How much does a maple sapling cost? Detailed planting methods

Maple is the common name for a type of tree in the genus Acer of the family Aceraceae. There are 199 species of Aceraceae plants worldwide, distributed across Asia, Europe, North America and the northern edge of Africa. China is the country with the most maple species in the world, and they are found throughout the country, mainly produced in the Yangtze River basin and the provinces and regions to its south. Many are world-famous ornamental tree species. Let's take a look below at maple sapling prices and planting methods!

Maple sapling reference price table

Note: Maples are distributed throughout China, and their sapling prices vary depending on variety, quality, specifications, place of origin and the market where they are purchased. The above prices are for reference only. Please rely on the actual price when buying or selling.

Maple propagation methods

1. Cuttings: Maple cuttings are generally taken in June to July. Select vigorous current-year branches as cuttings, dip them in 1000 ppm naphthaleneacetic acid powder, then insert them into a substrate of vermiculite or half perlite and half pond mud. Afterward, pay attention to shading and spraying water to maintain moisture, and roots will form in about 1 month.

2. Sowing: The best time to sow maple seeds is from mid-March to mid-April. Before sowing, first carry out low-temperature sand stratification treatment. When sowing, first irrigate the seedbed thoroughly with bottom water, wait for the water to seep down, then sow. After sowing, cover with 0.5 cm of fine soil, and generally all seedlings emerge in about 15 to 20 days.

3. Grafting: For red maple grafting, use 2- to 4-year-old Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) seedlings as rootstock. Cut grafting is best done in March to April, approach grafting in May to June during the plum rain season, and bud grafting from late May to late June each year and from late August to late September after autumn is the best time.

Maple planting methods

1. Site selection and land preparation: For maples, it is best to choose wasteland or sloping farmland with deep, fertile soil and good drainage. For gentle slopes, use strip land preparation; for forest land with thinner soil and steeper slopes, use pit land preparation. For spring afforestation, prepare the land in March; for autumn afforestation, July to August is preferable.

2. Afforestation density: For maple seedlings, choose 2-year-old seedlings with well-developed roots or 4- to 5-year-old grafted seedlings. Because maples have well-developed side branches and poor trunk form, the planting density should not be too sparse, and usually about 333 plants per mu is appropriate.

3. Timely planting: Maples can be planted in early spring or in late autumn and early winter, with spring being preferable. Before planting, first cut off broken roots, damaged roots and excessively long roots. When planting, follow the requirement of “three burials, two tramplings and one lifting of the seedling”. After planting, where conditions permit, water with settling water for the roots.

4. Loosening soil and weeding: During the young forest stage, loosen the soil and weed twice a year, the first time in late April and the second time in early August. Loosen the soil together with weeding, and expand the tree pit outward from the planting hole to promote root growth.

5. Fertilization management: During the young stage, apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer 2 to 3 times from early May to early August, supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In late September, in combination with deep plowing and soil improvement, apply one winter fertilizer mainly composed of organic fertilizer. For mature trees, apply base fertilizer during the dormant period and carry out soil topdressing during the growing period.

6. Shaping and pruning: Winter pruning of maples is carried out from leaf fall in late autumn to before bud break the following spring, with early spring being preferable. Methods include heading back, thinning branches, renewal pruning and stooling. Summer pruning is carried out after bud break until leaf fall in autumn, with methods including bud removal and sprout elimination, pinching, branch bending and branch pulling.

7. Pest and disease control: Common maple diseases include brown spot disease and powdery mildew. When disease occurs, spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 800 to 1000 times dilution. Pests mainly include the yellow slug moth and the glossy green longhorn beetle, and can be controlled by methods such as spraying chemicals and placing poison bait.