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Planting in the Ground
Maples do best in the ground where they can keep their feet at a constant and cooler temperature than in a container. You also achieve a more constant level of moisture in the ground and give the plant a chance to spread it roots. Most maples have a predominantly "surface-based" root system so a container can constrict the plant initially and over time.
Know your soil type and how it drains. If you have a clay-based soil you can plant in a mound or berm and do just fine, or you can loosen the clay soil and try to plant in it. With clay soils it is best not to amend the planting hole as it can become a basin for water and that will lead to the demise of your maple. Simply create a mound at least a few feet across and plant so a minimum of 1/2 of the root ball is above the native soil line. Planting in a raised bed is an equivalent strategy. If you happen to have very sandy soil you can try to amend the area with water-retaining humus, but make sure to amend as large an area as possible. Maples like constant moisture, but not heavy moisture, so you will have to devise a plan to provide regular moisture to your newly planted maples if you are planting in a sandy soil.
Also, be mindful that young maples less than 5 gallon size are risky to plant in the ground. Ideally having a full 5 gallon or 7 gallon plant (meaning a solid root system of that container size) is the minimum you want to plant in the ground. So, if you are purchasing a small liner to 3 gallon sized plant you may have to keep it potted for a couple of years or more to give it the best chance in the ground.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is planting your maple too deeply. As you prepare the planting hole and back-fill with dirt make sure you plan for the new soil line to be about 1/2 inch or so below the previous soil line (plant "high"). Many people talk about leaving the flare exposed. This is generally where the trunk curves slightly near the soil line in a horizontal direction. If the flare was exposed previously or if it is very close to the soil line then it is a helpful indicator of how deeply to plant the tree. But not all maples have the characteristic flare. So, if you don't see it, there is no real reason to try to expose it. Here at the nursery, as we repot our trees, we generally try to lower the soil line a bit at each repotting to hopefully expose the flare for mostly aesthetic reasons.
The last step will be to mulch and water. If you have planted in a mound or planted high with a bit of root exposed, you will want to mulch to maintain moisture. Using 3" of any quality mulch will be fine. You can "water the tree in" while you are planting, but certainly give it a good soak after planting and then 1-2 times weekly for the first growing season depending on moisture retention and temperatures. It can take a few years for the root system of maples to get going. We have dug maples up after two seasons in the ground to see little root growth. So, plan to provide extra care for the first 2-3 years depending on how your plant responds and what variety it is.
Maples in Containers
Maples make great container plants even though they are relatively shallow-rooted. Their tender noninvasive roots easily fill containers in a very compact manner and when properly cared for, a maple can live a very long container life. Generally speaking, your maple will live longest in the ground--all things being equal. So, if you can and want to, it is best to make plans to eventually plant the maple. After about 7 years in a container you should make a decision about whether or not you will ever plant the maple. If you intend to plant it out, it is good to do it soon after that 7 year mark as that will give it the best and longest life in the ground.
Any container will do for a maple. We use mostly black plastic nursery containers and have some specimens in glazed ceramic pots. In hot climates many people discourage the use of terra cotta as it can wick moisture and dry quickly. Black containers also absorb a great deal of heat, but they are so widely used that it is hard to argue much about it or find a less expensive alternative. Some manufactures of plastic nursery containers do produce other colors that can reflect some light and heat, so if you can find a lighter color than black you are lucky. You can use the pot-in-pot method or pot-in-ground method to protect the root system from high temperatures and dramatic temperature fluctuations as well as help maintain moisture. These methods, while good, are usually cumbersome or impractical. For winter root protection, the pot-in-ground method of planting is excellent in colder climates.
Maples are potted based on root ball size or root mass like many other plants. Since maples prefer good drainage or moist not soggy soil it is best to find a "good" fit for the root mass you are working with. Proportionally, you gain a much greater container volume when going from a small pot to a small pot than you do when going from a large pot to a large pot. If maple that has not yet filled a one gallon pot will be swimming in a 3 gallon pot. Once that maple is in a 15 gallon pot it is no big deal to put it in a 25 gallon pot as a large jump in pot size is the only way to gain enough volume to make the repotting effective. Since we assume you are working with smaller maples from one to ten gallon size, it is best to repot so you have about 2 inches of soil space around the root ball. This will allow you to repot every 1-2 years. As the maples get older you can begin to think about changing solid every 2-3 years.
It is best to buy a container that is more squat than deep. Many nursery containers are available in both regular and squat sizes. For example we buy 7 gallon squat containers rather than the standard. The spreading surface root system of maples will be better accommodated by more surface area. There is also more surface area for oxygen to enter the soil. When in doubt by the wider not deeper container. When you plant the maple consider how much soil is BELOW the root ball. If have sized the width of the container as mentioned but the root ball is not very full or dense, plant the maple lower in the container. Even if you have 6 inches of pot above the soil line, the plant will do better. If you fill the bottom of the container with a mass of soil it will simply remain too soggy or wet even with most fast-draining mixtures. Your plant's roots will not grow down into a saturated soil mass.
There are a million different recipes for container soil mixes. If you have only a couple maples you can go to the home improvement store or nursery and start by buying some cactus mix. Depending on how it is composed you might want to add some small orchid bark to it. That will do. We use ground fir bark and pumice at the nursery occasionally adding a few other ingredients. The bark is best if it is composted fir bark sieved to about 1/4 to 1/2". Many people grow maples in fir bark alone. Usually an inorganic component is added like pumice, perlite (sponge rock), or crushed red cinder. Many people will use what it referred to as grit that is used for barn yard fowl. The bark component can also be classified as forest humus. Peat is another ingredient often lumped in with the humus and in many bagged mixes, but it compacts severely, is hard to wet when dry and hard to dry when wet. The simple fact that peat compacts and fills air spaces makes it undesirable for maples in containers. A little is okay. If you are potting a larger number of maples you should probably start with a nursery grade bagged potting mix and then add larger bark and perlite or pumice to help with drainage. Hand mixing the soils will give you a feel for them and over time you will know what you need to mix. In very hot climates it may be necessary to add some native soil, silt, or loam to retain moisture. If one uses enough humus and waters frequently enough, the "soil" component may not be necessary. If one knows how to manage it, having the soil can be a life saver in the hottest months. When just starting out with small maples it is safer to avoid it as it can create drainage problems if mixed incorrectly. As the plants get larger over time it may be appropriate to add some soil to the mix. We do not believe adding compost is a good choice for maples but many still do. That is a personal choice and can take the place of some of the humus. Compost can hold too much moisture and, if not sterilized, promote root-borne disease. You must be careful and we strongly discourage the use of composted animal manures and composted garden waste.
This is a lot to digest, but a well throughout potting mix that is carefully blended by hand can mean success or failure with your potted maples. An internet search or visit to any of the maple forums will yield a great deal more on the ingredients and preparation of potting mixes for your maples.
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