You don’t have to head to the local nursery to add a beautiful new maple to your yard. In fact, you can start a new tree right at home using cuttings or seeds! Both methods are totally doable if you follow a few tried-and-true steps. Stick to the plan, and you’ll be watching your own little maple grow in no time.
Propagating from Cuttings in Early Summer
If you want a tree that is an exact “clone” of a maple you already love, taking cuttings in the early summer is the way to go. This ensures your new tree looks exactly like the parent plant.
- Snip off 4 to 6-inch tip cuttings.
- Look for “semi-hardwood” stems (wood that is starting to firm up but is still flexible).
- Make your cut just below a leaf node.
- Strip the leaves off the bottom half, and if the remaining leaves are huge, snip them in half to reduce moisture loss.
- Gently nick the bottom of the stem and dip it in some rooting hormone to give it a head start.
How to Plant Your Cuttings
I’ll be honest: maple cuttings can be a little finicky when it comes to rooting. But don’t worry! If you know the “secret sauce” for success, you’ll do just fine. Here’s what you need:
- Give each cutting its own individual pot.
- Use a seed-starting mix or a 50/50 blend of potting soil and sand.
- Bury the cutting about two-thirds of the way into the soil.
- Cover the pot with a plastic bag to create a mini-greenhouse (just remember to vent it daily!).
- Keep them in a warm spot with partial shade.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, but never soggy.
Pro Tip:
Put a little bit of compost at the very bottom of the pot. Once those roots stretch down, they’ll find a nice boost of nutrients to fuel their growth.
Growing Maples from Seed
Every maple in the fall drops plenty of seeds, making it super easy to collect your own. However, you can’t just toss them in the dirt right away. They need a “cold snap” (stratification) for about eight weeks to trigger germination. You can either leave them outside in the cold over winter or pop them in the fridge at about 30-40°F.
When spring rolls around, plant your seeds about half an inch deep in seed-starting mix. Keep them warm, in partial shade, and make sure the soil stays damp. You’ll see those little sprouts popping up before you know it!
Caring for Your Young Saplings
Your baby trees aren’t ready for the big leagues just yet. Keep them indoors for several months until they are strong and hardy enough to handle the elements. You can plant them out in the garden or into a large permanent planter the following year. While they’re still inside, you only need to repot them if they become root-bound. Just give them plenty of water and a little fertilizer every 3-4 weeks during the growing season, and they’ll be off to a great start!
