On 12/8/04 8:08 pm, in article , "Seb
Flyte" wrote:

Last May (2003) my daughter bought me a beautiful Acer with the above label,
about 1m high. I transferred to a big pot (40 cm diameter at the top and 40
cm high) filled with a mixture of commercial compost, homemade compost and
loam soil. I put it in a sheltered spot with no direct sunlight. Despite
regular watering and feeding its leaves shrivelled and fell by mid-August.
As you remember 2003 was our Mediterranean summer in SE England and I feared
it was dead. But thankfully it came back. This year the same problem has
re-emerged , that is leaf shrivelling in July and leaf-fall now. There is no
sign of the wonderful autumn colour mentioned in the literature and I wonder
if this is the variety is not true. The initial leaves were red, turned to
green in the centre and remained that way until starting to shrivel by end
July. I have watered really a lot and it is out of direct sunlight.
What is happening? I have had shrubs faring poorly in pots and then thriving
when planted out. This would be next thing to try. But it isn't very
scientific. I really want this plant to do well and remind me of my lovely
daughter for the rest of my natural. Any help would be gratefully accepted.


I think you've answered your own question. "I've watered really a lot". Of
all trees, these seem to be the trickiest for most people to deal with.
Water it only when it is almost bone dry, let it drain well (raise the pot
from the ground) and again, water only when nearly dried out. Keep it out
of the path of any wind and then, basically, leave it alone. I don't know
where you live or in what conditions but I would guess that you could get
away with watering it only once or twice a week and not at all in winter
unless we have a very prolonged dry spell. Wet feet and wet cold feet and
wind are its great enemies.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)