The following was received via email: I live in Tennessee. Japanese maples are very popular here. I have two. Last fall I noticed the one in the back yard was starting to look bad, the leaves were drying up, and the branches becoming very brittle. I pruned back all the dead branches and fertilized it, this Spring it came back beautiful, however the one in the front that looked just fine last year didn't come back at all. I wasn't willing to give up on it, I dug it up and found it was sitting in about 4" of water so I'm assuming it suffered from some type of root rot. I moved it to the back and replanted it, purning it back and fertilizing it. The branches are still red and pliable, but no leaves. Is there any chance it will recover?
Hi Eric, My red seedling maple is looking about the same as you describe your's. Branches/main leader look fine, but no leaves. It has been in this comatose state for almost *one* year! I haven't the heart to toss it just yet. I was contemplaing it during a recent move, decided not to. I'm keeping it on just to see what will happen to it. The only difference is that mine suffered from not enough water. I haven't the heart to snip it and see what's going on under the bark yet, but will probably do so some time soon. I would say in addition to pruning the top you should've pruned all of the dead or rotting roots too. Give it some time, but don't fertilize too much or at all at this time while it's trying to recover. You could give it some kelp extract. Layne
I fear you will not recover this plant I garden on a heavy uncompromising non draining clay soil, and have had this happen to me on a few occasions. My problem has been that one plant will drain well, and two yards away it will be sodden and trapped in a sump of waterlogged soil. I thought I had it all under control, until last year I lost a £100 tree I moved it to a new area before it had died completely, but the damage had been done, and I lost the plant. I have started to plant all my new trees on a raised mound of soil, to get them above the water table
