Perfect Soil mix for your container grown Japanese Maples 

Hi Mike That sounds like a very rich soil mixture. Japanese maples thrive in more arid soils, not like the mix you are describing. To me that mixture would be perfect for summer bedding plants and veggies. I would suggest not to use it with your maples. A common danger is gardeners can tend to love their trees to death. The basic mixture I have shown is one we have used for over 30 years now. With that said you could always try potting one up with that mix and observe the results. The red flags for me would be the richness of the soil and possible water draining issues in the long term. If you see fast new growth coming that would be of concern as it could be distorting the normal growth habits of the tree.

@@maplesandmusic Thanks for replying. Yes, it is a very rich soil. It's been my go-to for house plants and my container veg garden for a few years now. I mix it up and allow it to sit for at least 4 weeks before I use it in pots. It's basically a living soil that I don't have to fertilize during the growing season. I figured it might be too rich for JM but figured I'd pick your brain about it. I'll probably think about amending it somehow as I wasn't joking when I said I have a lot of it already mixed. Cheers.

15 - 9 - 12 would be the preferred choice for sure! Often 14 - 14 - 14 is the only product available in slow release format at garden shops. It is definitely a good substitute

Don’t use any type of composted mulch with manure in it. Japanese maples like arid conditions. They have a very fibrous root system, and they are slow growers. With cow manure you could certainly burn the root system and of course completely distort the growth rate.

The reason I made the video is because finding a soil mix like this is next to impossible. You can go out and buy all the ingredients I have mentioned as they are all readily available, then mix them on your own. Good luck in your search

@@maplesandmusic i tried to google the two types of mulch mentioned but could not find any thing similar. Ive read through some of the comments below on sound alike items from others and per some of your replies, those types of mulch are not good for JM. Just want to make sure i get the right stuff for it.

@@nmjhd1234 Composted fir bark mulch is one of the most common forms of mulch available. If you have a composting center near you? It would likely have composted mulch available. The other ingredient is sand which again would be available at a composting center. Where are you located?

@@maplesandmusic i am located in Lincoln Nebraska. Thank you so much for the information. Ive killed one JM and this is the second try at it.

@@maplesandmusic would premium cyprus mulch work? They sell this at Menards.

You could take that sandy loam soil and add coarse sand and pumice. That should work out for you. Drill a couple of extra holes in the bottom of your container if possible as that will assist in the drainage

We purchase both the composted and uncomposted mulch. If you have a landscape supplier nearby that sells composted mulch? that is your best option

@@maplesandmusic I think "I don't know" would have been the appropriate answer in this case.

@@flat6fever680 To further answer your question, you can take regular fir mulch and let it sit for a least one year ( covered, to speed up the composting rate). Then uncover and you would have the composted version. It is very time consuming, so best to purchase if you can. Also a good quality nursery should have product on hand as well that they might sell by the yard. In order to get the regular fir mulch, again, you would need to purchase and then store. Best also to buy bulk, a yard or two if you have the space. Many of the pre bagged products are so over priced and under performing. Hopefully that answers your question a little more clearly!

Just sub whatever is in your area. Perlite is good for drainage too

@@denko44 Please be aware that pine bark mulch is more acidic then fir bark mulch. I would not recommend you using pine mulch in a container growing medium for japanese maples. Most garden centers / nurseries / composting faciliites should have some sort of fir bases mulch on hand

Orchid potting mix is very course mix on its own and I would not really recommend it for japanese maples. You could add some finer bark mulch and a little sand and then combine with the orchid mix for your maples.

@@maplesandmusic any type of bark mulch? I cant find pine bark around my area

@@Trenpace fir based bark mulch is best. Most landscape and quality garden centers should carry fir bark mulch.

@@maplesandmusic thank you, sir. I will definitely find some someway or another. Thank you for the help

Generally any composting facility will have mulch, composted mulch and various grades of sand available. Also good quality garden centers should carry these typed of products as well although it would usually be more expensive going that route

Only use a fir based bark mulch. Cedar would be much too acidic

You realize fir bark mulch is not available everywhere right? And a good chunk of that everywhere also grows Japanese maples.

Just be aware that unless your "normal" soil is very porus and drains well it is often not that well suited for container growing. Japanese maples do not like wet feet when container grown. They like to be watered well and at the same time having the moisture drain well.

If you have something like a sandy loam. Add a bit of compost and you're good. If your soil doesn't drain well, your maple will die from too much moisture.

Mine died from normal bag soil