You might think trees don't need a lot of attention. If you have a Norway maple in your garden, you should heed a few care tips.
When nature finally begins to awaken after a long winter, the Norway maple is one of the first heralds of spring. The yellow umbels of flowers appear even before the leaves sprout. In autumn, too, the trees offer an atmospheric finale to the garden year with their attractive foliage colour. The Norway maple (Acer platanoides) is easy to care for and robust. If a few things are observed when caring for the plant, nothing stands in the way of he althy plant growth. In the following you will find out what you need to consider in detail if you want a Norway maple to enrich your garden soon.Watering Norway maple correctly
Young plants should be watered quite often. The fluid requirement is comparatively high. Regular watering is particularly important for potted plants, which find a correspondingly low supply of nutrients in the planter. The plants must not dry out. In return, waterlogging must be avoided.
➔ Tip: A layer of mulch can protect the plants from drying out.
Once the trees have grown well after a few years, watering is limited to longer dry periods and hot summers. Trees in the open land cover their liquid requirements sufficiently from rainwater. Potted plants need constant watering. To prevent waterlogging, do not use pots or coasters. These always pose a risk of water stagnating in them.
Fertilize Norway maple correctly
If the Norway maple is planted outdoors, compost can be mixed into the substrate. This provides the plant with sufficient nutrients in the first year and you do not have to fertilize. Older plants are supplied with complete fertilizer twice a year. Alternatively, you can enrich the substrate with compost or horn shavings in spring and autumn.
Potted plants need to be fertilized more often. The Norway maple only has a small potential of substrate in the planter. To ensure that sufficient nutrients are available during the growth phase, a monthlyFertilizer recommended. Use organic fertilizer in liquid form. This is easy to dose and can simply be added to the irrigation water.
The trees are not fertilized in winter. During this time, no photosynthesis takes place and the plants could not utilize the nutrients.
Cutting Norway Maple
The Norway maple grows quite quickly from a humble plant to a stately little tree. You should already be aware of the dimensions of the tree when you plant it. A unique position is necessary, because the trees are more than 20 meters high and form expansive crowns of just this diameter.
Pruning measures will probably not be avoided, but are less well tolerated by the trees. If the Norway maple needs to be pruned or shaped, grab your scissors in February or March before the trees begin to sprout.
➔ Tip: The Norway maple should not be cut during the growth phase.
If the plant has already sprouted and you reach for the scissors, then there is a risk that the Norway maple will bleed out due to increased leakage of the plant sap. Furthermore, the interfaces are popular entry points for bacteria and fungi.
What should be considered when pruning the Norway maple:
- Prune in late winter before the start of the growing season
- use a sharp and clean cutting tool
- Care for Wounds
- Avoid larger prunings if possible
The Norway maple appears most attractive when it retains its natural growth form and is not cut back radically, for example because the later expansion of the plant was not taken into account when it was planted. The resulting cuts should be treated immediately with a commercially available wound sealant.
Radical pruning has negative effects, especially on young plants. The tree becomes susceptible to diseases and fungal infections. It is not uncommon for the trees to die off completely.
➔ Tip:: Before you reach for the scissors for the Norway maple, you should always consider whether pruning is really necessary, or whether it would be better to keep the tree in its natural form.
In the case of commercially available tall trees, pruning can be almost completely omitted. Disturbing branches can be removed in late winter or late summer.
➔ Tip: If the trees are diseased, they must be cut back. From powdery mildewInfested plant parts do not belong in the compost and should be disposed of with household waste or burned.
If the Norway maple is cut, it then grows more in width.
Care for the Norway maple properly - tips and advice at a glance
The Norway maple in winter
Winter is not a problem for older trees outdoors. The plants do not need any special protection and can withstand temperatures of up to -30 degrees. Young plants often do not yet have a stable root system and should therefore be protected with brushwood or leaves as a precaution.
The situation for potted plants is somewhat different. There is a risk that the plant pot will freeze through and the roots can no longer obtain nutrients, which ultimately leads to the death of the plants. The potted plants need winter protection. To prevent the container from freezing, place the bucket on a Styrofoam or wooden surface.
You have to think about watering potted plants even in winter. Watering is advisable on frost-free days. It is not uncommon for potted plants not to freeze to death, but simply to dry up because they forgot to water them.
Norway maple care tips for quick readers
Casting
Young plants are watered regularly. Older plants are sufficiently supplied by the rainwater. Irrigation is only necessary during longer dry periods. Beware of waterlogging!
Fertilize
Compost is to be worked into the soil as a natural fertilizer when planting. In the field, the Norway maple is treated with fertilizer in spring and autumn. Potted plants should be supplied with organic liquid fertilizer every 14 days during the summer months.
Cut
Norway maple does not tolerate pruning very well. The branches lose a lot of sap and especially young trees tend to bleed. Only cut back if absolutely necessary and dress the wounds with clay or a special sealing compound.