October Glory Maple Care Guide

The name of this maple is completely peculiar to its qualities. October Glory is a wonderful maple that has green leaves in the summer and bright red in the fall. In this article, I will describe this tree in as much detail as possible.

October Glory Maple Care Tips

• Place October Glory Maple where there are at least 5 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Use loose, nutrient-rich soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0.
• Sit October Glory 25 feet apart from buildings and trees.
• Water the first two years after the soil has dried 1 to 2 inches.
• Remove dry branches in early spring.
• Transplant the maple in the fall or spring.
• Provide good air exchange around the crown.
• Fertilize October Glory once a year with an all-purpose fertilizer.

Plant profile

Planting

The best location for setting up the October Glory maple is where there is a few hours of direct sunlight and no stagnant water. It will also be good if the soil is loose and nutritious.

Autumn is one of the best times to plant October Glory as this is when the weather is most favorable. The second suitable period is early spring, in particular March. In spring the most important thing is to plant the maple before the young leaves emerge.

As for spacing, October Glory should be planted 25 feet apart from other plants and buildings. The growth rate of this maple is fast, so it’s best to choose the right spot right away and not bother with replanting.

To properly plant this tree, dig a planting hole twice the size of the root ball. Pour 1-2 buckets of quality compost in there and place the maple so that the trunk is not buried in the ground even an inch. Backfill all the empty space with soil and water the tree.

Light requirements

October Glory should receive at least 4 hours of direct sun per day and this should not be a problem as it should be planted at a considerable distance from other objects. In direct sun, this maple will grow quickly and you will get a privacy plant or canopy for shade in a relatively short time.

October Glory Maple can easily grow in full sun without any damage. Moreover, at maturity, it reaches a large size and so only tall buildings or huge trees can shade it. In most cases, it grows in full sun

The full shade will be devastating to this maple. It will grow for a while at first, but once the tree reaches 10-15 feet in height it will need more energy. If you don’t give it direct sun, it will develop very poorly and will be sick all the time.

Soil

October Glory can grow in both clay soil and loam, but the best soil for this maple is loose and nutritious soil. This is especially important in the first years after planting. It will also be good if the water in the soil will not stagnate for a long time.

The second important property is the acidity of the soil. October Glory needs soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0, which means that the substrate should be slightly acidic. If the soil is alkaline pH>7.0, it can cause problems. It can suffer from a lack of nutrients and the leaves will start to turn yellow.

To get the right soil for your maple tree, buy several bags of good quality compost. Then mix it with native soil and plant the maple in it, as I told you above. The compost will acidify the soil a little and make it nutritious and more draining.

Watering

October Glory Maple should be watered when the soil is 1-2 inches dry from the top. This watering should be done in the first year after planting the maple. If the maple makes good growth the following spring, it is a sign that the tree is rooted and watering can be stopped.

In places with normal rainfall, a well-established maple does not need additional watering. The exception is during the summer drought, in which case a maple will not die without watering but will lose a significant amount of leaves. So it is worth watering.

Use at least 1 to 2 gallons of water each time you water. Make sure that the water penetrates to a considerable depth. To make the soil dry out more slowly, mulch the surface with compost.

Sometimes October Glory can be overwatered and its roots can begin to rot. In this case, you need to eliminate all causes of excess water. The tree should then cope with the disease on its own.

Pruning

October Glory does not need pruning because it is a large maple and its main purpose is to create shade in the garden. If you want a compact maple you can look at dwarf varieties.

Still, if you want the October Glory to stay small you can prune it. The best time for pruning is in the fall or early spring. Dry branches can be removed at any time of year.

Try to cut branches up to 2 inches thick. Always use sterile and sharp tools for pruning. Do not remove more than 25% of the plant in one year.

Problems

When your October Glory is constantly overwatered it can die of root rot. In this case, the leaves will start to turn yellow and fall off. The first and only thing you can do is remove the cause of the overwatering.

If there is a lack of moisture in the early years, the maple leaves will start to brown and become crisp starting at the tips. To avoid this, don’t let the soil dry out more than an inch in the first year.

October Glory leaf curl is usually caused by pests. Inspect the leaves and if you see many insects, spray the tree with an aqueous solution of horticultural oil.

The last problem with growing this maple is fungal diseases. One of the symptoms is black spots on the leaves. To fix this, allow free air movement around the tree and spray it with a broad-spectrum fungicide.

Fertilizer

If you want to speed up the growth rate of your October Glory you can fertilize it. The best fertilizer is a universal tree fertilizer. Choose one that is made in pellet form with the longest action period.

The best time to apply the fertilizer is in early spring. Avoid fertilizing maples in the first year after planting and over the winter.

If you planted the tree as I recommended above, it will additionally receive organic fertilizer in the form of compost. The compost along with the mineral fertilizer will provide your maple tree with everything it needs for the whole year.