How To Plant And Take Care Of A Red Maple Sapling

Trees add to the beauty of a home or a garden in the same way as flowers do. However, not all trees are quite capable of adding to the beauty. With some trees, it is even hard to tell whether they are present in a garden or not. Red maples, though, are an exception. Their shouting orange-red color is noticeable from miles away. But perhaps the fact that a red maple can do well in different types of soil is the most striking feature of all. It can grow in swampy areas, in areas with dry soil, and any area in between.

How Do You Plant A Red Maple?

Planting the red maple is fairly easy; it is almost the same as planting any other tree. In your desired location, dig a hole that is one to two inches wider than the root ball of your sapling. The depth should be equal to the height of the sapling. Remove rocks and gravel from the hole so that the soil can get enough water; maples do exceptionally well in damp soil. Then break the root ball of the sapling, insert the tree in the hole, and spread its roots throughout the hole. Finish the task by filling the hole with soil. And don't just throw the soil in with a shovel; mound it up so that it can create a water-catching berm that will keep the roots moist as the tree grows.

The appropriate time for planting the red maple is during the fall season. During fall, the temperature is warm and hence it will allow a steady development of the roots.

How Do you Look After A Red Maple?

Taking care of the red maple should begin immediately after you have planted the tree. As soon as you are done with planting, lay organic mulch around the soil. Mulching helps the soil to retain moisture and it prevents the roots from being damaged by hot temperatures. It also subdues weeds that attempt to tamper with the development of plants. Hay is one type of mulch you can try. Pile about one foot of hay around your tree; this should be thick enough to keep the weeds out.

Watering is another important maintenance step. The roots will develop quite deeper if you water the tree slowly and deeply. Frequent light application of water doesn't encourage the growth of deeper roots. Water the tree as soon as you are able to tell that the soil is dry.   

Do not expect to see a fully grown red maple in your garden one day or two days after planting the tree. Maples take ten to thirty years to grow to their full height (75 feet).  In fact, they grow by one or two feet per year. But the beauty of a fully grown red maple is surely worth the wait.