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bubbasweet

Sudden Shriveling Japanese Maple? Help

Bubbasweet
11 years ago

My tree was the picture of health and suddenly the entire thing has shrivelled up and all the leaves are dying?

It has been really windy but not excessively hot. I have been watering it regularily. Maybee too much? It is our 2nd year with it and I really like it. Can I save it? Is it wind burn? What should I do?


You will have to cut and paste this link to another photo of the tree.

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Comments (3)

  • Bubbasweet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    One thing I remember I did 2 weeks ago is topped each of my 3 trees with this cheap soil from the hardware store. I thought it was just regular soil but when I got it home I noticed that It had those white small stones in it but I wonder if it was slow release fertiliser and if this 1 inch or so I added this tree freaking out is a reaction to it.

    Drainage seems fine. I removed all that top soil with the white stuff and I am going to get good soil from dycoffs and replace..

    Let me know what you think. Can that slow release furiliser do this to a healthy tree?

    Is there any way I can flush it out? Or what to do to neutrilize and flush out that crap?

    Will the tree live? Body seems healthy and green.

    What a dumb move.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    11 years ago

    It's not fertilizer and certainly not the results of any slow release fertilizer that rapidly. The white stuff in the soil was most likely perlite or pumice, not a fertilizer, and added for drainage and without any negative effect.

    It could very well be wind damage. The foliage of Japanese maples tends to be rather delicate and can be damaged by excessive wind, especially if the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. Some cultivars much more so than others. But wilting or shriveling can also be an indication of overwatering. If you have a high quality, very textural potting soil and good drainage in the container, I've found it almost impossible to overwater but relatively easy to accomplish with a less forgiving potting soil :-)

    Try to keep it out of the brunt of the wind. And keep the soil evenly moist but not excessively wet nor allowed to dry completely in between waterings.

  • Bubbasweet
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanx!I pulled the loose dead leaves off.

    We will see, I took it out of the wind and put really good soil back in the the missing stuff. Which I realise now was not slow release furtilizer. I also think wind is it. It has been REALLY windy and rainy here in Vancouver. It was just a cooincidence that I had replaced that bit of soil and got my mind thinking the worst..

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