I'm a professional gardener, and this 1 natural ingredient is essential to help Japanese maples thrive in summer – and will give you vibrant fall color, too

Japanese maple trees in shade of red and green, growing on the Japanese Tea Garden, designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara, seen at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.

Japanese maples are, to me, some of the finest (and easiest) trees to grow in backyards. But while they are low-maintenance, during long, hot summers, they can struggle. For this reason, mulching Japanese maples is a quick but crucial task to complete before the mercury begins to spike.

I’ve nurtured Japanese maples in many gardens where I have worked as a professional gardener, and whether grown in pots or sprawling borders, mulching during late spring and early summer can pay dividends. Believe me, a chunky, two-to-four-inch layer applied in June can really make the difference between lush, green leaves or a brown, crispy canopy.