apart from maples, i am now a fan of orchids - i usually go to that section to read on threads in caring for orchids. i was wondering, is there guidline to follow in taking care of maples such as Sangokaku? last summer, i noticed the leaves at the tip turn brown from top branches... is that related to too much sunlight? not enough watering? or over fertiliser? i hope someone has the patience to write "THE BASICS of caring for MAPLES"
For starters, you could read the threads in the Maples forum entitled: How can I judge how much to water? and Bloodgood J. maple - brown leaf tips. You can either scroll down the thread titles in the Maples forum or type those title words into the Search function. There is a wealth of information in the Maples forum, and within the Search function is an Advanced Search option. For further reading, choose your keywords, e.g. 'brown leaf tips', or 'wind' or 'Australia', then scroll down to Maples within the forum options. We do have some other members in Australia, who grow maples. Unfortunately, the climate varies so across the continent, that a specific location is more helpful for us to understand the climatic conditions you are dealing with. Typically, 'Sango kaku' tolerates full sun. If you have any other specific questions, please let us know.
All of these web sites for nurseries have excellent articles posted on-line about planting and caring for Japanese maples: www.mountainmaples.com www.japanesemaples.com www.worldplants.com
wow - thanks for those sites... they were very informative. how on earth can someone grow a maple in such a small pot from www.mountainmaples.com?
my Japanese Maple is 1 1/2 yrs old. It was absolutely beautiful until this spring the front of the tree is perfect but there is little growth on the back side of tree. We had it planted by a professional. The front faces East and of course the back west, but is in front of our house so it doesn't get the hot afternoon sun on back. Any suggestions. We did have a bad drought last summer. I watered it often, now wondering if I didn't water it enough. Thanks for any advice.
bonlou1- unless your tree is dying off, which doesn't seem to be the case, I'd wait a while with a tree that young (but is it really only 1 1/2 years old? or is that the time it's been at your location?) before worrying about its shape. You don't say which maple you have, but if it's one of the eventually good sized, readily available ones, it will get much larger. Right now let it branch. Even if it's older it can take a couple of years before it feels at home. Don't overwater, either. Look for a discussion of watering in this forum to compare with what you were doing last year. Good luck.
I need help with a coral bark maple. I've overwatered it; I'm sure. It was doing very well until we placed sod in the area (Hurricane Katrina destroyed our property.) and we began watering daily. (We are currently in a drought.) Now the leaves are limp, yellow, but not dead. I removed the mulch ring that I placed around it. The branches are alive and well, but I don't know for how long. Should I move it to a dryer area or just let it dry out more and see what happens? Thank you for any advice. I'm new to these beautiful trees. Mare
Allow it to get at least halfway dry, but your best bet, of course, is much grittier soil that lets it drain fast, plus possibly filtered sun or light shade. You'll have to figure out how to give it some of those (sorry about Katrina!) without causing further stress, and possibly once the top half (use a chopstick to test) is dry, do add just a very little bit of water around the trunk to keep the little feeder roots going til the rest of the roots have become less sodden for now.
Rima, Thank you so much for the reply. I checked it again today, and it's doing a little better. My skewer is pretty wet, maybe a day or two more. Have you hear of verticle mulching? It seems you dig a cylindrical hole and fille with grit or sand or gravel to promote drainage. I was wondering how to keep from injuring the little hair-like roots when doing this. Katrina was an opportunity for so many people - a tragedy for many, but I have to say that if you live here you hear about all the good that came because of the storm. Of course, no one would want to have to go throught it again, but there has been great good. As for us, we've had to completely re-landscape. In doing so, we've been able to add some wonderful new features. Our 100 year old oak was replaced by a wonderful screen house with a porch that over looks the pond. Our huge old pines mad way for raised "berms" now filled with wonderful sun plants that I couldn't have had before. Ooops, I'm rambling - sorry. Thanks again for the advice. I'm going to take it for sure. Mare
I've allowed my coral bark maple to dry out some. Discovered the problem to be the drain for my ice maker near by! I shut it off. Now the tips of the branches are black and dead. We are in a drought, so regulating the water should be easy...I really don't want to lose this tree, but I'm afraid to move it right now. Louisiana is just getting into the brutally hot days. Japanesemaples.com says not to worry about the tree losing all of its leaves, but the dying branch tips worries me. Mare
Mare, unfortunately those black tips mean there's likely rot going on below - not a good sign at all. The tree needs to be uprooted, the black, slimy roots cut right back to healthy ones, and a fungicidal drench applied after repotting (in grittier peat-less soil). More unfortunately, it's a really bad time of year to be doing any of that, let alone to a sick tree. You don't have much to lose, I guess by trying it, but you'll need physical help and shade to put it in afterward. The black leaves should be discarded as well. I'm sorry!
hello mare, is there any way you can post a photo of your tree. i think you should hold off replanting until we can see how serious your blackened, dead tips are, especially, as you noted, it is not a favorable time of year to do so. sincerely, n. musume
I'm in the middle of setting up a home network (getting rid of my desk top pc) so I'll be able to download and post a pic in the next day or two rather than immediately. I am bound and determined to save this tree, even if it means daily watering and treatment. It's just too beautiful to lose! Please watch for the pic in another day or two and let me know what you think. I so appreciate all of your interest - I'm kind of wierd about my trees since Katrina. Thanks again. Mare
i am a total newb..but if it is root rot the last thing you wanna do is water it!! i lost 2 maples before from root rot!!!! if it is you need to cut them bad roots out asap
Okay, I've dug up my coral bark. the roots were full of clay. Guess my yard guys didn't ammend the soil enough. I put it in a raised bed full of good soil, pruned the dead wood, and now I'm praying. I didn't see any rotted roots, just not very good spread or growth. The pics I took didn't come out well enough for you to see the dark tips. Suffice it to say that not all branches were turning and the die back was coming from the tips, not the trunk. Any more advice? I really don't want to lose this tree. Mare
