Please help - maple sapling
here2learn (Zone 8 TX)
8 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Japanese Maple Tree Saplings
Comments (7)That last post left me scratching my head... "I'd not worry overly about manure or potting medium (after a year, both of these are a non-issue)..." Not sure what was meant there. The issues actually get worse (particularly drainage) as the potting medium breaks down. That's one of the biggest issues that has to be dealt with when growing long-term in containers. "They are still small enough to make the adjustment without worry or excessive transplant shock." I don't understand this statement either. Small cuttings, possibly lacking good root structure, are actually more likely to suffer from transplant shock than larger, well established plants. "Well-drained, slightly acidic and organic soil..." That would be great if that's what's there, but don't fill a planting hole with that stuff in the middle of a bunch of whatever the native soil is!...See MoreSapling maple tree developing yellow/brown leaves - need help!
Comments (1)Don't know how, or where, you're watering, but the tree isn't getting enough of it. Need to get water into the original rootzone. To do so, you can build a 2-inch tall dike at the edge of the rootball, then fill the basin once or twice every day. Hope you also pre-soaked the planting hole before setting th tree in place. And I hope you also made certain the rootball was completely moist at planting time. If not, keep that in mind for the next tree you put in....See MorePlease tell me how to save my maple saplings!!
Comments (6)Relax! Your Mom's strategy insn't a bad one, necessaily. Potting soil holds water differently then garden soil, so there is an argument that any that are being left in pots should be in potting soil. As for the ones that go right in the ground...an argument can be made this strategy lets you untangle the roots and use soil from the spot you plant them. Make sure the ones in pots have drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. The ones that went in the ground may benefit from the rain. Lots of trees lose their leaves and look dead for a while after you plant them. Biggest mistake you made was doing this in the summer....See MoreMaple sapling looks dead but growing quickly
Comments (6)Right^. Maybe, just maybe, you could help it by watering...if it actually needs it, which is really only going to be the case if your area is in bona fide drought. Mostly, trees, even at this young age, are free-range, or on their own. Beware the temptation to fertilize. Stressed-out plants don't need fertilizer, they need time to sort things out. I'm talking about trees in the ground here, not a potted plant, where that pot is the plant's entire universe. In-ground, there are more than adequate nutrients in most cases for such a tree. Don't add to the stress this thing is under by dumping a lot of salts (fertilizers are primarily salts) around it. A very light app of an organic fertilizer is another matter though, as these products take a long time to break down and actually could be of benefit, although even there, I wouldn't expect to be able to see any change. Somehow, this tree got really beat up. There is wound wood forming all up and down that wound, so that's a good sign. Incidentally, trees don't heal, they close off wounds, and those wounds remain hidden for the life of the tree and beyond, inside layers of new, healthy wood. Cut such a tree open years later and you would still be able to see where this all occurred. BTW, tree looks like it may have been planted too deeply. We like to be able to see the root flare, that area of swollen tissue right where trunk meets roots. That should be at or just above finished grade. I don't know that you can do a heck of a lot for a tree already planted too deep, but I might at least scrape some mulch material away from the trunk....See Morehere2learn (Zone 8 TX)
8 years agoHuggorm
8 years agoMike McGarvey
8 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years agoHuggorm
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoMike McGarvey
8 years agohere2learn (Zone 8 TX)
8 years ago
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