On Thu, 3 Apr 2003 16:15:29 -0500, Requester wrote:

ok the tree i thought was dying now seems to be better because the =
leaves are getting bigger. the bottomleaves did shrivel then fell off =
but the rest seems fine and getting bigger. my second jpmaple that was =
doing well isnt growing as fast as the one i thought was dying. in fact =
now some of its leaves are shrivling. i water them regulary. is this =
normal for these trees?

You may be simply overanalyzing a bit. Different plants, even of the
same species, normally leaf out at different times and rates. Some
ideas come to mind for possible problems though.

You say you water regularly. Are you sure you are not watering too
much? Roots need a drying period btween waterings to take in oxygen.
The best strategy is to water slowly and deeply, less often rather
than more (perhaps once a week or less). Without seeing your soil,
it's impossible to tell how often is ideal. Before adding more water,
stick your finger inthe soil or dig down a few inches with a small
trowel and see if the soil is dry. If it isn't, wait to water. Next
time you water, make sure you let it soak in deep (at least 6 inches)
and wait a little longer before watering again.

A corollary to this is that the base of the tree needs to be exposed
to air. If one tree is planted more deeply than the others, it will
likely perform more poorly. You should be able to see the trunk
flares at the soil surface. If it looks like a telephone pole going
straight into the ground, you need to pull back the soil, mulch, or
whatever else may be covering it. If it is extremely deep, you may do
well to dig it up and replant a bit higher. Too high is better than
too low.

A third possibility is overfertilization. If you put a lot of
fertilizer on the soil, it can become overly salty and actually pull
water from the roots. Unless you have a soil test that identifies a
deficiency, don't fertilize anymore. If you fertilize the grass with
a "weed-n-feed" type product, the herbicide in the fertilzer may be
harming the trees. Don't use these types of fertilzers at all.

A final thought is that Japanese Maples are generally understory
trees. If they are in full sun, they may be geting sunburned. That
will vary depending on the specific variety of maple you have, though.
Some can tolerate a lot of sun, while others can't take much at all.

good luck,

Keith
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html

Japanese maples, like azaleas need to be planted on raised mounds if they are not
planted in an area with sharp drainage or on a slope. they are very shallow rooted
and need to be watered frequently ... mine are in pots and they are watered every day
in really hot weather. Ingrid


The best strategy is to water slowly and deeply, less often rather
than more (perhaps once a week or less).


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On Fri, 04 Apr 2003 13:47:21 GMT, wrote:

Japanese maples, like azaleas need to be planted on raised mounds if they are not
planted in an area with sharp drainage or on a slope. they are very shallow rooted
and need to be watered frequently ... mine are in pots and they are watered every day
in really hot weather. Ingrid


The best strategy is to water slowly and deeply, less often rather
than more (perhaps once a week or less).

Well, ok, i'm not a Japanese maple expert (they don't like Austin's
alkaline soil). I was providing more general watering guidelines.
But certainly potted plants have to be on a different watering
schedule than those planted in the ground. Still, if these trees are
getting drenched daily and are planted in clay, they may be getting
overwatered.

k
For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.
For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www2.champaign.isa-arbor.com/.../consumer.html