Dead maples :(

[GrmReaper327]

I purchased a couple of Japanese maples from a nursery last summer, I keep them outside even during winter but on a porch so they would see any harsh conditions. It's spring time now where I am and my maples don't seem to be showing any kind of life or change.

Both were originally potted together, I decided to repot them into different containers and use new bonsai soil I bought with them (mixture of gravel, soil and some wood chips). The larger of the two was clearly soaking up all the nutrients because it had grown longer roots that stretched across to the smaller plant that only had very small roots developed.

So I guess my question is, is there any hope for my tiny maples, and if so how should I go about bringing them back to life?

 

[Dav4]

Hard to say, but time will tell. Put them somewhere where they get some sun exposure and keep the soil moist but not sodden. Fwiw, Japanese maples are completely cold hardy in Philly and don't need much winter protection other then mulching the pot. I suspect keeping them on a porch wasn't necessary and may have contributed to the problems you're experiencing. Good luck

 

[whfarro]

Post some pictures.
Did they bud or leaf out at all?
Scratch the bark if it's green might be ok, if it's brown they're gone.

My guess is doing a repot in summer is what did it. Maples and other deciduous trees are typically potted/repotted in early spring before buds start to leaf out.

 

[GrmReaper327]

Post some pictures.
Did they bud or leaf out at all?
Scratch the bark if it's green might be ok, if it's brown they're gone.

My guess is doing a repot in summer is what did it. Maples and other deciduous trees are typically potted/repotted in early spring before buds start to leaf out.

I will post some pictures first thing in the morning, and also check the bark. As for budding I thought I saw some buds forming but I didn't see any changes in them over the past month. And I left them in their pot together over summer through winter, I just repotted them the start of this spring. Currently they have a green/brownish/redish color.

 

[whfarro]

Did you water them over the winter?

 

[GrmReaper327]

Did you water them over the winter?

Yes but not as often as I would during spring/summer.

 

[GrmReaper327]

This is the smaller one that I was originally worried about.

 

[GrmReaper327]

This is the larger one of the two, I wired it near the start of winter after all its leaves fell.

The first picture of each is just an overall shot. The second picture is close up of what I thought was buds forming but havnt made any progress. And the third is a close up of the scratched bark on each. I didn't scratch too deep. And they both seem to go from red at the top and start to turn a green/brown towards the bottom.

 

[sorce]

In your future......

You might be happier if they did die!

I might just go kill one of mine for you!

Sorce

 

[GrmReaper327]

In your future......

You might be happier if they did die!

I might just go kill one of mine for you!

Sorce

Are they difficult to take care of?

 

[sorce]

Are they difficult to take care of?

No....
So easy in fact....

You will eventually realize you could have whacked down a big honker in the woods somewhere and gotten 30 years of your life back!

Sorce

 

[Dav4]

They look alive but dormant...give them time, and don't fuss over them...that'll kill them for sure.

 

[Nybonsai12]

They look alive but dormant...give them time, and don't fuss over them...that'll kill them for sure.

This.