Help! I'm trying to save a Japanese Maple from dying!

3 years ago

I saved a mature Japanese Maple from a construction sight and was going to take a trip to the dump the next day. It had been uprooted (appears more like torn out)of the ground the day prior, laid on its side and what was left of the roots exposed to the unusually warm, for this time of year, heat(70-ish F) Inimmediately asked the foremanif incould take it home and try to save it and he did not have a problem with it.. I immed. stood it and braced it upright and covered what I could of the roots. then watered it. After work loaded it in the back of my truck with as much soil and mulch because it was there in a pile and easily loaded, as I could , watered it and wrapped the roots in plastic, covered the rest of it with a light tarp to protect it and slowly made my way home. Now what?! I need to find a place for it, I cant dig a hole tonight it is too late . what do I do for the next couple days while I prepare a spot? will it recover? Was it worth the time spent and trouble getting it loaded and home? Well to me it was, I love trees and I can say I tried! Please help, any information and suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
There is not much you can do at this point other than to get it into the ground ASAP and hope for the best. Keep out of direct sun, keep the roots protected and moist. Don't overwater.

Japanese maples are tougher trees than many imagine, but this one has the odds stacked against it - wrong time of year, indelicate removal from the ground, roots exposed to air and drying and a delayed replant..........I'd give it maybe a 50-50 chance.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
how about a pic ... dont be surprised if it drops all the leaves.. if it doesnt.. you are winning ...

no sun until it grows some new roots ... did you properly prune any broken roots ...

the key here.. is you are trying.. win or lose.. you will learn something ... so relish the challenge.. but dont set your hopes too high ...

below is a general planting guide for trees .. if its small enough.. a pot might be best until fall ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
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its fall in my MI ... one on my JMs looks worse than that.. lol ... it will come back next spring.. at best... i would not expect much more now .... and actually ... i would prefer .... it not releaf this late in the year ... i probably would have put it another 2 or 3 feet from the house... you have given it no room for future growth ... [i am being an optimist ... lol ] you made the right decision on replanting .. and i presume you followed teh guide ... now all you have to decide.. is if you want to do it one more time.. lol .. all it needs.. is proper water.. its not hungry.. its stressed ... i wish you luck.. let us know how it works out ... ken ps: the best time to plant trees... is usually right after they lose their leaves ... its root growing season.. and its so much less stressful w/o the leaves ... just water properly ... so it really doesnt matter if you tree doesnt have leaves.. in fall ..
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The sunken area at the base appears to be to be canker. Had to remove a Ukigumo JM earlier in the season for this very reason. I have seen allot of this over the last few years. Have seen allot of it on crabapples, Japanese Maples, and other maples. Plants sometimes beat the pathogen, sometimes not. If they are going to beat it, then expect to see callus to form around the edges of the sunken area. Even if the callus forms, it is far from certain. Once the tree goes dormant for the winter, the canker will often gain the upper hand again. However if the callus does not form by end of summer, then from what I have seen, it's almost certainly a matter of time before the tree is killed. As for how your plant became infected, I suspect that a number of low cost and/or large scale producers have gotten very careless over the last 5-10 years. There has been allot of apparent disease increase in allot of other plant groups as well over the same period (Aster Yellows seems to be everywhere anymore, to the point it's getting rather difficult to get disease free coneflowers, saw this Saturday at the largest local nursery). I'm sure part of it is due to producers having a difficult time the last several years, therefore cutting corners, poor training, poor enforcement, less responsible labor, etc. But also Big Box Store has little incentive, as they know Q Public is unlikely to know anything about disease and will be back again next year to buy another one. Arktrees
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First, mole are not the problem - they are carnivores and don't eat plants. There is a possibility of some other sort creature that might have fed on the roots (voles?) but can't confirm with the photos provided. Regardless, the tree now has a very compromised root system and will need some serious TLC if to survive. You have two types of JM showing based on both red and green branches. Green is most likely the root stock (straight Acer palmatum) and the red is the grafted top portion, which I assume to be a red laceleaf by the shape/habit of the tree from the first photo. So no need to graft any of the green further down - that's already what it is and will very likely sprout some latent shoots all on its own. All I would suggest for the time being is keep it out of direct sunlight, water as needed and just keep a close eye on it. No more fertilizing!! One should never fertilize a stressed tree and it is doubtful the Happy Frog is of much value in a container situation anyway (dry organic ferts are not very effective in a container - only with inground plantings). You can use any water soluble or liquid fertilizer you prefer but wait until at least midseason when the tree has stabilized a bit from the transplant shock and root disruption.
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Marlo Lauritzen-Garcia
Original Author
3 years ago
thanks for the comments, I have it in the ground after properly pruning off dead and broken branches. I had thought of putting it in a pot temp, but no way! too large for anything, I barely had room in the back of my truck for the roots and i dont want to remove anymore than are already gone from being torn out of the ground. i will post a pic and update as soon as i can, thanks!
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
3 years ago
Be thinking about how you can rig up some shade for it- sheets, stakes, and clothespins work really well in a pinch.

I have moved JMs in the heat of July and had them do well as long as I shade them for a few weeks. Of course mine weren't rudely ripped out but still- shade helps.

Remember to water deeply- this is not a walk by with a hose but a hose on a slow trickle left to lie there for 30 minutes or so. Make sure the water is actually penetrating and not merely running off.

Help! I'm trying to save a Japanese Maple from dying!

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Marlo Lauritzen-Garcia
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cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)

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Help! I'm trying to save a Japanese Maple from dying!

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Marlo Lauritzen-GarciaOriginal Author

cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)

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Marlo Lauritzen-Garcia
Original Author