How Do You Plant an Acer Tree in the Ground?

What is an Acer Tree?

Also known as Japanese Maple, Acers are small, slow-growing, deciduous trees. They come in a rainbow of colors, including green, yellow, orange, purple and deep red, and provide dramatic autumn interest as they change with the seasons.

Acer trees have a dome-like growing habit, and their compact size makes them perfect for containers or smaller gardens. They can add height and interest to borders and flower beds or fill gaps underneath large trees and shrubs.

Acers are non-invasive, so you don't need to worry about them taking over the garden. Japanese Maple trees are an excellent focal point in any outdoor space and are particularly well suited to small gardens.

Check out Gardeners Dream for more Acer Tree inspiration.

Different Types of Acer Plants

Acer plants come in a range of sizes, shapes and colors. The kind you choose will depend on your space, whether you want a taller or more spread-out tree. Leaf color can also be a factor when choosing a Japanese Maple.

Acer palmatum Taylor

The five-lobed leaves of this variety are a stunning shade of pink in spring. During summer, the leaves will change to a green hue with creamy pink edges for a truly striking look before turning lime green in autumn. This variety s perfect if you're looking for something different to create a focal point in your outdoor space.

Acer palmatum Seiryu

This variety holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit for reliability, stability and resistance to pests. Its bright green foliage darkens slightly through the warmer months before turning a wonderful shade of golden crimson in autumn.

Acer palmatum Atropurpureum

Reaching an ultimate height and spread of up to 4m, this species provides color and interest for most of the year. Its lobed red-purple leaves turn a vivid crimson red in autumn. Palmatum Atropurpureum is one of the UK's most popular varieties of Acer.

Acer palmatum Summer Gold

If you're looking to add color to your outdoor space, this is the variety of Acer for you. At different times of the year, its foliage might be pink, lime green, yellow, orange or crimson as it changes with the seasons. It also produces small green flowers in spring and red fruit in autumn.

This is only an example of some of the Acer trees available at Gardeners Dream. Browse our extensive collection of Acers to find the one most suitable for your space.

How To Plant an Acer Tree in the Ground

Choose the Location

Before you even get out the tools you'll need, you have to decide where you're going to plant your new Japanese Maple tree. The perfect spot will vary depending on the variety of Acer you've chosen. For example, red maple trees can tolerate more direct sunlight than others. However, generally, you'll be looking for a post in partial shade. Avoid any excessively sunny positions for your tree.

Acers don't cope well with water-logged roots, so good drainage is essential for keeping Japanese Maples healthy and happy. These trees will grow in most soils as long as it is well drained. Acers are generally hardy, but they prefer a sheltered position that will help protect the tree from strong winds that could easily damage the foliage.

Prepare the Hole

Once you've decided on the perfect spot for your Acer tree, it's time to prepare the area for planting. Japanese Maple trees spread out the root system and don't like competing for space, so ensure you have plenty of room before digging. However, these trees prefer their roots to be quite shallow, so the hole doesn't need to be too deep.

Planting

Water the hole and add some feed or quality fertilizer if you wish. Carefully lift the tree into the hole and check it is upright and facing the desired way. Fill in the hole with soil and water thoroughly.

What Time of Year Should You Plant an Acer?

Place Acers in the ground between October and March. The best time for planting is late autumn or early spring when the ground isn't frozen, but the weather is still cool enough for the soil to be moist.

How do you look after an Acer tree?

Pruning

As Acer trees are slow-growing, very little pruning is required. If your tree is getting a little unruly or overgrown, winter is the best time for pruning, when the tree is fully dormant. Pruning at other times of the year can lead to bleeding sap weakening the plant. Use clean cuts and disinfect your tools between trees to prevent transferring disease.

Watering

Planted in the ground, your Japanese Maple won't need much water during the year as it can soak up moisture from the rain. However, you'll need to water it at least weekly during dry spells and hot weather. If you notice the leaves turning brown and crinkling around the edges during summer, a good drink will help revive your Acer.

Feeding

Acer trees planted in the ground don't generally need feeding as they can absorb all the nutrients they need from the soil. However, if you want to encourage faster growth, an all-purpose fertilizer or liquid feed applied in late winter will help promote fresh growth in spring.

Acers are easy to grow and bring vibrant shades of color to any outdoor space. While Japanese Maple can thrive in pots and containers, planted in the ground they will largely take care of themselves.

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