Japanese Maple (HELP)

CarpenterDiaz7

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Hello all, very new here and Bonsai. So I purchased a JM from a Facebook bonsái member group, I live in New England and the seller lives in Chicago. So the tree was shipped and it was barely budding, when I got it it leafed out. So I placed it outside and inside my garage at night. I watered it yesterday morning and left it a couple of hours inside my house, then I brought it out.

problem is yesterdays high was 34°, at night it was 15° but inside my a garage, this morning all the leaves were really weak! I put it back outside for some sun, todays high was 37° but it barely made it to that, I just put it back inside my garage for the afternoon/night, but it’s super weak!

did my tree get confused by the shipping container/weather it experienced then got shocked when I placed it outside here, although it was 54° two days ago here…

what i can do now to remedy the situation? What is my tree telling me?
I really thank you all in advance!!!
 

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0soyoung

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Looks like possible root troubles.
Do I presume correctly that there is a hole in the bottom of the pot with a piece of screen across it? When you watered, water ran out through it?

Regardless, I suggest that you wrap a towel or something around the trunk, covering the substrate. Then tip the pot over on edge for a little while (if it isn't obvious, the towel or whatever is to keep the substrate from falling out). Then put things back a they normally are. This will drain excess water from the pot, so it will no longer be a possible issue. Give it a day or two before doing anything further. New stems and leaves should 'perk up'.


Otherwise, your keeping in the garage when freezing temperatures are anticipated is the right thing to do.

Lastly, cold roots are not particularly efficient. It could all be due to them being too cold to keep the growth extension stoked, in which case, the solution is humidity (not found inside a heated home) to prevent desiccation, and indirect sunlight.
 
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sorce

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Was it in shipping for weeks?

Welcome to Crazy!
Sorry we missed the kumquat thread.

Seems like a lotta growth for in a box.

Leaves are "born" for the light they receive, if that's box grown foliage, good luck getting it to survive what's going on.

Do you know how it was kept here?

It's telling you to try to never ship a tree again, and if you must, do it dead winter.

Sorce
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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Looks like possible root troubles.
Do I presume correctly that there is a hole in the bottom of the pot with a piece of screen across it? When you watered, water ran out through it?

Regardless, I suggest that you wrap a towel or something around the trunk, covering the substrate. Then tip the pot over on edge for a little while (if it isn't obvious, the towel or whatever is to keep the substrate from falling out). Then put things back a they normally are. This will drain excess water from the pot, so it will no longer be a possible issue. Give it a day or two before doing anything further. New stems and leaves should 'perk up'.


Otherwise, your keeping in the garage when freezing temperatures are anticipated is the right thing to do.

Lastly, cold roots are not particularly efficient. It could all be due to them being too cold to keep the growth extension stoked, in which case, the solution is humidity (not found inside a heated home) to prevent desiccation, and indirect sunlight.
Yes screen at the bottom, I wrapped the pot in some sweaters last night inside the garage, today I will try that method, but it’s possible if there’s water in there that it’s frozen at the time… would bringing it inside my house for a couple days help at all? Todays high is 50°, and tomorrow 60° but rain all day tomorrow, it’s still in the garage waiting for temps to hit 35°+ to bring it outside.

i am trying to save my favorite species and first JM that I own. Thanks for your help!
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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Was it in shipping for weeks?

Welcome to Crazy!
Sorry we missed the kumquat thread.

Seems like a lotta growth for in a box.

Leaves are "born" for the light they receive, if that's box grown foliage, good luck getting it to survive what's going on.

Do you know how it was kept here?

It's telling you to try to never ship a tree again, and if you must, do it dead winter.

Sorce
No it shipped and got to me in 5 days, and it was tied down wrapped up with paper towels to keep the moisture on the soil. I’m willing I can save this tree…
 

rockm

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The foliage is showing frost damage. The leaves are damaged and may recover partially with dead edges, you may lose some of them entirely. Not critical, as if you protect the tree now, new leaves will likely begin to emerge.

I'd quit trying to accommodate it in the garage and outside at this point. Bring it in the house until freeze and frost danger goes away. I would try to get it outside WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 38 or so, then back INSIDE THE HOUSE if a nightime freeze is forecast. Also frost can occur at night even when temps are as high as 40. Frost damages leaves. So when a forecast is 35 or below, BRING THE TREE INSIDE THE HOUSE.
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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The foliage is showing frost damage. The leaves are damaged and may recover partially with dead edges, you may lose some of them entirely. Not critical, as if you protect the tree now, new leaves will likely begin to emerge.

I'd quit trying to accommodate it in the garage and outside at this point. Bring it in the house until freeze and frost danger goes away. I would try to get it outside WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE 38 or so, then back INSIDE THE HOUSE if a nightime freeze is forecast. Also frost can occur at night even when temps are as high as 40. Frost damages leaves. So when a forecast is 35 or below, BRING THE TREE INSIDE THE HOUSE.
Appreciate your answer! Some people have told me not to do that, bring it inside the house. I did just that before reading your message, I stated to take away the top layer of soil to look at the roots, I’m really willing I can save this one!
So what would you do? This is my head talking to me, being it outside during the sun hours then back inside my house in the afternoon till the morning and back outside again… my house temps are always 68°-70°… would this be okay? Or just leave it inside on a sunny window till frost dangers are gone? I know next winter will def be different since it be shipped anywhere! TÍA!
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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Pics from this morning
 

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rockm

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Appreciate your answer! Some people have told me not to do that, bring it inside the house. I did just that before reading your message, I stated to take away the top layer of soil to look at the roots, I’m really willing I can save this one!
So what would you do? This is my head talking to me, being it outside during the sun hours then back inside my house in the afternoon till the morning and back outside again… my house temps are always 68°-70°… would this be okay? Or just leave it inside on a sunny window till frost dangers are gone? I know next winter will def be different since it be shipped anywhere! TÍA!
If it's above 40 outside, take the tree outside. Bring it back it back in if temps are forecast to go below 35 at night (or daytime). At this point, spring is right around the corner. This is a short-term fix that should only be a few days at maximum (this all depends on where you are--fill in your location info in your profile--that helps tremendously with advice).
 

rockm

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those leaves are toast. They will not recover. If the roots didn't get frozen, the tree will likely push a set of new leaves in a couple of weeks. That will weaken it considerably however. I wouldn't do ANYTHING to this tree this year, other than make sure its watered fertilized and well kept. It will need this spring and summer to recover.
 

coltranem

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I think you have received some good advice for waiting it out, keeping it above 40 F and seeing how it grows. It doesn't hurt to think positively and consider how you will winter it next winter. Are you saying the garage gets down to 15F?
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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I think you have received some good advice for waiting it out, keeping it above 40 F and seeing how it grows. It doesn't hurt to think positively and consider how you will winter it next winter. Are you saying the garage gets down to 15F?
No the garage is fairly warmer than outside even during freezing numerous days, but yes you’re right and I am applying the wisdom here, I am very optimistic and since bringing it inside I can see another bud growing or just me losing it lol, but what I see was not there this morning at 7am. Thank you all for your help! I’ll keep updating this thread for progress.

currently:
 

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Ugo

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Hi!

I also tend to think about frost damage.
I do have one question, the first image posted.. is it a picture of the tree before being sent out to you?
If so the buds were already bursting...
If this tree come from Chicago it was for sure weaken up early maybe 1-2 weeks ago from a mind winter above 0deg so it was obviously in a greenhouse.
If you put that tree outside under the sun, wind and cold the leaves can't survive.
To put you in situation from your zone the trees would start swelling buds about now and that is if you would have taken out a cold shelter early going in your garage as a transition point under growing lights to gain a few weeks of growth.

You've learned something important, try to match a tree condition following is present state judging by the buds. If leaves are out try to protect the tree from major conditions changes and try to match the conditions accordingly.
An acer like that should have been keep under a grow light inside at a stable 40-50F until outside conditions are safe.
To help you understanding better the state a tree in your area should be in, look outside! If there is a frost and all the trees have their leaves.. the great big trees will lose some leaves but the small fruit trees can have major problem (See apples growers)

I would remove theses leaves, leaving the leafstalk, careful on watering as the tree wont utilize much water, keep it inside with minimum morning light until the temperature at night is about 40-50F
It lost a lot of energy for nothing which is too bad but you've learned something.
 

CarpenterDiaz7

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Hi!

I also tend to think about frost damage.
I do have one question, the first image posted.. is it a picture of the tree before being sent out to you?
If so the buds were already bursting...
If this tree come from Chicago it was for sure weaken up early maybe 1-2 weeks ago from a mind winter above 0deg so it was obviously in a greenhouse.
If you put that tree outside under the sun, wind and cold the leaves can't survive.
To put you in situation from your zone the trees would start swelling buds about now and that is if you would have taken out a cold shelter early going in your garage as a transition point under growing lights to gain a few weeks of growth.

You've learned something important, try to match a tree condition following is present state judging by the buds. If leaves are out try to protect the tree from major conditions changes and try to match the conditions accordingly.
An acer like that should have been keep under a grow light inside at a stable 40-50F until outside conditions are safe.
To help you understanding better the state a tree in your area should be in, look outside! If there is a frost and all the trees have their leaves.. the great big trees will lose some leaves but the small fruit trees can have major problem (See apples growers)

I would remove theses leaves, leaving the leafstalk, careful on watering as the tree wont utilize much water, keep it inside with minimum morning light until the temperature at night is about 40-50F
It lost a lot of energy for nothing which is too bad but you've learned something.
Appreciate the words very much thank you! I found some life on it after removing all the dead leaves carefully… fingers crossed!
 

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Haines' Trees

Shohin
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I live about 30 miles west of Lake Michigan; from about the second week of march into about last Thursday, we had a warmer (not considerably warmer, mind you) than normal weather, with enough rain so that we didn’t have to water a lot but not so much that the ground squished under our boots. All of my maples and many of my other deciduous had begun to leaf out before temps dropped to highs of about 30. That was last Thursday. Mine have been in the shed or garage since then and today I brought them out, but I’ll be doing the two-step on and off the next few days.

5 days in shipping would put your order date probably right around or a bit before last Thursday. Your tree 100% has been shocked in your cooler New England weather. Bad news, those leaves are gone, as the above folks have said. Good news, looks like the 10-day forecast by you up there in Salem, NH (thanks for updating your location, you witch-burner…. JK 😂)will be just warm enough to put it out and leave it out, with the exception of Saturday/Sunday night. Keep it watered and once you solidly have temps above 45 at night and there pretty much no more chance of frost, begin to *lightly* fertilize it. Emphasis on lightly. No need to blast it right away, most of what you put it runs thru the drain holes anyway. If it responds well maybe in June bump it up but don’t hit the gas too soon.

Seems like it’s at least 4 or 5 years old, maples grow relatively fast, possibly less if it’s been in the ground since it was a wee lil one. That means it should have enough energy to get itself going again, but as someone above said, don’t go messing with it this year. As willing as you are, anything beyond water and easy feeding is a bad idea.

Trust me, I know how badly you wanna get in there to “save the tree”. We have all had that feeling when we started.

And every single one of us has murdered numerous plants as well. You seem to have passion just based on your posts. If you do lose this tree (I give it 70/30 it makes next May; if it does you’re fine) don’t get discouraged. Find some books, do some research, join a club. Pretty sure if you search “New England bonsai club” in the search bar of this forum you’ll find a dozen leads.
 

namnhi

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Appreciate the words very much thank you! I found some life on it after removing all the dead leaves carefully… fingers crossed!
This is a good sign. I was afraid this is going yo be a sad story but it does look like it going to make it. Don't over water as there isn't that many leaves to transpire the water yet.
 

Drcuisine

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I have another maple?

I picked up this trident maple today and I have not seen this leaf shape before. Is it a different variety? I also have not seen the blue green glaucous moss before. Anyone recognize either of these?

4965EF8D-ABAE-43BB-9798-FE52B8639F20.jpeg425A27BA-2575-444D-92AF-009C0E4B7B21.jpegI picked this up today. Does anyone recognize this as being a different varietal of trident maple or recognize the green blue glaucous moss?
 
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