How To Grow Japanese Maples: Part 5.

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"How To Grow Japanese Maples"
from http://japanese-maple.com
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Part 5:Propagation

- Section 2: Grafted Trees

In commercial production of Japanese maples we 'graft' a piece of a branch of a known cultivar onto a strong growing green leaf Japanese maple rootstock.

We do this to make sure we get a consistent product as some japanese maples are hard to propagate and do not always produce strong healthy root systems from cuttings.

There are several different grafting techniques used in nursery production. Most grafting is done in the winter months - typically December through February. Some propagators do summer grafting from mid-June through July as the new season's shoots are beginning to harden off. A minority even graft in October and November!

The rootstock we use is typically 2 to 3 year old Acer palmatum - green leaf form. In January these pots are given extra heat using a heating mat or heated bed and raising the air temperature to around 60F for about 2 weeks.

Dormant wood (scions) are taken from 1 year old wood and may be kept cold (33-36F) by storing in bags to conserve moisture in the refrigerator.

The rootstock is carefully cut into about one third of the diameter of the trunk. This opens up a length of cut into which we insert the branch - or scion as we call it - of the known plant. The scion is carefully cut into a wedge shape so it perfectly fits the cut on the trunk.

Then we bind the two pieces together tightly and seal the wound. Then we let the plant heal itself and make sure the rootstock is not allowed to send out any shoots. Only the scion is allowed to grow.

Taking cuttings and grafting are vegetative forms of reproduction - with these we are allowed to call the new tree the name of the parent becasue it is a clone.

Let us know if you'd like to learn more about how
to graft Japanese maple trees.

Use your QMTP to contact me directly:

In many garden centers you'll find the most widely propagated cultivars such as "Bloodgood". "Burgundy Lace", "Crimson Queen" and perhaps "Butterfly".

But you'll be hard pressed to find very many of the most sought after, hard to find plants!

As a total 'plant-aholic' - I have to keep adding to mycollection and I'm guessing some of you have the same compulsion I do!

In the next part of our series on How to Grow Japanese Maples we'll discuss some of or favorite, cultivars. We include links to pages where you can enjoy photographs of these plants as they become available.

Happy growing online and in dirt.

Ken Alston
Commonwealth Plants, LLC
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Ken Alston is a green thumbed British gardener, plant-aholic and nurseryman who provides ordinary gardeners and fellow plant-aholics with growing tips, techniques and rare plants.

http://japanese-maple.com

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