On 12 May 2006 17:14:58 -0700
"Ether Jones" wrote:


You'll have to define "hardpan"..

The area where I want to plant trees has strange soil. The top layer
of about maybe 6" consists mostly of the root zone of the grass.
Immediately below that is about 8" of almost impenetrable hardpan. I
can't dig through it - I have to use a sharp-pointed hand tool to pick
my way through it. Below the hardpan is moist (not wet) clay which
rapidly transitions to mostly coarse sand and rocks. I'm not sure I
understand the proper way to "amend" such soil or how to create a
transition zone.


Hi Esther,

You describe a situation that will give most maples, including
Acer X freemanii 'Autumn Blaze', a very hard time. Your maple
is fast growing, but I think it will consider itself in a pot and
the roots are unlikely to penetrate.

I didn't respond before, but my opinion is it will be much more
practical, not to mention cheaper, to simply plant a new tree
rather than try to move the existing one.

About your tree: A. X freemanii is a garden cross between
A. rubrum (red maple) and A. saccharinum (silver maple). It
sometimes occurs naturally, of personal interest it was found
growing wild in Hancock ME, where I've got a lot of family.

There are several cultivars but 'Autumn Blaze' is the most
popular, being widely available in the US and Europe. It is
notable for being vigorous -- as you see -- trouble free,
upright, and having great fall colour. It is hardy to US zone 5,
although it may be pushed to zone 4 with varying degrees of
success. 'Autumn Blaze' was bred in 1980 in Ohio.

One piece of bad advice is to plant grass under an unestablished
tree. Rather, the area to the drip line should be kept grass free
for at least 2 years. This prevents moisture competition as well
as the allelopathic qualities of grass may discourage root formation.

Best of luck,

-E
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Emery Davis
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