While I'd wait moving it as long as I possibly could (to allow it to go dormant for the year) I doubt moving it now from the location you describe would be all that traumatic. If the roots have grown on top of landscape fabric the actual move should be quite easily accomplished with very little harm to the roots or the tree.

Where are you planning to transfer it to after you have lifted it off the fabric? into a grow box? into the ground? In any event take care not to damage the roots, plant it in a good free draining soil mix, mulch it in well to prevent the roots from freezing and give it some shelter from wind and you should be in business come the spring.

I wish all collecting was as easy as this sounds like it will be.

From an energy standpoint, lifting the tree now would effectively end its ability to store further energy for dormancy and the spring growth push. The tree would also call on existing energy reserves to maintain the canopy and repair the damage to the root system that occurred during lifting. If this tree is growing above the landscape fabric, it will essentially be bare-rooted when it's lifted. Bare-rooting should always be avoided whenever possible when the tree is in leaf. Wait until leaves fall to lift & move to a container. If possible, wait until spring & lift just before or at onset of bud movement.

Al

OK i cant wait until spring as i think they will be moving with in the next 2-3months, I can definitely wait for the leave to come off though. I was thinking of potting the tree into a 10"pan or something of the sort(am open to ALL suggestions). From there i was thinking of placing that tree into a rubbermaid bin and covering it all in mulch with the lid off until spring. At that point it will take residence still potted beside my koi pond. Thank you for the tips and please keep them coming

We're you planning on having drainage holes in the 'pan' or bin? And covering the tree to how high with mulch? If you bury it in mulch, it can rot and is unnecessary.

well i WAS tinking of completely covering it but i guess not now. WHat are your suggestions for over wintering this small tree? Please keep in mind it is no bigger than 6 ". I will try and get a pic posted here. Just tell me what to pot it in and how and thats what ill do. Thanx

Well, probably the best thing would be to have a) a hole in the ground ready to plant it in, in a place that gets only filtered sun at best and preferably not in a low spot that can stay wet after rain, where the soil is not just soggy loam or clay (hard in Ont.), but somewhat sandy, gritty, etc., OR b) have a pot with decent sized drain holes ready to put it in (dig it with a relatively large rootball as opposed to half barerooted) and either bury just the pot at least til late spring (but leave the tree in it for 2 yrs), or keep the pot in some place like an attached porch (with light shading from full sun), or in a garage (in a box with mulch in between in and the pot), etc. J. maples can be iffy in your zone, so while you want to keep the roots protected, you don't want to mulch up against the trunk, just within 1" of it (in a pot anyhow).

Alright I think i will go with the placing it in my gareage over the winter then as There is a southern window infront of my work bench and some large trees around it so it will not get full light. There will be no root ball to speak of because of the way it is on the landscape fabric but i am going to very gently have to pull it off once the gravel is pulled off of the roots. Any you are saying to place the tree in a pot then put the pot in a larger box and then fill only enough mulch to cover the pot and close to the trunk? That about the top of the tree? Should it be protected?

Mulch a couple of inches at most above the soil. Sorry I forgot about the lack of rootball... make sure you repot into a good fast draining mix. One problem you'll have is that it won't be naturally covered (insulated) by snow that could water naturally on warmer days, but you could dump a handful on it whenever it looks low. That's part of the problem with mulching... it's hard for water to penetrate properly, though of course if the soil freezes (which is ok as such) it won't need watering, only if/when it thaws and then dries enough to need any (and it'll need a lot less with no leaves using it). But the soil should be watered just before a hard freeze or cold snap ... in other words should'nt be dry when that happens, so you'll have to pay close attention to o-night weather reports. Yes to the mulching between pots. Why do you want to mulch to the tree top? I think we might be missing something in translation here.

Well i was thinking that the maple would have to be completely cover just because i cover my other j. maple in my garden in burlap for the winter. What kinda pot would you place the tree in if you were me when u brought it home? I think that i should keep it in something shallow since it is already accustomed to growing out and not deep, but i see alot of post on here saying to repot young trees into 1or 2 gallon pots. I am planning on creating a broom effect with this tree im thinking at this point. Lucy you are really being a great help here and would just like you to know that...I see your name all over this forum helping everyone, thanx

Oh god, I think I'll change my name! It's just that it seems hardly anyone else is here anymore, and I feel sorry for people who want help. Anyhow, putting young trees in big pots is probably because a) they just came out of tall nursery pots and the rootballs are shaped that way, and can't be just sliced off all at once, and b) to encourage unlimited growth, developing fat trunks, etc. Yours is different, so you can probably go shallower, but while you plant it in a wide pot to accommodate its present spread, make the pot also deeper than for a mature display bonsai, to keep it warm for winter, if nothing else. You can always recreate, or at least refine the flat root pad later on, but a 'baby' in a 1 or even 2" pot over winter in your zone is asking for trouble. And if you want to burlap, go ahead, I thought you were going to build a mulch mountain right over the top :-)!

Our zones are pretty much the same so if it works for you it should be god for me aswell. Ill get some pics of the tree while Im at my grandparents mowing their lawn and some of the parent tree aswell. Im going shopping for a new pot on sat. now, yay. But im not going to touch it till the leaves drop.

Well my gp's are now saying they wont be moving out till march so Im not sure weather i should wait and take the tree then or go ahead with plans and take the tree once leaves drop. I got some pics today hope I can post them here

k i posted about 4 pics in the gallery section(what a pain). Any ideas now?

Hi again, what cute kids! March is iffy.. I think the ground will still be frozen. Will they let you come back in late April? That would be the best, but if there's no choice, what's to lose by just being very careful now, not disturbing the 'large-as-you-can' rootball (flat as it might be) any more than necessary and replanting/potting with all of it (within reason, I guess)?

Hi All,

Because they are so hard to find, Just wanted to let the Australian Viewers know that there are great 11 Pce tool kits available on Ebay. They have everything you need to look after your Bonsai

Thanks :)