Very kind of you to show your appreciation! Carl

@@dariushKabir19 best of luck 🤞

Hi and yes using a mix like that is a perfectly valid solution. That type of mixture it’s basically what the Acer growers use and works well. The issue is however is they dry out super fast and will need / waste a lot more water. Most growers use poly tunnels that prevent wind and direct sun reaching the trees so I think there is always a balance. I’ll have a video out soon on compost and watering strategies. Thanks for posting, Carl

Glad you found it useful! Interesting remedy you have discovered!

Great 👍 a nice full root ball is really beneficial and they have the rest of the summer to grow 👍

Glad you enjoyed it! Carl

You’re absolutely right, spring is a dangerous time! Carl

@@Japanesemaples What's your opinion on fabric pot vs terracotta? May be a video about it😄

@@awpchung nice idea, I only talk from personal experience however, so I will have to look into it!

I actually brought it forward in the month because a lot of people are having problems. The Katsura will probably be fine as it’s fairly robust and fast growing. Keep a close eye on the others. Carl

Totally agree it’s been a really wet spring, the trees leaf out giving up their hibernation state to find very poor conditions. I’ve only watered mine twice this year!

Sounds like a plan!

I like your positive approach 👍

That’s good to hear and encourages me to keep going, 🙏

It’s hard to say, but it needs to get dry on a regular basis. The faster growing trees with bigger leaves to soak up water will do better 👍

@@Japanesemaples Makes sense, it's my first year of really getting into it so it's gonna be a game of trail and error. I got an Atropurpureum last year which is popping off this year so far. Now I went a bit crazy last 2 months by buying 10 more JMs lol

@@XraycatNLI know they are so addictive lol

THANKS AGAIN CARL from WASHINGTON STATE USA 😊 WE have LOTS of RAIN here too 😮 Your TIPS R EXCELLENT !!!

I don’t think you need look further than all the water to be honest, they just hate wet feet! Could always try some in pots 🤔

Always sad when a tree dies… I hope this video helps people 🤞

@@Japanesemaples there is a huge learning curve ….. I won’t buy an in leaf tree when my zone hasn’t warmed enough. I can only surmise the shock (even though I moved to my garage), then the constant rain was too much for it to fend off. I’m thinking maybe the best time to buy is when the seller/buyer is out-of-season so the tree can wake up at its new home. 🤷‍♂️

@@1ronhall​​⁠ I think May is about optimal for me as the conditions in the Uk are more stable. If they are reliant on me watering I have control 👍

I think you have two options. The weather is getting drier so leave be and fingers crossed 🤞 Dig it up and put in pot the size of the root ball. 👍

Never tried to be honest!

@@Japanesemaples Do it! Lots of moss around the trunk roots (sphagnum moss is anti- bacterial) to hold moisture and encourage root growth. Then pack in surrounding area with non-clumping fire baked cat litter (Any non-wood, non-paper, non-clumping and most importantly...not used. Or Oil sorb will also be good to use). Firm down, making sure of no air pockets. Drench well. No moisture meter? Try this: shove a wooden BBQ stake into the cat litter, leave for 5 mins. Remove stake, if its wet don't water. If it's dry/nearly dry drench with water. Water should flow out of the bottom of the pot. With this method it is difficult/nearly impossible to overwater your trees. Another method is to grow your new treelings in garden pond plastic baskets (the type used for growing submersed water plants) filled with said cat litter. You will need to water more frequently BUT the pay-off is lots of air accessing the roots, absolutely vital for promoting vibrant, healthy root growth - therefore more tree growth. When watering this free draining medium it is very important that you drench the medium until it flows (not dribbles) from the bottom of the pot. Wait 5 minutes then repeat. This will ensure all of the growing medium is receiving its required amount of water. I know cat litter sounds crazy, it took me 5 years before I changed to this. I have over 50 bonsai/bonsai in training and whenever I repot it is always into a 100% cat litter or a 70% cat litter, 30% well composted small size pine bark for Pines or moisture loving trees. I started growing bonsai in 1990 and have a 20 year old Japanese Maple orange dream, 2 foot tall, trunk at base is about 1 3/4 inches diameter, canopy spread of about 2 foot 6 - 9 inches. I bought this at Asda's (Supermarket) spring cheap plants for the grand sum of £3.00 (about $2.75) the more expensive ones were £6.00 (about $5.50-ish). For the last 15 years I have grown this very healthy tree in 100% cat litter. I'd say that was a pretty good return, a few quid and 17 years (I estimate the tree was about 3 years old at time of purchase). Give it a try, after all, what have you got to lose except a dying tree? And if at first you don't succeed... stop sucking seeds and buy another tree ; ) Best wishes, Franklin.

Is the compost really wet?

@@Japanesemaples opposite, my moisture monitor is reading dry / some moist but mostly dry ☹️

@@jdan5793 I spoke to a maple grower in Dorset in the Uk and he won’t stock Shaina any more. Sadly it’s just really temperamental, mine has some random dieback but every other acer I own is fine!

@@Japanesemaples thank you! That's really interesting actually. I'm based in Scotland- do you recommend any acer varieties for a novice like me (obviously not shaina lol)😆😆

Hi, If it’s not produced leaves this year by now, it would be dead. Is that what’s happened?

@@Japanesemaples uhhh kinda? I bought it from a nursery in March, it’s very small Shaina about 2 feet tall, very tiny root system and it almost fell over in its pot, so I staked it up. It dropped all its leafs after arriving to me and 3 months later it’s still bare. I expect it will come back eventually? 😅

@@gabronijabronireally sorry but non of mine have ever recovered after that duration. Worth mentioning that some Acer suppliers won’t stock Shaina, because it’s not very reliable.

@@Japanesemaplesas a newbie thank you so much for the insight!!! That would have been good to know when ordering (in the US) 😂 I also bought ryusen, tamukeyama and Waterfall. They have been perfect and growing, but Ms Shaina just gave up 😅 Is there a video on cultivars for noobs? 😂

@@gabronijabroni​​⁠don’t let Shaina put you off it’s the only one I know that behaves that way. If you check out my channel there are loads of videos on various cultivars. I’m going to do a video soon, something like “my first 10 acres” which might help

During the winter Acers are very hardy and need hardly any water. In the UK I don’t water mine all winter. Keeping moisture is not as much an issue as it draining away. May be too late but you never know 🤞

@@Japanesemaples there we a couple of leaves that were green - the rest were brown - I drilled some holes - but you recommend to re-pot - will I only find out next year?

@@christiansoldier1118 definitely repot 👍