I am interpreting your post to read this plant is located indoors....correct? Japanese maples are not houseplants and will not react well long term to indoor conditions, as is the case with the majority of plants native to temperate climates. While many make great long term container subjects, they would prefer to be outdoors - even in your rather extreme climate. Is there a covered porch, patio or other protected area where it could be located and receive bright but indirect light? Depending on size, a larger container may be appropriate also, as will be a suitable coarse, freely draining potting soil, regular watering (I water my containerized maples about every other day at this time of year) and periodic fertilization.

Yes, the plant is inside in front of a window. I do have a covered patio but the tree is only 13" high and the winds here can go to 40 mph at the drop of a hat. With regular watering the potting soil stays damp to moist for a week to 10 days. The container has rocks on the bottom with sand on top of that. What kind of fertilizer would you if any on something this small?

The rocks and sand in the container are complicating the drainage. And, in spite of popular opinion, that stuff is decreasing drainage. (The decreased drainage is a soil physics thing.)

Beyond that, likely the original rootball is dry in spite of the water you're adding. That's clearly displayed in the dry brown leaf tips.

I'd keep all leaves with any green on them. If you remove such leaves, you won't have anything left to produce "food" for the tree.

Further, I'd tip the plant out of the pot.,, remove rocks and sand, loosen the original rootball, and re-pot -- most likely into something larger than 8 inches.

I'd also put it outdoors. But please protect it for a while. From breezes because it was just replanted. And from direct sunlight -- very gradually move it into more and more light.

Thank you for your valuable input. I obviously have to make some changes. One being using my finger instead of a moisture meter. I am a little hesitant about putting it outside even though that seems to be the general consensus because of the extreme weather here and it's small size...13 inches high. Wouldn't it be better to re-pot in the Fall? The tree is producing a few tiny new leaves. Have you ever heard of SuperThrive vitamins and hormones?

Believe me, you are doing as much damage to your little tree by keeping it inside as you risk by exposing it to the outdoors. There must be somewhere on your property, perhaps immediately adjacent to the house (like a porch, a protected wall or tucked under/alongside a larger shrub) where you can tuck a small container out of direct sun and wind.

Because of the potential for poor drainage with your current container situation, I'd repot now rather than waiting until fall. This is a small enough plant and if you are careful with the process, it shouldn't cause unnecessary shock. Use a high quality, coarse textured potting medium that can be purchased at most any retail garden center and as Jean indicates, no rocks/gravel in the bottom or layers of sand. Use a thin piece of screening (window screening works great) to cover the drainage hole to keep soil in and critters out. If the current soil falls easily off the rootball, so much the better as this eliminates any potential soil interface issues. A larger pot size may be appropriate but not necessarily - the root system and how well it fills the current size container should be your guide.

For new container plantings, I'd include an appropriate amount of Osmocote or other slow release fertilizer. A granular organic fert would work similarly. 'SuperThrive'(or "SuperJive" as a friend in the professional end of the business calls the stuff) produces a lot of debate - most horticulturists agree that there is absolutely nothing in the formulation in sufficient enough concentrations to do anything (active ingredients less than 1% and one dilutes from there!). But others, perhaps swayed by what has to be the world's tackiest but most persuasive marketing campaign think the stuff is a magic potion. To my knowledge there have been no clinical trials to establish any efficacy, so any positive results are purely anecdotal and unsubstantiated. Personally, I wouldn't waste my money, but it's your choice.

After reading your very informative post and then your member's page I've become a believer. I won't be going into town until Friday, but I know where to get the Osmocote. Any suggestions on a coarse textured potting medium and in what proportion to mix with the Osmocote? I hope you don't mind my picking your brain but to me every little bit helps. I'll decide about the pot size (I have several) when I get a look at the root system.

I agree with you about the "SuperJive". After researching the quantaties and prices it's easy to see what pays for the advertising on their packages.

After repotting to a different soil type and letting it sit by a southern exposure window for six weeks along with a weekly dose of Superthrive, this Acer palmatum is almost completely recovered compared to the picture above.