Repotting an Acer 'Emerald Lace'

Hello,
I want to move the Acer in the smaller blue pot to the considerably larger blue pot as its permanent home. Is that too much of a leap? I'd like to get it into the larger pot asap, but would I be better potting it on into a slightly larger plastic pot and burying that in the larger pot, moving on in stages?
Hope someone can help!
Thanks in advance.

 

I reckon it will be OK but a plastic pot inner might hold the water better.

 

Your Acer looks like quite a mature plant @LG_ . If it is and it has a well established rootball, I think it would be fine moving it to the larger pot. As you probably know, the compost should be free draining. I’ve just potted a much younger tree using a 50/50 mix of ericaceous compost/John Innes No 3.

 

Thank you both. I may risk going straight to the bigger pot then...
It's a few years old, @Plantminded . It was about 7" tall when I got it, probably in about 2018 maybe?

 

It’s grown well @LG_ . If the roots are filling the existing pot and your larger pot drains well, it should be fine. That variety is described by the RHS as “vigorous” so it will appreciate the extra space .

 

Coming back to this. I did go straight to the bigger pot (after much more of a battle getting it out of the smaller pot than expected!). It has taken well to its new home, but it did grow lots and lots of very fine, long new shoots. Up to about 2 foot long but only about 2-3mm diameter. Kind of like water shoots, but not upright like them - I'm assuming a response to suddenly having more root room. I would like to reduce or remove them as even up in that pot, some lie along the ground.

So I'm looking for pruning advice. Can I snip them off? Should I? Should I leave a shorter length or take them right off? Any other views? @Plantminded ? @Allotment Boy ?

Difficult to see in the photo but the redder growth is new since repotting.

 

I've just done some pruning of one of my potted Acers @LG. I removed the stems back to the trunk but you could try initially by reducing them to your preferred shape and then consider any further pruning by looking at the plant from different angles. It will still be dormant so it's a good time to prune. Just take it slowly but don't be too worried if you are just doing some reshaping. Good luck!

 

I wouldn't even say I'm reshaping, tbh. I've literally never pruned my Acers other than snipping off any dead bits. This one is definitely leaning toward a 'weeping' shape, and initially looked quite odd, but has become a nice shape by itself. But this absolute proliferation of long thin shoots is not a good look!

 

Acers take quite well to pruning, I have a friend who pollards hers every winter. So you can trim the thin branches if you want a more bushy look or take some right back to their origin and those that are left should get thicker with age.

 

If you want a clear stem lower down then cut right to the trunk. Other branches can be cut back to two buds if appropriate to the shape you want.