Stephen, the random small brown or dry looking speckles that often appear on JM foliage were explained to me by an authority I greatly respect as the result of an irregular watering pattern - allowing the potting media to dry out too much between waterings. I believe this is a valid assessment as it is almost always only present on containerized maples, seldom ever those planted in the ground. It is just cosmetic and not an indication of a pathogen - those will present quite differently.

Fertilizer is not warranted in this instance but following some sort of fertilizing regime for your containerized maples IS necessary. Do you have some sort of program established?

And I am not the best at ID'ing various maple seedlings other than JM's but I'd guess the first to be a Norway (European) maple, Acer platanoides, and the last to be a hedge maple, Acer campestre. I have no idea about the middle suspect.......possibly Acer negundo?

Thanks for the message Gardengal..

Thus far I really have had no established programme in place with regards to the Holistic care of these even though most of the Trees have now been repotted into the a healthier potting Medium with the Bark Fines.I have been slightly random on occasions attending to the Trees needs

When I first started with these Containerized Japanese Maples I was just planting the Trees in ordinary Compost which I dare say has cost me a few of them.

I guess I am still a little frightened about overwatering the Trees.I have been watering the Containers Moderately every other day.

I still have a few Trees to put into a better potting mix.I know you have mentioned on previous posts that you have done this at various times of the season without any problems.Would you suggest as a favoured time for myself here in the UK.Also how tightly would you pack in the Medium.I have been putting Some medium at the bottom of the container then Centralizing the tree onto that mix until the root flare is alighed with the top of the pot.Then simply trowelling in the rest of the potting medium aroung the rootball to secure the Tree in its Container

I still haven't acquired any of the Osmocote you recommend as an Excellent product for Fertilizing.Are there any other suitable Fertilizers suitable for these containers.

Are pellets preferred over Liquids when it comes to Fertilizers

Finally,with regards to the Pictures of the Japanese Maple on this Post what would you yourself do to bring it back to good health,It is the same tree you commented on a while ago when you suggested not to remove the bottom 3 branches.

I have aroung 40 Japanese Maples in Containers.Most of them look in reasonably good health.A few have died suddenly which may well be down to myself

I have 100 seedlings in individual pots now and most are looking healthy.

There are a few Norways & a few Sycamore Maples,(Around 20%) that seem to have got mixed in with the whole gathering of seedlings.(Please see a recent picture of them on a recent post,6th June).I know most have little or no time at all for Sycamore Maples particularly with the seemingly ever present "TAR SPOT" on the Leaves during high season.I think the Norway Varieties can be quite pleasant in appearance.

Happy Gardening

Stephen,Cheshire.UK

Stephen, I can only report what I do :-) Although our climates are pretty similar, I'm sure we get somewhat hotter in summer and that is also our dry period as well.....often extremely dry.

1) You have already come to realize that a durable and very barky potting mix is best. Ideally, the best time to repot or up-pot is in late winter when the tree is fully dormant. And this timing is rather critical if any root pruning is required. But if I am just potting up from a nursery container to one of my own in a larger size, I do it whenever ;-)

2) Your planting techniques sound fine. I don't pack the soil in too tightly but I do firm it in place. If not firm in the container, it can compact and the tree can sink.

3) I only water around once every 5 days or so unless the weather is very hot and dry. Then I move that up to every third day, sometimes every second day but only if we are having extreme weather. And most of my containers are quite large, so that reduces the need to water more often. I water until the water flows freely out the drainage holes.

4) I use the Osmocote (but any controlled release fertilizer will work) when I pot the trees up initially and again at the beginning of each season. I also provide some dilute liquid fertilizer every now and again as it has lots of the trace elements Osmocote and other ferts lack. I don't think it makes much difference what exact product you use other than to avoid any dry organics - they are just not very efficient with any kind of container soil. Liquids or water soluble ferts are the easiest to mix and use but will need to be applied a lot more often than the CRFs.

Finally, your little tree with the spotted leaves is not exactly in bad health. It may just need a bit more TLC and to approach its care with more consistency with regards to watering. I can say I have been quite brutal with mine at times when my life gets too busy but they all spring back well from any temporary mistreatment. Growing JM's in containers to their optimum potential takes a dedication that I am not always able to provide but most seem thrive in spite of it :-) Right now I have one that should have been potted up a couple of seasons ago - it is in too small a container for its size and I am sure it is rootbound as it is putting out really no new growth but otherwise leafed out well. I just water it a bit more frequently to make up for all the roots filling the container and it is at the top of my list for root pruning and transplanting this winter!

Thanks for that Gardengal

Should the water always run freely out of the base after watering ?

Is this an indication that both the potting mix is correct and the watering process has been sufficient ?

All the best

Stephen

Yes and yes!! :-))