Looking for advice/tips on Acers

Hi,

A couple of months ago I moved into a house with a well-established garden. It has a large number of various plants that I'm trying to learn about and hopefully be able to maintain.

One of the plants I recently be reading up about is some Japanese Acers. There are two red ones and possibly a third green one (not 100% sure if green is an Acer). All of them are planted in almost full sunlight. Any ideas what plant food I should get for them. I've been told that in winter I should cover them to protect them from frost.

Thank you so much for any advice/tips

 

@New2Gardening Where are you in the country? Yes you can have green Japanese acers; photos of your three would be helpful as would some idea of size. If they are established then I wouldn't feed them so long as they are growing well.
Cold drying winds in spring are probably more of an issue than frost.

 

I'm based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire area.

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Just went around the garden to take pictures and think there may even be a fourth?
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Hello! As Nigel says, the springtime is when Acers are vulnerable to damage, when the new leaves are opening. Hot sun likely isn't a problem () but strong winds and late frosts can burn the new growth. Once frosts have finished there, go over them and snip out all the obviously dead twigs. If you do want to feed them, they appreciate an ericaceous fertiliser. Give them Miracle-Gro for Ericaceous plants dissolved in water. That way they get a drink too. Make sure they don't suffer drought in summer. Is the tap water fairly soft there? If not, rainwater would be a better option

 

Yes four rather nice Japanese maples, with leaves emerging.

 

You have become the owner of some very nice Acers.
In fact what I can see of the garden it looks very nice.

 

@NigelJ - Thank you for confirming

@noisette47 Thanks for the tips, I might just get some mircle-gro as you suggested and give them a little water. It is a soft water area but we have two water butts so might just use the water from the butts.

@pete thank you, it is a lovely large garden and the previous owners were retired so spent a lot of time investing in it. I want to try to keep it maintained. The garden is pretty much a big selling point.

You will see more of me on here trying to figure out what plants are in the garden. Does this site have a section to record the plants the users have in gardens? I would like to document it so I know exactly what is being grown.

 

@noisette47 Is this sort of product you recommended? "Miracle-Gro 119651 Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Concentrated Liquid Plant Food 1 Litre"

I saw it on Amazon but unfortunately, I cant link to it directly because I dont meet the minimum requirements on this forum to post links to other sites.

 

That's one version. It also comes in granule form to be diluted in water, I think. Sorry I'm not the best person to advise on availability of products in UK I've never found better plant food here, though. Another, slow-release option is to tickle some Blood, fish and bone into the soil round the trees.
Re. your question about recording your garden plants, there's the Photo Gallery.......

 

They look established to me, so I wouldn't even bother feeding, but would probably water in very dry spells.

 

Hi there @New2Gardening and

Your Acers look great, must admit to not feeding mine.....tut tut.!

 

@Upsydaisy thank you for the warm welcome

 

You're most.....well.....welcome!!

 

My acers and looking a bit happier and I've had a few comments from others on how lovely they are.

Unfortunately, there's a fern in my garden that could do with a bit more love... I'll post another message about it.

 

Welcome to the forum. I love Acers. I planted one at the back end of the year. I saw it on the cover of a catalogue. "Taylor", my surname, so I just had to have it. Though rather small it survived the winter. It is a very delicate looking thing.
I planted another Acer a few weeks back. They were for sale in my local Morrisons so I brought it home with the shopping.
This is the first one when I planted it at the end of November.