I need some help. I received this Sango Kaku as a birthday gift and it has been in the ground for a month. When it was first planted it was green but with a few "crunchy" leaves. The root ball was very dry and the dirt around it was very hard and wrapped in burlap. I have no idea how long it had been dry but watered it before planting the next day. I consulted with my local nursery that specializes in Japanese Maples and was told to trim off all the black stems sterilizing after each cut, which I did. The main stem was turning black at that point and was told to leave that alone. He suggested that I may have planted it too deep, which I'm sure that I have. I asked if I should dig it up and fill in the hole and he said only if I thought that it was too deep. Since the weather has been going from cool to hot I thought that wasn't a good idea at this point but did remove some of the dirt around the trunk. The main trunk and adjoining branches have just increasingly turned black but some of the leaves seem to be reviving themselves back to green. I don't know if this is a water problem or any of the myriad things that I have spent hours researching. No water has stood around the trunk when I water and I water it by dripping from the hose. Is my dirt infected? The tree infected? Overwatering or underwatering? Was the tree infected before I planted it? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hi Sukibo, Wonder when it was purchased from the nursery. It looks pretty bad and expect it may be hard to save. If it was mine and I was trying to save it , I would cut well below the blackened stems leaving the few small healthy looking stems to take over. Would also try raising the root ball up to ground level, mound soil around it, and try to keep it shaded, maybe a different location if needed. This cultivar seems to have a reputation for the problems shown in your photos. Some more informative threads here may help www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/local_links.php?catid=18 . Fairly drastic measures and maybe other members on here have helpful or better solutions.
Chimera: Thanks so much for your reply. I kind of thought saving it would be futile at best. I was up very late last night researching and did get the feeling that this variety was prone to this dilemma. I have 5 other Japanese Maples on my property and they are thriving with "scientific" neglect. I know it was purchased with 2 or 3 other trees and this one was not a color that was wanted so that is why my brother bought it. Like I said before who knows how long it had been without water. His feeling is if it dies he'll just buy another one which is OK but my feeling is he should pursue in telling whoever he purchased it from and let them know what happened. That is what makes us different. Would you advise planting in the same location? But not this variety. Maybe too much sun? Many people on my street have the maples in full sun, including myself. Thanks again.
Hi Sukibo, Would likely be best to remove the soil if using the same location for a different tree. Sorry I'm not familiar with your climate, so not sure that a cultivar that is OK here in full sun would do well there. It's probably best to plant varieties proven to do well in full sun in your area. Other members experienced with your climate may be able to suggest some suitable cultivars. The 'Sango Kaku' stems redden better with some sun is my understanding. Have had a couple of experiences with the trunk being cut above the graft with no limbs growing on it , and then sending out the cultivar branches 1-2 years later and eventually forming an enjoyable tree. Maybe it's possible to save it.
Chimera: Thanks for the soil advice. Maybe I'll do the cutting like you suggested and see what happens. Thanks again
