Planting Japanese Maple in Container

Question

I have purchased a small Garnet Japanese maple. I want to be able to take this tree with me when I move in the next 4-5 years. Will planting it in an appropriate container help to keep it small enough to move later? It is now in a 5-gallon pot and is about 4 feet tall. It is a little, slim tree with a gently curved shape and a small number of branches. If I can use a container, how large should it be? I understand that I need to provide proper drainage and will need to check it more often to make sure it has enough water.

Answer 1

Yes, you can keep it in a container. Japanese maples grow slowly and therefore make a great container tree. You should put it in a pot that is 2" wider than the root ball is currently. You can go a bit bigger than this if you do not want to repot for a few year. Here is some information that will help you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/containers/how-to-grow-container-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/growing-trees-in-containers.htm