Hi Jm lovers! After 12 years in situ my Ap. Ruslin in pink has budged out on only 2 major lower branches. At 6 feet tall, and lovingly pruned just how I like, it makes me sad. I have about 30 other cultivars this is the only one doing this. Here in Amherst, Mass., we had some extremely windy days, such that all the leaves of some evergreen shrubs turned brown for first time in 18 years. The Ruslyn was not near them however. Any ideas on how to jumpstart secondary dormant buds? I was told Jm have them.....thanks so much for any ideas!!!! Debviolet
Use japanese maple fertilizer (happy frog) and lots of water. Also heard good things about Dyna-Gro 7-9-5
Thank you, vbx!-- we've had tons of rain; put down some urea and fertilizer yesterday...keeping my fingers crossed... Cheers! Deb
Catching up, and I'm sorry if this is late. JMs positively hate urea-based fertilizers. Too much of it will kill them, and quickly. Small amounts are manageable but not worth the risk usually. I hope your maple has leafed out by now. But too much water, and too much fertilizer is a questionable idea I'm afraid. The best bet is to prune to encourage back budding and wait. Don't fertilize, in the same way you don't give lots of sugar to a sick person. Too much water seems to overwhelm the roots when they aren't getting fed from the top. Hope it works out, always painful to lose a mature specimen.
Hi Emery! Thanks for responding! Luckily for me, given my misconceived fertilizing, my Ruslyn is doing no worse... Two lowest branches are fully leafed, one middle branch progressed from buds to inch long folded leaves then stalled without unfurling. I can still admire my pruning job, however, as I have not yet taken the 5 set of inert tree down.... Will pruning bare branches possibly promote budding? We have had constant if not heavy rain here in western Massacchusetts this spring, after a windy winter and a 40% increase in rain last summer. Weird and volatile weather. Yours in maples, Debviolet
Hi Deb, yes if the wood is alive. Cut until you see some green cambium, then keep going for a little while -- if there's anywhere to go. This will let the tree concentrate on the "emergency buds" with less vascular travel time, if that makes sense! All the best to you for the recovery of your tree. -E
