I think my little tree is sick. This is my first tree. I've read through the forum posts and cannot find anything exactly like what I'm seeing so please forgive me if this is duplicated elsewhere. I purchased my little JP last year in May. I talked with the Nursery guy and he approved the container I had for the tree. Per his recommendation, I put insulation around the inside of the container before I planted to help shelter highs and lows from the roots. I planted the tree, put it in a moderately sunny spot and it seemed happy all summer and fall. Over the winter I moved it right up to my back door, against the building. Watered per the nursery guy's recommendation - a bucket of ice from my ice machine every few weeks. Spring came and tiny little green limbs started showing up all over the tree. I went to the nursery and they sold me "Peace of Mind 4-8-5 Japanese Maple Organic Fertilizer" and said it was ok to fertilize now (April) since it was a container tree. I followed the instructions on the back of the box based on the height of my tree and watered. Around Easter, my dad moved the tree back out onto the porch rather than up against the building. Then we had snow and freezing temperatures. Followed by a lot of rain the rest of April. Now my little maple looks sick. * The little green limbs have turned yellow or brown. * There are buds, but they just seem to be sitting there, doing nothing - one looks like it tried to have a leaf (in pic below) but very little happened * Tips of even existing limbs look crispy * Other neighborhood trees are green with little leaves Hopeful signs * If I scratch the trunk it is green * If I bend a branch it has a green center (my dad's testing approach) Here are the things I'm reasonably sure I did wrong: 1. Fertilized per the box's instructions and WAY too early 2. Moved the tree out away from the building before the last risk of frost Is there anything I can do to help my little tree? Will it rebound? Am I simply fussing too much? Please see the pictures. Thanks in advance for your patience and replies.
Hi Prune your maple and if possible check the roots I tink that roots are rools,or is planted more deep ,use funghicide and good luck!alex
Give it time. I think you fertilized and moved your tree too soon, but it will probably come back. Lots of maples fared much worse in the April freeze but most seem to be rebounding. I have a lot of crape myrtles (Southern tree) in my yard that had about 6 inches of new growth that was killed in the freeze. Some of them sent out new shoots very quickly, but others are just starting to resprout. I have a Shaina in my yard and it seems to be a very hardy Japanese maple.
Alex - forgive my inexperience, but what type of pruning? Cutting off the fried ends of the branches? Also, I didn't understand your comment on the roots - they are sick too? I went to the nursery again today and they told me to just water until water comes out of the bottom of the container and wait another 2-4 weeks.
Leave it alone It will recover All of this fussing is detrimental to the tree There is already a topic which covers similar problems Check out 'Remedial steps after the deep freeze'
For me cutting the branches fried ; the nursery have for many years plant in the pot ,the roots in similar conditions rool up ,when the maple grow the roots they could "suffocate" the maple I see similar effect in my garden ,today I check the roots before planted trees or change pot Regards alex
Looks like there is some very small green growth on small limbs where they come off of the larger branches. I went to the local nursery to pick up a couple flowers and talked to the tree department. The person there told me green growth on a Shaina meant that the tree was dead and I should consider replacing it. This sounded off to me so I thought I'd ask here. I think he was just trying to make a sale but maybe he is correct. I'm getting a JM book very soon from amazon so hopefully I will not have as many basic questions here on the forum.
Trudi ... basic questions are the life and soul of this forum I get that small green growth on my maples here. Some of our more knowledgeable members here can properly explain what it is. I just rub it off with my fingers in the belief that it might harbour insects or disease. I think it comes from the dampness of my site and possibly poor drainage. I could be totally wrong and await enlightenment just like you .......
whis4ey - Thanks! I was vague in my post. It looks like the tree is growing out the small limbs and the new growth appears green where the small limb comes out of the larger limb. It seems that the limb itself is green and not anything I could rub off. My previous pictures of the tree weren't great so its hard to tell if anything actually grew or if its just a different color. No new buds which I'm guessing isn't great, but we just finally got temperatures above the 50's this week so I'm still cautiously optimistic. Temps fom the 50's to 80's in one week, gotta love Chicago. I'm awaiting 4 different little 1 year grafts to work with. I hope they are "inspiration" to my existing Shaina :-)
Just thought I'd update everyone, my tree did not make it. Even the little green branches turned yellow. I touched a few branches and they are brittle. The bark has pulled from the trunk - it feels like a paper wrapper over a stick. Regardless, thank you all for your input and advice.
Sorry to hear that I had an Omurayama once that 'died' on me. I cut it down to just above the graft Today it is four feet high and thriving. It took about 4 years
