On 09/05/2011 12:38, Charlie Pridham wrote:

"sbonline" wrote in message
...

Hi everyone,

I am a major novice gardener, so I could really use some assistance with
a problem I am having at the moment.

I have an Acer in my garden - about 6 years old and 8ft tall (i dont
know the breed, but it is more of an "upwards" grower thank an
"outwards" grower).

Anyway, for the last 6 years I have been thrilled with the amount it has
grown and every year it has shown an abundance of red and orange
coloured leaves.

However, this year the buds appeared in April and have not moved since.
It still looks the same as in winter. I have had a look at a few
different bits of advice online and thought I would complete a "scrape"
test, which came up with some interesting results.

At the bottom of the tree is one main "trunk" which forks about 3in out
of the ground into 3 trunks. I have done the scrape test in several
places and the trunk is still alive, however 2 of the forks look dead.
The other fork is fine until about 3ft from the top where this too looks
dead.

I have very few plants and trees that return year on year in my garden,
and this was a particular favourite of mine that I would be gutted to
lose, so any advice or assistance would be much appreciated.

Sorry if I am using the wrong terminology, but I am desperate for some
help!

Many thanks,

Steph

I too have a badly damaged Acer (Crimson King), 30 years old.

Although hardy trees, I think they may have been caught this year by
that early cold before they had lost their leaves and gone properly
dormant, I don't think its disease as I am hearing to many stories like
yours for it to be just a coincidence.

I have lost one completely and had another with a growth check. It is
telling that the latter was in the warmest part of the garden. The one I
lost was sheltered from the wind but in a position where cold air could
pool on the coldest still nights. I suspect cold damage.

In my case I notice at the base of each dead stem are a cluster of new
shoots so I would not give up hope just yet

I think they got zapped by the November hard freeze. Looks like it has
also done for my fig tree which is showing no signs of breaking buds.

For the OP I would be tempted to leave it a bit longer before consigning
it to the dustbin. It might be a fungal disease but I would guess at
frost damage being the root cause.

Regards,
Martin Brown