Roots?

[royalmaple]

Anyone have any experience with planting sugars?

I was looking at planting a few sugars that I started this spring from seed. They are taking off quite well. Just doing it for kicks really.

I was going to plant them along the edge of my driveway in full sun, inside my 5 foot high retaining wall say 5 -8 or so feet from the wall.

My question is I am not sure how invasive the root system is of a sugar maple. Like a willow for example, I know they are not that bad but curious if I am setting up myself or the next owner of my home for some headaches.

I know they'll grow very well in this spot and perhaps it will be past my lifetime that any problems even could arise out of planting them, but just thinking about it anyway.

Thoughts?

[Fred Henderson]

I know they have to be well screened from the deer. A few years ago I had an old maple that was dieing and it also was reseeding its self. The seeding were doing very well until the deer found them.

[Parker]

next time you cut your hair keep it and put around the maples you dont want the deer to go near,,irish spring soap also works...

[ibby458]

There is some evidence that (in certain places, at certain times of the year) a small copper clad lead pellet, precisely placed, prevents deer from eating. Anything.

A whole lotta years from now, the roots of those maples will cause the driveway to hump up a bit, but likely the driveway will be rebuilt by then, and the hump adjusted for.

[mountainvan]

I transplanted some sugars along my fenceline about 4 years back, one of 5 died. I don't think surar maple roots spread much, but go down a ways. The trees will probably add value to your property unless they shade the house so much it's always damp, or grow moss on the roof. That's a problem here, we're like a mini rain forest. I believe trees should be planted in the fall after they've lost their leaves.

[royalmaple]

I don't think deer will be the problem, I keep them pretty well fed away from the house.

My retaining wall is about 5 feet higher than the driveway, I was going to plant them inside the wall on the high side. I just didn't want them to blow out my retaining wall in several years.

They'd be about 100 feet from the house, so I think it would take a while before they did much of any shade / damage to the house as well.

I just thought it would be kinda neat to grow them from seed and see how they did in years to come, even to one day come back (If / when I sell) and tell the people living there I planted them from seed.

[MASSEY JACK]

A friend of mine has two huge sugars on his front lawn. They are about 4 feet in diameter. They are 15 feet from a nice rock retaining wall that is 4 feet high along the road.One tree has a wall on two sides. I always am impressed with how staight and perfect the wall is. It has been there a long time. After seeing that I don't believe that the maples will push the retaining wall.

Ibby That small copper coated lead pellet ...are we talking something of the 150 grain variety???? :D :D

[royalmaple]

Jack-

Thanks, I guess that should do it then. I won't see these trees to 4 feet through, so guess I am all set.

It is very interesting that when you place the copper in the correct spot the deer does seem to not come back. At least the next time you see it you are un wrapping it.... :lol: :lol:

[ibby458]

150 gr. will work, but I like the 165, (7.62 mm) pushed by just a touch more IMR than factory. I quess it depends on your preferences.

To get back to the original query, I have 2 huge Maples in our yard, and they have a decided hump out to about 5 or 6 feet. I wouldn't worry about your retaining wall.

[maplehound]

I have planted 100 High yield maples , about 4 years ago. It is amazing how fast they grow in the open sun. Can't say how they effect your wall but I would think 5 feet is closer thatn I would want to plant them to a wall. The roots may or may not push the wall but I know that the roots grow out as far as the crown edges. If the can't spread out then it may stunt the growth of the tree. Altough My father has 2 huge maples next to his house. They are about 10 feet from the basement wall and haven't caused any problems there, nor are the stunted.
I would recomend though putting them in a growing tube for a couple years. It will help protect them from small animals as well as the deer. In your case rabbits, and ground hogs and the like will probably harm them more than deer. Just keep the bees and other insects out of the tubs and be sure to remove them after about 3 or 4 years.
When I planted mine (bare rooot) they wher only a foot tall and several of them grew out the top of a 5 foot tube the first season.
Ron

[royalmaple]

Ron-

Thanks, Any pics of the growing tube? Never heard of that.

[maplehound]

Look at the pictures of my sugar house, You can accesses them from the link below. # 15 shows the best picture of a growing tube. I would send some from this time of year but I have already taken them off. If you don't remove them after a couple years the trunk of the tree doesn't streangthen up like it should. I need to provide support for some of the smaller ones this year.
Ron

[royalmaple]

Ron-

Thanks, do the tubes inhibit lower branch growth?

I may give it a shot, I know what you mean about removing the tubes since the tree needs to get stronger roots so it can withstand higher winds etc before it gets too tall.

[ibby458]

I'm interested in how you started the seeds. I need to take down one of my big maples in the yard, and would like to plant some of the seeds that it's got hanging now.

Did you let the seeds get good and dry on the tree before planting, and is it necessary to freeze them for a winter to get them to germinate?

[maplehound]

First I bought my trees. They where bare root and 1'-2' tall. Best way I know to start the seeds is to spread the seeds on a pile of compost. It is best if the compost has alot of leaves and small twigs or bark through it. The seeds will come up all over the pile. Then you can transplant the seedlings in pots from there. It is probaly best to let them mature on the tree and gather them from the ground when they fall.
The tubes I used don't inhibit lower branch growth so you need to take the tube off every spring and prune the branches. If you don't then you might get a multi trunk tree. I don't like to let any branches grow more than 2 years below head high. This way I get a nice straight trunk and i won't hit my head when walking around them when I do get to tap them. I will try to get some pictures of my planting and post them. I have about 50 -55 of them growing on a 10' x 20' grid.
Ron

[Banjo]

I'd be interested in hearing more about the best way to grow from seeds. It looks like my maples in the front are growing seeds and I'd like to have a go at using some of them.

cheers, Andrew

[royalmaple]

Sorry I have been away and not able to read posts.

I took my seeds ( helicopters) right from the ground so they were dry and fell from the trees. 1/2 I planted in miracle grow garden soil. It is pretty loose and has a bunch of other material in it so the soil does not pack tight. I then planted the seeds in about 1/4-1/2 inch deep and left the tails sticking out of the soil. Like flags.

Then in about 1 week they were sprouting.

That was it. Doing very well now.

I will post some pics when I get a min. I also started some reds and I got them off the ground under some of my big trees and they were moist and were already cracked and starting to sprout just a bit. I did the same planting as above and they too are growing well now.

[Russell Lampron]

Matt

I have been looking at maple trees and retaining walls to see if the roots would be a problem. I have some growing next to the old barn foundation where I built my sugarhouse. One of them which is like 2 trees that are growing together and each about 8 inches in diameter is almost on top of the foundation. None of them appear to be pushing the foundation in. I don't think you will have a problem planting yours where you want them. It will be fun to watch them and record the results as they grow.

Russ

[royalmaple]

Russ-

Sure thing, hey PM me and let me know when you are coming over.

Hope all is well.