Japanese maples are known to look incredible in the upcoming colder months, but now in August it can be a struggle to keep them healthy if you do not water them properly. These graceful trees come from forested regions where summers are cooler and the air is more humid, meaning that even the British sun can be too harsh for their delicate leaves.
It is important to keep Japanese maples hydrated now as so they do not suffer from their burning, which can stress them out, stunt their growth and cause their leaves to shred. However, the gardening experts at Plant Addicts have shared keeping Japanese maples watered in late summer is can easy, as long as you avoid watering them in the afternoon.
They said: “The best time of the day to water Japanese maples is during the morning, which allows plenty of time for the roots to soak up the water.
“If watering during the evening, try not to get the leaves wet, as the slower evaporation time at evening and night can facilitate the spread of diseases.”
Most people water their gardens in the afternoon, but this is when the sun is at its highest. This increases the rate of evaporation, so less moisture gets into the soil.
This means that not much water will reach the roots of a Japanese maple, so the tree will end up under-watered, which makes it more likely that it will lose its leaves.
Water droplets can also heat up and act like magnifying glasses to burn the leaves, greatly stressing the tree.
It is possible to water Japanese maples in the evening, but since there is no evaporation at all the leaves will stay wet overnight, which can encourage fungal growth as well as pests like slugs.
The absolute best time to water Japanese maples is in the morning before 9am to 10am, as the soil is cool so the water has time to soak into the soil.
It also gives the leaves more time to dry before the hottest time of day, so they stay vibrant and grow even bigger more autumn arrives.
In summer, Japanese maples will need to be watered at least twice a week, but if they are in a container, you will need to water them four times a week as they are more likely to dry out.
Taking 10 minutes in the morning to water Japanese maples ensures they have the best chance of surviving the harsh summer weather and will look stunning when autumn begins in late September.
