New Japanese Maple leaf issue

[Jason Crump]

I got this tree for $30 knowing I would have to nurse it back to health. The tree is completely root bound and it has trouble taking water. Is the leaf issue likely caused by the root/soil issues or is there something else going on. I plan on planting this in garden this weekend if there are no reasons not to.

Bonus question:. Any idea on what variety this tree is?

 

[sorce]

That's a base worth nursing!

Sorce

 

[discusmike]

Possibly coral bark.

 

[discusmike]

I would treat with fungacide if you havent already and check for mites,make sure your not overwatering,that nursery soil more then likely will retain alot of moisture for prolonged periods,which could lead to a chain reaction of problems.

 

[Eric Group]

I got this tree for $30 knowing I would have to nurse it back to health. The tree is completely root bound and it has trouble taking water. Is the leaf issue likely caused by the root/soil issues or is there something else going on. I plan on planting this in garden this weekend if there are no reasons not to.

Bonus question:. Any idea on what variety this tree is?

Well... if it is horribly root bound I would work the roots loose before planting it.
From the punt gallery: "work the roots after the leaves have come out!?! Gassssppppsss!! Oh the horror!"-old lady faints-
Yeah. Work em.
I work on Maples all through the growing season, even in the Fall in my climate and they are fine if well cared for.

Hit it with a good triple action insecticide/ fungicide/ Miticide... general purpose spray to be safe, but you need to get some air in those roots. If you take a bricked up root ball and slap it in a hole with a bunch of loose dirt around it, the water will just run down the sides and the tree won't get any of it, eventually drying and dyin.

If you have hard clay soil, the tree will probably grow better in a pot. Bumping up to a larger nursery pot with good potting soil (YES, POTTING SOIL. IT IS A MYTH THAT POTTING SOIL LEADS TO ROOT ROT AND PROBLEMS. 100% MYTH- damnit... somebody pick that old lady up!) would be a better solution especially for the next 3-5 years or so, which Most people don't have the patience to wait beyond anyway...

If you do go ahead and work on this one this weekend, reduce the foliage on top a bit to reduce stress, don't necessarily get in there and REMOVE a bunch of roots, just work a chopstick or root manipulation device (what ever you use- a hook, root rake, knitting needle...) into the mass of roots, free them up and integrate new dirt when repotting/ planting outside.

Personally... I am a crazy Mfer... I would chop it to those lowest leaves close to the base, make about a million cuttings from the top part, work the roots down to a 6" circle and THEN plant it... but like I said... I am crazy! And YES, (again for the pnut gallery) I have done that exact type of work this time of year multiple times with great success. Granted, that was with at least moderately healthy trees, which this one may not be... hard to tell from the pics if it is a struggling to cling to life tree or one that just has a few scorched leaves... that would be a call you have to make. If you are concerned for it's health, then do what I said above- light prune, tease the roots (you roots are naughty, and you smell funny and your momma dresses you weird)...

Good luck!

 

[ConorDash]

I've not got extensive experience but I have been around the block when it comes to an unhealthy Japanese Maple..
That doesn't look like a common watering/sun issue.. it's something else.

As others suggested, fungicide, insecticide..
Depending on your definition of pot bound, (perhaps some pics? Lifted out of the pot, should come out fairly easy if pot bound) if it's an extreme scenario, like you suggest, I'd go for it, anytime of year. I'm not sure you can afford to wait till autumn or spring.

Is this issue happening on all leaves? The new ones or old ones? Is it on many or just a few? How long has it had this issue? Is it in full sun and if so, what's the weather been like? Are you watering too much, do you think? Too little?

Some stuff to think about.

 

[0soyoung]

It could be anthracnose. Regardless, SOP is to remove the affected leaves and spray fungicide.

I like using a peroxide solution, but good ole Daconyl (sold under many brand names - check the label) will likely nuke it.

If the problem reappears, avoid spraying the foliage when you water and invoke the SOP.

 

[milehigh_7]

It could be anthracnose. Regardless, SOP is to remove the affected leaves and spray fungicide.

I like using a peroxide solution, but good ole Daconyl (sold under many brand names - check the label) will likely nuke it.

If the problem reappears, avoid spraying the foliage when you water and invoke the SOP.

When you say using peroxide solution, what is your recommended dilution?

 

[0soyoung]

When you say using peroxide solution, what is your recommended dilution?

He asked rhetorically?

2 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide in one quart of water.

Hydrogen peroxide is a decent antiseptic - kills fungi and bacteria.

 

[Jason Crump]

Well... if it is horribly root bound I would work the roots loose before planting it.
From the punt gallery: "work the roots after the leaves have come out!?! Gassssppppsss!! Oh the horror!"-old lady faints-
Yeah. Work em.
I work on Maples all through the growing season, even in the Fall in my climate and they are fine if well cared for.

Hit it with a good triple action insecticide/ fungicide/ Miticide... general purpose spray to be safe, but you need to get some air in those roots. If you take a bricked up root ball and slap it in a hole with a bunch of loose dirt around it, the water will just run down the sides and the tree won't get any of it, eventually drying and dyin.

If you have hard clay soil, the tree will probably grow better in a pot. Bumping up to a larger nursery pot with good potting soil (YES, POTTING SOIL. IT IS A MYTH THAT POTTING SOIL LEADS TO ROOT ROT AND PROBLEMS. 100% MYTH- damnit... somebody pick that old lady up!) would be a better solution especially for the next 3-5 years or so, which Most people don't have the patience to wait beyond anyway...

If you do go ahead and work on this one this weekend, reduce the foliage on top a bit to reduce stress, don't necessarily get in there and REMOVE a bunch of roots, just work a chopstick or root manipulation device (what ever you use- a hook, root rake, knitting needle...) into the mass of roots, free them up and integrate new dirt when repotting/ planting outside.

Personally... I am a crazy Mfer... I would chop it to those lowest leaves close to the base, make about a million cuttings from the top part, work the roots down to a 6" circle and THEN plant it... but like I said... I am crazy! And YES, (again for the pnut gallery) I have done that exact type of work this time of year multiple times with great success. Granted, that was with at least moderately healthy trees, which this one may not be... hard to tell from the pics if it is a struggling to cling to life tree or one that just has a few scorched leaves... that would be a call you have to make. If you are concerned for it's health, then do what I said above- light prune, tease the roots (you roots are naughty, and you smell funny and your momma dresses you weird)...

Good luck!

Seems to be a consensus on what to do for the most part . I'm going to plant in the ground, I've got a spot with good soil. I ordered a 3 in 1 that will be here tomorrow. I'd be afraid to go to drastic on Ross but I will do some work.

 

[milehigh_7]

He asked rhetorically?

2 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide in one quart of water.

Hydrogen peroxide is a decent antiseptic - kills fungi and bacteria.

I love the stuff... At 5:1 (3%) you can use it to kill Fungus Gnat larvae. Plants don't miss a beat as long as you don't do it real often at that strength. It also gives a real nice boost to soil oxygenation.

 

[Jason Crump]

It could be anthracnose. Regardless, SOP is to remove the affected leaves and spray fungicide.

I like using a peroxide solution, but good ole Daconyl (sold under many brand names - check the label) will likely nuke it.

If the problem reappears, avoid spraying the foliage when you water and invoke the SOP.

You think there will be issues with defoliating 80% of the tree right now? The leaves up top are all bad, just the ones down below look good.

 

[0soyoung]

You think there will be issues with defoliating 80% of the tree right now? The leaves up top are all bad, just the ones down below look good.

Nope.

This is about prime defoliation/cut-back time. Cutting back branches to have only a leaf pair or two petioles will stimulate back budding. It could be 6 to 8 weeks until the new foliage is out, so I don't fault your reluctance to do it (if you are at all) - limit the pruning to just the upper branches and top of the tree, in that case as this will also help move the tree toward your bonsai objective, IMHO.

BTW, I try to NOT completely defoliate any one branch. Complete defoliation heavily taxes a. palmatums. I prefer to keep a leaf pair (actually it is a node with at least one leaf) on every branch if at all possible.

 

[AlainK]

invoke the SOP.

School Of Psychology? Son Of Perdition? Seat Of Pants?...



I second what Eric Group wrote: as long as you keep it in the shades and in a humid environnment (for instance in a mini-greenhouse of some sort), you can work on the roots of a maple in June, or even later. But I wouldn't defoliate it, the tree needs the leaves for photosynthesis. They will probably droop, but straighten up after a couple of days.

 

[M. Frary]

I am a crazy Mfer..

Me too.

 

[Cadillactaste]

If you suspect issues...the tree should be quarentined from your healthy trees as a precaution. Notice it looks to be along the rest on the bench.

 

[0soyoung]

But I wouldn't defoliate it, the tree needs the leaves for photosynthesis. They will probably droop, but straighten up after a couple of days.

Seat Of Pants, that's good (and accurate for that matter).

 

[0soyoung]

I second what Eric Group wrote: as long as you keep it in the shades and in a humid environnment (for instance in a mini-greenhouse of some sort), you can work on the roots of a maple in June, or even later. But I wouldn't defoliate it, the tree needs the leaves for photosynthesis. They will probably droop, but straighten up after a couple of days.

Okay, my response was incomplete.

I would simply 'up-pot' it - knock the present plastic pot off, loosen the roots from the surface of the 'ball' and put it into a slightly larger pot, back filling with similar potting soil (or mix small/medium bark with dirt). This can be done anytime and has only temporarily has a very small negative effect, if any. The roots then have room to grow, just be sure the tree is stable in the pot (just as one must be concerned about stability were it planted in the ground - movement of the old ball will tear fine roots on its surface). Pretty much the same as Eric said.

Now, my thinking is that the tree could spare those ugly upper leaves that could have a serious fungal infection. If it is just some cosmetic damage, instead, they aren't very productive leaves anyway. So, I think one more quickly gets a healthy tree by getting rid of those possibly infected leaves and spraying an anti-fungal (the tree would still have some unaffected, photosynthetically productive leaves).

 

[AlainK]

Now, my thinking is that the tree could spare those ugly upper leaves that could have a serious fungal infection. If it is just some cosmetic damage, instead, they aren't very productive leaves anyway. So, I think one more quickly gets a healthy tree by getting rid of those possibly infected leaves and spraying an anti-fungal (the tree would still have some unaffected, photosynthetically productive leaves)

Of course. What I meant by "don't defoliate it" was "don't remove all the leaves".

 

[0soyoung]

What I meant by "don't defoliate it" was "don't remove all the leaves".

Well, I regret misunderstanding you. We agree.