planting red maple trees,

Buckcreek · May 2, 2004

I would like to plant a red maple, when would be the best time of the year to plant one. I live in eastern ky.

DaveNay · May 2, 2004

We have been planting trees like crazy here in northern Illinois for the last three weeks, and they are all budding like gangbusters. I would assume that from now untill a few weeks before the summer heat sets in is a great time to plant.

**WARNING** As you are in Kentucky, the center of the US horse world, I assume there is a chance you have horses. BE VERY CAREFUL with red maple and your horses, it will kill them if they eat any of it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Purdue University Red Maple Toxicity Report

We wanted to pland a dozen red maples on our property, but we decided the risk was too high to our horses and our customers horses.

Dave

Gatorboy · May 2, 2004

Now would be the perfect time -- for Red Maples are actually dropping there seeds (helicpoters as I called them as a kid) now, which germinate immediately. So, if seeds are good to start now, I'm sure planting one would be just as good of time.

Buckcreek · May 2, 2004

No i dont have any horses , My son wants one bad. I told him he could have one if he would take care of it. LOL . That is interesting to know , no one has ever told me that and there is alot of hosre owners around.

djradz · May 3, 2004

When you say "Red" maple, hope you're not thinking you'll be getting "Crimson" or some variant. True rred maples aren't red at all, but they are native and grow well and fast in most locations. Unfortuneately, although a little stronger than silver maples, they still are very prone to breakage and disease. Crimson King (with its maroon/purple leaves) and other similar ones often are more hearty, and several don't produce so many seeds and seedlings. Personally, if only planting one tree for asthetics, it wouldn't be a red maple. ... just my $.02

fivestring · May 3, 2004

Late fall and winter are the best times to plant esatblished (with rootball or bare-root) trees.
The trees are dormant then.
If planted in the spring or summer, they must be watered well and cut back to force the roots to get established. Most won't survive the first hot and humid summer of the south.