Telephone:
949-240-2107

Fax:
949-488-0187

Address:
32413 San Juan Creek Rd San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Hours:
Monday -Saturday
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Website:
www.plantdepot.com

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Perhaps no other single plant or tree can add as much value to a garden landscape as a Japanese maple. They look great planted as a centerpiece in mounds or garden islands, plus they make excellent container plants for a patio or terrace. Japanese maples are also used quite extensively as bonsai specimens.

What makes this tree so popular is that it is available in many sizes, colors, leaf shapes, and growing habits. The color of Japanese maples ranges from bright green and variegated to shades of orange, red, and purple. The fall foliage on most varieties is beautiful. You can find single-stemmed specimens, multi-trunk, and low-growing mounded varieties.

This versatile tree can be planted any time of the year in most regions of the U.S., as long as the soil is not soggy. They require a location with good drainage and prefer protection from the wind. Avoid planting them in lawn areas, because lawns receive more frequent watering than Japanese maples require. Use red- and purple-shaded varieties against light-colored fences and walls, or to set off other plants. Use green-leafed varieties in shadier areas, against plain fences or darker shaded walls.

Most Japanese maples prefer a morning sun/afternoon shade or full shade location but will acclimate quite well after a few years planted in full sun, provided the soil around them is kept consistently moist. The key to watering Japanese maples is slow, deep and regular waterings. Never let the tree dry out. The soil should be kept moist, not wet.

Japanese maples are not heavy feeders, and can burn from too much or too strong a plant food. We recommend feeding twice a year during the growing season. It is important not to cultivate around the root zone. A 2" layer of mulch will help keep the upper layer of soil moist and help prevent soil crusting and weeds.

Pay us a visit and let one of our nursery experts help you pick the perfect Japanese maple tree for your garden.

If there is any room available in your vegetable garden, fill it with early spring vegetables. Use either transplants of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, parsley, peas, and Swiss chard, or seeds of beets, carrots, lettuce, peas, radishes, and turnips.

Artichokes, asparagus, and horseradish can be bought bare root. Horseradish is well worth growing, but needs ample water plus plenty of room to grow. Confine it in a special place, such as a raised bed, or it can become quite invasive.

This is the best time of the year for lettuce. It's easy to grow and a great money saver. Plant either from transplants, which will give you faster harvest, or start in weekly batches from seeds, which will give you more lettuce over a longer period of time. Lettuce seeds germinate within a wide range of soil temperatures, but sprout more quickly at cooler temperatures than warm ones, so this is a good time to start them.

Growing from seeds also gives you more interesting varieties to choose from--especially pleasing to the gourmet.

1. Choose and plant camellias, azaleas and Chinese magnolias
   
2. Purchase clivias.
   
3. Plant gerberas and gladioli.
   
4. Plant lilies of the valley.
   
5. Plant asparagus from bare-root.
   
6. Prune kiwi vines.
   
7. Cut back fuchsias once they begin to grow.
   
8. In coastal zones: prune begonias, ginger, cannas, asparagus ferns, ivy and pyracantha.
   
9. Deadhead cool-season flowers to keep them blooming.
   
10. Propagate running bamboo in coastal zones.
    
11. Continue to fertilize citrus trees in coastal zones.
    
12. Continue to fertilize epiphyllums.
    
13. Fertilize avocado trees in coastal zones.
    
14. Feed deciduous fruit trees.
    
15. Fertilize roses.
    
16. Fertilize fuchsias.
    
17. Fertilize cineraria with to promote blooms.
    
18. Fertilize cane berries as they begin to grow.
    
19. Keep roses and bulbs well-watered.
    
20. Bait for slugs and snails.
    
21. Control pests on citrus trees, sycamore, ash and alder trees.
    
22. Protect cinerarias from leaf miners, aphids, and slugs and snails.
    
23. Mulch young avocado trees.
    
24. Don't forget Valentine's Day!