Frost Damage

16 years ago

We live in East Tennessee, and this spring we had a spell of early warm weather. Unfortunately this was followed by almost a week of below freezing weather. My Japanese Maple had just completed leafing out when this frost hit. All of the new leaves have died off and it looks like late fall. Just now, about three weeks later, the tree seems to be getting a second set of leaves.

I am wondering since the new leaves all seem to be sprouting from the older growth whether it would be advisable to prune off the small narrow end branches which had contained the first set of leaves. I have a photo showing the current state of the tree which I could email to youi.

I would greatly appreciate any advice, since I would be heartbroken if I lost this tree. Thanks!

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Comments (4)

myersphcf
16 years ago
As Matt said in another thread I personally would do nothing let it releaf and ltr in summer or fall after leaf fall then trim it up if those areas are in fact DOA ...I found in cutting dead top stems ( 1-1.5" at top of branches that got zapped and pulling leaves you can do more damage than good and see NO differnce in trees left to naturally "prune " themselves.they know those leaves are dead either on or off the tree ..David
appalotranch
16 years ago
David,
Thank you for posting this information, I was just about to ask. All of my JM's that got zapped the top 1/3 branches are looking dead, and the new leafs are appearing on the older wood...and I wasn't sure what to do: I'll wait. -Ivy

Here is a link that might be useful: App-A-Lot Ranch
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KansasKathy
16 years ago
I'm heartbroken about my maples. The Emporer I is releafing, but my other three maples look dead, dead, dead. They are an orangeola that I've had for about 5 years, a little crimson queen and a Sangu kaku (sp?). None of them show the slightest sign of new buds. It is so depressing. I also need to replace a weeping cherry and am considering a shishigashira or a shaina but am having a hard time commiting to more JMs due to the recent loss.
appalotranch
16 years ago
Kathy,
I completely understand. I have about five maples, out of 20 that were severely damaged, that are dead, dead, dead. I am not giving up on them yet, but they look like they would have to have an act of GOD to bring them back. I told my husband, last night, that I was afraid to put any of my other 20+ maples in the ground, they are in pots, as I was afraid I couldn't bring them in if this happened again. The South Carolina weather forcaster said the artic blast happens only once in 50 years, so I am not going to let this loss effect me in a way that I won't purchase another tree: I just recently bought an Akita from Della. The other remaining 15 trees are slowly releafing, and the top third branches are white and dead...they certainly won't be pretty this year...and it will take years, possibly, to grow back to their size pre-freeze. -Ivy

Here is a link that might be useful: App-A-Lot Ranch