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Potted JM. Help. pics

7 years ago

So I bought this Ariadne Japanese Maple about 35 days ago. It's steadily declined. I know it didn't dry out, I suppose it's possible that it got to much water. I meant to transplant it into a better potting media, but honestly, let's face it..if the nursery still had it, I'm sure it would be healthy. So what did I do wrong and is it salvageable for next year?

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Comments (9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
get the pot out of the sun ... full bright shade ... all summer long ... plant in fall planting season ...

and water ONLY when your finger.. inserted one inch.. indicates the media is drying ...

if you put it against the north of the house.. you will be more responsible for all water .. and then you wont be guessing about rain ...

thats a huge tree in a little pot.. and the pot probably gets too hot ..which leads to watering issues ...

if you get it happy.. it might put out some new leaves ...

regardless.. its not hungry.. fert is not in the cards ...

ken
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
It is very easy for JM's in containers to dry out rapidly and that's what looks like happened. As long as not left too long in this condition, they will typically releaf.

If you are positive it didn't dry out, then the issue is a bit more serious. Overwatering to the point of wilting generally means you have compromised the root system and if that happens, the plant does not recover easily, if at all. FWIW, it's a lot harder to overwater a containerized plant if in a good, fast draining soil and with adequate pot drainage than one planted in the ground. I often water my containerized JM's daily if the weather dictates.

btw, when discussing containerized JM's, I would not consider that too large a tree for that size container.......in fact, it is pretty typical. And I do not necessarily wait to repot if my intent is to continue to grow this as a containerized tree. However, that current soil media looks nicely textural and adequately barky so waiting should be fine.

I really believe this to be a watering issue.........
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Just some clarification, please. Have these been in the same container for all that period of time? Have they ever been repotted or root pruned? Have you ever provided any fertilizer during this period? If the answers to these are yes, no and no, then I am a bit surprised these trees are even hanging on to life as tenuously as they may be. While it is perfectly possible to grow these trees in containers long-term - even permanently - they will require regular attention to keep them thriving. This would include repotting and root pruning at least every 5 years (possibly more often if in smaller pots) while at the same time refreshing the potting medium. Left too long without this attention, the roots will fill the container and become choked. They will also take up all the space, with the potting soil virtually disappearing over time. When this happens, it is almost impossible to keep the root mass properly hydrated, even more so in a windy climate, and even daily deep soakings may not be enough in summer. And the need for frequent watering of any container-grown plant leaches the soil of any nutrients. These must be replaced on a regular basis so fertilizing is always necessary. How often depends on how frequently you repot and what type of fertilizer you use. A slow release fert at the time of repotting and again each spring as the trees leaf out will get them off to a good start, but I'd recommend supplementing with a dilute liquid fertilizer weekly throughout the growing season as well. When you water, water the container soil only. It is of no benefit to the tree to water the trunk or foliage and Japanese maple foliage is quite delicate and can be damaged with watering in strong sunlight. Water slowly until the water runs freely out the bottom of the container. If this happens very rapidly, you can bet your trees are very rootbound and need attention ASAP.
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k4 Later in the summer the sun will clip the corner of my house and one small portion of leaves will pay dearly. I saw in pics you have one.Go for as much shade as you can with this one!- other acers in photo, queen in the back,beyond the gutter and left is a slice of a shisigashira,the pie or dome shape is a tama hime,the small pointy leaves that are lower and seem to be reaching over tama hime bottom left are from a sazanami,coming in over the top is butterfly, between the queen and shishigashira is a mikawa yatsubusa,left of rock is small omur yama in a pot with white stones,hard for you to see. AL
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Comments (4)
I am certainly not an expert, but I have some experience. The general rule around here (that I Mostly follow) is to plant in the fall to give roots a chance to establish before the next summer heat. And, like subtropix said, I have been in zone 7 (near you, nearer Raleigh, NC) 11 seasons and this is the first year that I have seen the effects of a late (yet very mild) freeze after a long warm spell; new growth of holly and hydrangea were all wiped out. I assume that this freeze is indeed the cause of your damage. It doesn't really look that bad anyway. However, I have some good and bad news/experience: I had two bloodgood maples. I planted each in the fall, and the next June one looked great and by July it was dying and dead by August. I don't know what happened. The other was probably planted the year before and is eight years old, looks great (I can see it as I type), and is growing very well. Perhaps mine is more shielded; its tips were not frost damaged. However, today, (and every year) the leaves are just beginning to turn green and will lose almost all red in a month. I guess there is nothing wrong with that, but I see yours is green and I think you can expect green in the summers. Others have suggested that the green is increased with more sun. Mine mainly gets morning thru early afternoon sun and I gather yours will get more.
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jalcon
Original Author
7 years ago
It's just odd bc when I noticed it decline rapidly over the last week, itso felt moist when I stick my finger in the soil...actually I feelove like when I put the original pot, plastic black one in the pot it's in now, is when it happened or started. Again I didn't transplant, I just inserted the whole thing in the green pot. I wonder if the root system overheated or something..
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
i said.. though not very clearly ... to put it in full shade .. on the north side of the house... BECAUSE THE POT HEATS UP TOO MUCH ... which leads to water issues.. especially because of the huge plant in a small pot ... in sun

my bad ... i blame it on coffee buzz.. at typing.. lol ...

and to clarify for gal ... its a huge plant in a small pot .. ===>>>> IF !!!! .... its left in the sun ... one will note at nurseries.. such pots are usually under lattice or plastic.. and not out in burning sun ... though it could be very different in the PNW ... in MI.. today.. at 93 blistering degrees.. that pot.. that plant.. in full sun.. would be on the way towards severe stress .... if not death ... period ... im not sure we know where OP is ... it matters ...

regardless.. between us.. you have a lot ot think about ...

btw... interfering with the roots.. even just pulling them out of one pot.. and putting into another.. is a stress .. even if just a little ...

ken
jalcon
Original Author
7 years ago
I'm in central PA. It's been relatively hot. Today it'll be about 90. Where it's at now is actually the north side of the house, and doesn't get much sun
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
Ken, you seem to think we have no heat or sunlight at all in the PNW :-) It gets hot and dry here just like anywhere else. We broke temperature records in April and have hit the 90's in both May and June. We are having a cooler week right now but it was close to 90 last Saturday and that's within a block of the water - much hotter more inland . And since the PNW is the center of the wholesale growing operations for much of the country, I can state with a great deal of assurance that black plastic nursery pots sit out in full, all-day sun everyday without issue at these growing operations and at retail nurseries. See the photo. As long as these trees in pots are watered adequately, the overheated root thing is grossly overstated.

And I seriously doubt that is the issue here anyway. The black plastic pot is within a ceramic pot so somewhat insulated and the OP states it is not sitting in direct sun. I fear either too much or not enough water was at fault.
PRO
Caldwell Home & Garden
7 years ago
why is it not planted!?! you need to plant it, make sure it gets water twice a week for about a month then after 2 months remove the stake. let the wind beat it to the ground! it won't hurt it, you will eventually have a strong, healthy tree that could survive a nuclear blast.
Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
7 years ago
90 is my normal high for 3 months here. 100 is noteworthy. I try to keep my potted trees in the shade.

FWIW, Japanese maples in the ground here tolerate full sun at best. They prefer some shade. Even those marketed as "full sun".

IMO a pot is going to take a zone off their cold hardiness and heat tolerance but its not impossible.

What should you do? Move it like Ken said and test the soil before watering. Not much else you can do to a stressed tree.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
7 years ago
Does that ceramic pot drain completely?

I think that it's such a bad sign when a tree has to be strapped to a bamboo pole within an inch of its life....just in order to pretend that it's a sturdy, straight youngster.

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