On Wed, 8 Apr 2009 16:58:34 +0100, geoff1132204
wrote:


Hi all,

I am a VERY inexperienced gardener, in fact, it would be safe to say,
my hands have never planted a bulb! The extent of my endeavors has been
to drag the mower back and forth occasionally when the missus gets her
gardening head on (shes the green fingered one). Last year we moved
into our new house, and there was a very pretty little tree in our
garden, about 2-3 foot high, that had bright red leaves. I was told, by
someone who supposedly knows their stuff, that this was a young maple.

I seem to remember that it grew these pretty red leaves very early in
the year, but that could just be my poor memory. The thing is, this
year, there is nothing at all so far. I cant even see what look like
the beginnings of leaves, or buds.

In fact, the whole tree looks rather dead to my very ungreen eyes, and
my missus is all for yanking it up. I'd like to give it a chance yet.

What time of year should maples start to show their leaves? and how can
I tell if this tree has died? If it has, I want to replace it with
exactly the same before too much more time passes.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks....
G


If most of maple trees have leafed out and your maple has not, changes
are good that it is indeed dead. To see if a young branch is dead
scrape the bark with your fingernail--if you do not see any green
under the bark, the branch is dead.