Wilting Maple

Discussion in 'Maples' started by jep32, Jun 11, 2007.

  1. jep32

    jep32 Member

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    About a month ago, we planted a 3 foot high Japaese Lions Head maple. The tree maintained very healthy looking leaves until this plast weekend. Granted it has been hot, I have been watering every day. The tree is really looking sad today...with withered leaves (not crunchy though)...and it is spreading. Some sources say I am overwatering. Is this true? The place where we purchased it said once per week...a trickle for about 4 hours...(we called today). Please help...this was an expensive, beautiful tree!!!

    A desperate...jep
     
  2. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    check if the maple is planted more deep, the good level is ground level (read "to plant maple trees well"in this forum)water is good 2 two times to the week for 2,3 minutes if good if you use pine bark around the trunk for umidity costant .alex
     
  3. Gomero

    Gomero Well-Known Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Where did you plant it?, ground, pot?
    Can you post a picture?, do you notice a blackening of twigs?

    Heat will not wilt your maple if adequately watered. A trickle 4 hours once a week is not a schedule I would recommend. This schedule, if the weather is hot and dry, may result, specially for recently planted trees, in a strong (lack of) water stress resulting in wilting and eventually death if the situation is not corrected.

    Overwatering, through root rot, could also result in wilting but I bet this is not the case here.

    Gomero
     
  4. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Gomero is right, in Delaware your maple will require this regimen every 2 days, IMHO

    -E
     
  5. jep32

    jep32 Member

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    Thank you for all your insight. I attached 4 pictures of the tree.....today, the situation seems to be getting worse, even after a nice rain.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. alex66

    alex66 Rising Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    cut the branch dry and remove the pine bark around (for 3/4 days)the soil is more wet and the roots not breathe!I don't think Verticillum..
     
  7. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Alex could well be right
    The mulch is very close to the bark of the tree which could well be planted too deeply and the roots are not getting as chance to breathe and are drowning
    Alex is suggesting that you cut off the dried branches and try to allow the soil to dry out a little
    Is it well drained?
    If this tree was only planted 3 weeks ago I would be inclined to dig it up and check if the roots are too wet (or alternatively too dry)
    This shouldn't be too big a stress as the roots will not yet have had the chance to venture out into your soil
    I have a notion that your tree is planted too deeply in wet soil
    Your problem is that you have little time to save it unless you act quickly
    Remember that these trees need well drained soil and that if you don't have that then they should be planted high and the soil built up around the root ball
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2007
  8. jep32

    jep32 Member

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    Thank you for all of your input. I backed the mulch (about 3") away from the tree so that there is about 2 feet of the soil layer. You are right, the ground is absolutely saturated. It is like mud. I was soaking this guy too much! Tomorrow is going to be a sunny day in Delaware, so I am hoping the next 4-5 days will dry things up a bit.

    The big question, will the tree die? My gut tells me that if I let it dry out, and just water once, maybe twice per week...my tree will rebound. Are these types of trees that hardy??

    Thanks again
     
  9. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    If the ground is saturated get it out of there quick or, yes, you will lose your tree for certain
    Dig it up and allow the root ball to dry out until just properly moist
    It sounds like your soil is not free draining
    In that case the tree should either be oplanted elsewhere, or do as I suggested before .... plant it on top of the ground and build a 'berm' up around the rootball. This will allow free drainage
    Then ... only water when it is dry i.e. keep it moist but not wet
     
  10. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    Gosh, this certainly points out the dangers of diagnostics from a distance! :) With the amount of water it was getting in a hot climate, I had not even considered water logging. There you are.

    It's a very stressed maple. If you leave it in the mud it will certainly drown. With the limited amount of water it was getting, the drainage must be very poor.

    As japanese maples go this one is pretty tough, but none will survive in these conditions. The good news is that the branches look healthy, if it is in a more favorable situation it may recover. The bad news is that stressed maples quickly become sick maples. So let's hope that it still has enough juice to stave off the various illnesses.

    Let us know how it does after replanting.

    -E
     
  11. jep32

    jep32 Member

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    It is dying........what a sad tree.....
     
  12. whis4ey

    whis4ey Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    jep .... if you had a friend who was drowing you are unlikely to suggest that he be left where he is because the weather was going to get warmer and maybe the water would evaporate and he would be able to survive ....
    I am sorry that you haven't been able to act quickly enough to save your tree
     

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