# How much $$ for this Japanese Maple



## Lawn Smith (Jun 8, 2020)

A guy I play golf with asked if I wanted one or two of his Japanese Maples that he is trying to get rid of. He only sent me pictures of one of them but said the other is the same size. He asked what I thought a fair price was and I told him to let me do some research and get back to him.

So, what do you all think is a good price for a Japanese Maple this size would be? I don't think they are the best looking trees right now but think if they can be trimmed up some and have the lower branches removed it might look pretty decent...?


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## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

Retail prices can be all over the place.

For a situation like this, I wouldn't pay cash for the tree. Instead I would dig it out, haul it away, level the flowerbed with soil and call it even.


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## Kallgren (Nov 10, 2018)

I would have to agree on the above suggestion, very fair. It would be bad mojo, I think, making a cash transaction with my golf buddies. I have a guy in my regular league into music and recording. I had some old (quite nice in fact) professional 8 track reel to reel recording equipment that I thought he would like. Passed it forward with no condition - and on the tee box, I don't have to worry if he felt he got a good deal or a bad deal.


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## GreenMountainLawn (Jul 23, 2019)

Retail Japanese Maples of that maturity and size would be multiple thousands of dollars each. I'm sure he could maybe get a professional landscape crew to pay him some decent coin(not retail) as they would have the equipment to dig them out root ball intact and transport it and resell it to a client somewhere. If you have the means (equipment and transportation) to get them, I would if he was basically giving them to you for free. Its also really close to that retaining wall which would be a pain.

Judging by the house and the fact that he wants them gone, why he is trying to charge you for them-especially if your golfing buddies.


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## Lawn Smith (Jun 8, 2020)

GreenMountainLawn said:


> Retail Japanese Maples of that maturity and size would be multiple thousands of dollars each. I'm sure he could maybe get a professional landscape crew to pay him some decent coin(not retail) as they would have the equipment to dig them out root ball intact and transport it and resell it to a client somewhere. If you have the means (equipment and transportation) to get them, I would if he was basically giving them to you for free. Its also really close to that retaining wall which would be a pain.
> 
> Judging by the house and the fact that he wants them gone, why he is trying to charge you for them-especially if your golfing buddies.


My guess is he is trying to get me to pay for the cost to have them removed and maybe make a few bucks. He knows they're valuable trees and doesn't want them to go to waste.

And to be honest I kind of thought he would just give them to me but he is kind of a tight wad. I'll probably offer 2 or 3 hundred for each and see what he says. I'm worried that they'll die if I move them now and don't like how it has those big branches towards the bottom of the trunk.


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## GreenMountainLawn (Jul 23, 2019)

Lawn Smith said:


> GreenMountainLawn said:
> 
> 
> > Retail Japanese Maples of that maturity and size would be multiple thousands of dollars each. I'm sure he could maybe get a professional landscape crew to pay him some decent coin(not retail) as they would have the equipment to dig them out root ball intact and transport it and resell it to a client somewhere. If you have the means (equipment and transportation) to get them, I would if he was basically giving them to you for free. Its also really close to that retaining wall which would be a pain.
> ...


Its certainly risky to move those in August in Atlanta, your right about that. Later in the season would be ideal, but if he wants them gone now, just going to have to risk it and get as much of the root all as possible. You could just prune those branches off at the bottom before the move.


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## Mr Lawn (Mar 24, 2021)

Wow....your so called "golfing buddy" want's sell you two Japanese Red Maple trees just so he can get rid of them?

Now that's someone who is definitely "tighter than a Grasshopper's A$$"!

That tight-a$$ bastard!

I would have said...."for get that dude, how about you pay me to remove them for you instead? or better yet, how about I remove both for you and call it even?"

I definitely wouldn't pay for those two already planted Japanese Maple trees, though that's just me.

You would be running a big risk my removing them (especially if you really don't know what your doing it's not that easy of a task) since no telling how long (years) they have been established and set there? You run the risk of them possibly going into shock and dying afterwards once removed and re-planted in their new location.

"YOU"...would be the one actually losing out on $ (what something like $400-$600 from what you suggested?) if you removed them and re-planted them and if either one or both end up dying?

The best time to plant Japanese Red Maple trees is in the Autumn/Fall season from what I have read about them.

I have two young Japanese Red Maple trees that are potted and waiting for the Autumn/Fall season to plant in my yard.

It's your call.

Good Luck and post later on the "afterward results"?


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## weed_wizard (Apr 18, 2019)

He should pay you cash to remove them! If you really want one, buy a Japanese Maple that you desire from a reputable nursery which is properly balled and burlapped or grown correctly in a pot. If that is a 3" or 4" caliper tree, the rootball will weigh over 500 lbs. Plus it will take years to re-establish. Definitely a waste of time and money on your end. Run away.


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## varmint65 (Feb 23, 2021)

weed_wizard said:


> He should pay you cash to remove them! If you really want one, buy a Japanese Maple that you desire from a reputable nursery which is properly balled and burlapped or grown correctly in a pot. If that is a 3" or 4" caliper tree, the rootball will weigh over 500 lbs. Plus it will take years to re-establish. Definitely a waste of time and money on your end. Run away.


+1

Will


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## zeroibis (Sep 28, 2020)

You could pay him, but also he needs to remove them himself, and have them ready for transport also you need a warranty to cover death of the tree. Or you could remove it and clean up and call it even. lol


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## Lawn Smith (Jun 8, 2020)

I told him I was going to pass. Said I didn't think they would survive if they were transplanted. He replied and said he agreed and said he'll probably try and pot them and if they survive then great.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

I'm on @mr lawns team.

Around here in SC I see this crap alllll the time. "Come pay ME for the privilege of digging up these bushes I don't want!"

It's true what they say, play a round of golf with somebody to find out what kind of person they are.


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