Japanese maples look absolutely beautiful at the moment as their fiery red leaves start to grow again, but their foliage can wilt or even die if they are not properly cared for in spring. April can be a strange month for gardeners as the UK starts to get lots of sunshine while still being extremely rainy, which can be good for certain plants to help them grow.

However, this can often be stressful for Japanese maple trees as they have very shallow roots that stay close to the soil surface, so they will receive the full brunt of the weather. When the soil stays damp for a long time, it can cause the tree roots to rot, but warmer temperatures can dry them out too quickly. If you want to ensure Japanese maples stay healthy, the gardening experts at Jacksons Nurseries warn that these trees need to be mulched in April.

They said: "Apply a fresh mulch of bark, straw or well-rotted garden compost in April, making sure it doesn't come into contact with the trunk to avoid the risk of rotting and disease."

Mulching is the simple gardening task of spreading a layer of material around the soil of a plant in order to protect it.

It is one of the best ways to protect Japanese maple trees, as certain types of mulch can hold a lot of moisture, which slowly drips onto the roots, watering them at a slower pace.

This helps regulate the amount of water around the roots while also slowing down evaporation to protect the plant from both extremely damp and sunny weather.

Mulch acts like a barrier to protect Japanese maples from the erratic British weather, while also smothering any weeds nearby so they do not suck any nutrients out of the soil.

Mulching is very easy as you just have to loosen the soil and then apply a thin layer of whatever material you like around a plant.

Bark tends to be the best long-lasting mulch for Japanese maples as it drains well and is the closest to the soil conditions in these trees' natural habitat, as they often grow in woodlands.

However, straw and compost are good short-term mulches as they add nutrients to the soil and are very breathable, so they will insulate the tree roots no matter the weather.

Do not pile the mulch up and keep it away from the tree trunk; otherwise, too much moisture can build up in these areas and make it more likely for fungal disease to spread in the soil.

Refresh the mulch when the top layer starts to decompose, and it should keep your Japanese maple safe so it can grow to its full potential throughout the spring and summer.