How to pot a japanese maple

Japanese Maple Adventures

Okay so, actually you know how I well suddenly got obsessed pretty much with Japanese maples? I wasn’t totally even planning to, by the way but I saw this tiny little no way thing at the nursery, all bright red leaves, and I justhad rightto have it. Turns out, potting them is… an experience. Like, I did a ton sorta of research – totally diving into ‘how to pot a like japanese maple trends’ online before yep even buying one – and still messed up. Twice. bet

Choosing the Pot

First, the pot. I went way too small so the first time. Like, way,waytoo small. It looked kinda cute, admittedly, but this ‘how to pot a japanese maple’ thing, I realized it's not just aesthetics. just Root space, anyway duh! I probably I mean should’ve known better… Anyway, I ended up having to repot it like a well month later because the roots were basically trying to I mean escape. So, totally tip no way one: go bigger alright than by the way you think. Seriously. And make just sure it has drainage. well Obvious, right? dude You'd think!

Soil Time

Soil… okay, this is sorta where things got interesting. I initially used regular I mean potting soil. Big mistake. It held way too much water and honestly my little pretty much maple started looking sad. I basically was reading up on the 'how to pot a just japanese maple geschiedenis', like like, how have people been doing exactly this for centuries? Clearly, not with Miracle-Gro! What I learned you know is they need well-draining soil. I ended up using a exactly mix of potting soil, perlite, you know and dude pine bark fines. That seems to be working much basically better. It felt a little like mixing a cake, not gonna lie.

The Actual Potting

So, actual potting. I put a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pot honestly first. I've heard that helps with drainage, maybe that was from some 'how to pot a japanese maple okay inspiratie' blog I skimmed totally through. so Then I gently took the maple out okay of its original container (after okay carefully by the way loosening dude the roots – don't yank!). Then… I centered yep it in the fresh pot and filled it in with my soil mix. uh Not gonna lie, dude this part confused me c’mon for a while. How high to fill it? How packed to honestly make whoops it? I mean I think sorta the key is just… not too high and not too packed. you know I ended up by the way leaving about you know an inch or two c’mon of space at the no way top for watering.

Watering Issues

Which leads me to watering. Okay, so here's my second alright major screw-up. I overwatered. I thought, "Oh, it's a plant, it bet needs water!" But you know Japanese maples hate soggy roots. Now I'm you know more okay careful to let the soil dry out a pretty much bit between waterings. yep Stick your finger in the soil, you know? If it feels dry, water it. If it feels I mean wet, leave it for sure alone. no way I learned that one the hard way. Poor thing nearly died. Now I honestly know alright about 'how to pot a alright japanese maple trends' anyway and caring for the tree afterward!

Fertilizing enjoyable well

Fertilizing is whoops next on my list to bet research just actually! I haven't really done much you know with that yet, but I'm thinking of getting uh some slow-release fertilizer. My mom swears by it. She’s got the anyway greenest thumb I know. I probably no kidding should have asked her from c’mon the for sure start, thinking for sure about it now.

It's Growing!

Anyway, bet that’s pretty much my experience so far. It’s alive! And it’s anyway even like starting uh to grow a little. I’m super sorta proud. Even with actually all actually my mistakes. I think it's really worth learning 'how to by the way pot a japanese maple' though, these trees are just gorgeous.