forget the Big Valley yard sale, you can make some money. I was planing that for this year with my Dals, but I lost alot from this winter. But order to many to replace them ( have a new plan not to lose these) will be there next year.

HI TILS. Your plants at my house are growing well. Glad to hear from you again.

Neo, I'm crying

Thank you for understanding, Denise. I had forgotten that I had promised my extra to her. I forget a lot these days!

Hi Tills! Sorry to hear about your dahlias. I don't lift mine in the fall, so probably lost some too. Someday we must get together! I am still holding a Jmaple for you. And I seem to remember promising some meconopsis seeds, too. I am starting them tonight, so if anything germinates, I put a couple in a pot for you.

Willow, when I get through planting Susan's meditation woods, I might have some left for the Round up in August. I started 10 new ones this year, so I'll have more again before too long. ;)