bloodgood J. Maple -brown leaf tips

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Patted, Oct 29, 2005.

  1. Patted

    Patted Member

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    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    I planted a Bloodgood J>Maple about 2 months ago. It's about 5 ft tall. I'm afraid I may have located it in too windy a spot as the leaves are turnig brown and shrivelling all over the tree. Should I move it now to a more sheltered spot or just protect it for the winter and hope for the best in the spring? I'm new at this so would love some advice.
     
  2. Layne Uyeno

    Layne Uyeno Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Hi,

    I guess it all depends...speaking from my own personal experiences. While it's a good general rule to protect your maples from wind the rules don't always apply to all people.

    In my area the prevailing winds come from the west (ocean), but when my maples suffer...especially during the summer months is when the winds shift and come from the east (desert). These winds are hot and very dry. These "Santa Ana" winds can really do a number on my maples. We've had a mild summer and was starting to cool off for fall. Then, we had a sudden spike in temps with the winds coming from the east. My maple's leaves were doing relatively fine till this weather change hit us about a month ago. Even the more heat tolerant maples' leaves burned some.

    Bloodgood's leaves are relatively thick for Japanese maples and are more resistant to dessication. Your maple could be suffering a bit from environment change and transplant shock. As long as you're not seeing the branches die back you and your maple should be fine. Give it at least a year to adjust to it's new environment. Give it some 0-10-10 fert according to Jim's advice to strengthen the root system for next spring.

    Let us know how it goes next year, okay?

    Hope this helps,

    Layne
     
  3. KathyKKA

    KathyKKA Member

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    Location:
    Palo Alto, CA
    Brown tips can be indicative of a few things:
    1. wind burn
    2. too little water (often with tips turned under)
    3. too much water (often with tips turned up)
    4. combination too much heat and/or wind and lack of water.

    How often, how long, and by what method do you water?
    Is the maple planted in the ground or in a container?

    I don't know what type of soil you have in Ontario. If it is heavy clay, I would highly recommend using a moisture meter before you water. Too much water in heavy clay soil can be lethal to a maple.
     

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