what kind of maple?

i wonder.. if it can grow enough roots to keep itself upright.. once it leafs out.. next spring ....

it will probably need some hardcore staking for at least a few years ...

how big was the root ball you ended up with ..

i also wonder .... how it was planted .... if you know ... im wonder about a a tree in a pot too long.. with circling roots .... that did not spread out like it should have .... perhaps a missed opportunity for root surgery ....

i realize professionals can move trees this size ... but they would probably be using tree spades and rather large root masses ...

big city name... might help.. so we understand how winter will affect it ... z6 is a bit vague....

ken

City: Rhode Island, this is I believe its 4th year since we planted the Maple in the full sun yard, it is supposedly a fast grower when we got it it was only 4 ft high now about 20-25 ft I can take pics if that helps. The root ball we were left with guessing 10"- 12"round

A 10-12" diameter root ball for a 25' tree? That doesn't sound very good.......

sounds almost the pot size you would expect for a 4 foot tree .... did you bare root it.. when you planted it??? .. look at the root structure???

the future is left to the fates .... i guess.. on some level.. i am thinking about how you should plant a new one .. should this one fail ...

it is the best time of year to shop maple trees.. for color.. if you see one with nice color.. buy it ... hold it till leaf fall... then bare root it.... unwind the roots if any.. and plant it in native soil ....

if you have the yard.. for another tree.... it might be time to plant another... just in case this one fails .. or just wait until next summer ... and find out .... as you note.. they are weed trees on some level ... i mean.. growing like a weed ....

yes a pic or two wouldnt hurt ...

ken

will post a pic rethinking the root ball might have been more like 18-24" we did bare root it when we planted it I don't believe there was a "root ball" when we planted it. Just afraid it maybe to cold now for it to take hold again and it will die. How would I even know until next year when it does not leaf out?

Saturn

Soils can stay quite warm for an extended period in fall and that is also when trees and other woody plants tend to focus on a lot of root growth as well. That's why planting in fall is so often recommended.

I wouldn't worry about the topgrowth - it is getting the roots reestablished that is the primary concern.

And 18-24" is much better but still a little on shy side for a tree of that height. And you won't know until the tree leafs out again - or not - in spring as to how well it accepted this disturbance.

Thank you all for the comments I will work on posting a picture.

Most of the commercially prevalent maple species should be quite hardy in Zone 6. Cut roots do not elongate in autumn, only intact ones - the roots that were cut as part of the recent operation will now remain as they are until spring bud break. Because with cold climate adapted woody plants it is hormones generated by opening winter stem buds that cause new roots to grow from the ends of cut roots.

What we'd like to see is the rootball, if you can get a pic of it.

Hmmm it is replanted I would have to dig it up again right???

Don't do that!! Just keep it properly watered and hope for the best. That is all you can do at this point.

first pic makes it look crooked... is that a camera trick .... or reality ... now is the time to straighten it ... if need be ...

i look to the plumb lines of the houses across the street ... to figure it out ...

and if you need to redig it to straighten.. then MAYBE we should look at the roots ... lets discuss that ...

and dont freak out... all those leaves are going to fall off asap ... dont read anything into that ... we know why .... first because its fall.. second because of the injury ....

its severely stressed... not hungry... fert is not a response ...

ken

Leaves are shriveling because of root loss, too bad you did cutting of roots in addition to any breakage that may have occurred when it went over. However if it is able to stay adequately hydrated until spring it should grow new leaves then, continue on as before - once the root system has recovered enough to support the same rate of top growth.

Looks like it's a Freeman maple (Acer x freemanii), the cross between red and silver maples. Multiple different named selections of this hybrid are on the market. Certain Red maple cultivars are said by some sources to be hardy to as low as USDA 3 and silver maple to USDA 3 also. With other red maple varieties being hardy at least to USDA 5, the hybrids being similarly cold tolerant (USDA 3-5).

Saturn, thank goodness you didn't dig it up! I thought you might have gotten a pic while replanting it. I'll make sure I've had coffee and choose my words more carefully before jumping in next time. I apologize!

You've done about all you can do for now. Stake it so it doesn't shift and water as needed until ground freeze. Check soil moisture once a month or so over the winter if you don't have snow cover. I don't think you need to keep watering it daily now. Good luck!