Japanese Maple Tree Died In Dry Heat – Replace Now Or Wait Till Fall

Q: One of our young Japanese maple trees did not survive the heat and dry weather. Can I replace it now or would it be best to wait until this fall?

A: If you’re attentive to watering in dry weather, it would be fine now to plant a Japanese maple growing in a container. Be sure to pull the tree out and examine the major roots before planting. You might need to wash off some soil to see them clearly. Determine if there are any circling roots growing in the soil. If so, untangle them and straighten them to grow outward from the trunk. The topmost major root should be just beneath the soil surface when the tree is in place.