I've had this Red Japanese Maple for 15 months. I repotted it on February 28, 2009 and it was doing great ever since until I looked at it this morning and several of the leaves (two shown in middle of second pic top and bottom) look like the ends are drying up or look like their 'burnt'. Would any one know why? I repotted it in Miracle Grow Moisture Control Potting Mix 75% and 25% Cactus soil and water it every three or four days as needed. It's been doing great with many large new leaves coming out (see first pic taken June 22), until now. The leaves are wet in the second pic because I had just misted it with water. I also noticed many very tiny flies (?) hanging around the tree, about the size of the head of a pin. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Looks like nitrogen burn. Too much high-nitrogen fertilizer can do that to a JM. Not much you can do since its infused in the potting soil you used. JMs don't need much fertilizer, and you should use a low nitrogen organic product like HollyTone. The little "flies" are fungus gnats and can be controlled with a general insecticide. By the way, JMs do NOT make good house plants...
Thanks for the reply. The potting soil is .21% total nitrogen. I would think that if it is the soil content that it would have shown signs sooner than four months. It was doing great until this happened. You mentioned insecticide spray. Now that I think about it, I sprayed some Flying Insect Spray around the tree recently because of the gnats. Maybe that had something to do with it. It doesn't seem to have gotten any worse since yesterday. If it does I may try flushing the pot with water. I've heard that JM's are not house plants, but this was given to me as a gift and out here it gets between 100 and 110*F during the day in the summer and there is no shade available. Eventually I may move it outside, but as far as I know the tree only likes morning sun. Thanks again.
