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Japanese Gardens

Building a mound for a maple

19 years ago

Hi;

I want to plant a Japanese Maple but I have clay soil and I'm having trouble deciding how to build a mound for drainage. The area where I want to plant is about 6'x6' and bordered on 2 sides by house foundations and the others by walkways.

I'm guessing here: Should I remove clay soil about 1 foot down and fill with soil amended with sand and organic matter to a height of 8 inches or a foot, keeping the mound low enough so the water doesn't just run off of it? Should I remove more that 1 foot down, say 2 feet? Any suggestions on the amended soil mix?

Thanks much;

Bill

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Comments (5)

Embothrium
19 years ago
Buy topsoil and dump it on the dirt that is already there, plant in that. Skip the rest of it.
laag
19 years ago
Rocks can be put into groupings to retain soil.

In this case there are two gas meters that need to be read and a building code requirement of 8" of exposed masonry between the finished grade and the wood structure. The existing condition was more like 6" which it continues to be now. It was all done with nothing but rocks and soil.

Yes, there will be vigorous annual pruning.
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gerald
19 years ago
Here is a maple we transplanted onto a mound a few years ago.

The mounded soil also provides more air and warmth for the roots

Gerald

Here is a link that might be useful: maple on mound
4borjafam
4 years ago
grerald, this link is not working
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
^^^ This is a 14 year old post!! Not surprising the link is not working :-)

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