Some more info is needed to give a us a better idea. Was the tree
recently planted? How is the weather? How often are you watering it
and for how long? Did the drying up of the leaves happen quickly, like
almost overnight, or slowly over a period of days?

Japanese maples need a bit of shade in the southern climates but I'm
quite sure in Michigan they'd be okay in full sun or southern/western
exposure depending on the cultivar. I've seen many maples in full sun
on a recent trip to Long Island, NY.

The main causes of maple leaves/branches dying on us are under or over
watering, or a period of really hot dry winds. Here in So. Cal. we can
get hot, dry desert winds called Santa Ana winds. Our maples can look
just fine one day and the next day the winds can dessicate the leaves
a little or a lot.

Layne

On Sun, 11 Jun 2006 13:15:04 GMT, "R. Kannan"
wrote:

Hi,

I seem to have problems with a Japanese maple on the partly shady southern
side of my house. I live in Michigan. It seems to have very few leaves and
the branches that look very dry. Can I use an acid fertilizer for Japanese
maple though it is not listed on the bag?

TIA for any advice.