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What's eating my Acer?

philipjohngreyphilipjohngrey Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi there - I have an Acer in a pot which has done well for 3 or 4 years.  I've been through the leaf scorch problem and it's happier in its current location.  It's grown like crazy this summer, and I've kept it watered and fed.  Unfortunately something seems to be feeding on it!  I can't find anything apart from some tiny spider's web like traces, which are bright white, which might be some sort of deposit from what is doing this?  Does anyone know what is doing this?  Should I be worried and is there any remedy?  Thanks!

Posts

  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    I don't like chemicals so I would start by giving it a spray with water with a spot of washing up liquid in it. It usually washes of insect life and has worked for me. Above all, I would consider moving it into a bigger pot if you don't intend planting it in the ground.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It might be a bit of vine weevil damage on those leaf edges. They don't normally suffer much from insect damage though.
    It might be a bit of spider mite. You can give them a foliar spray occasionally which helps - seaweed is fine, but you can also just give them a good spray from a hose, to mimic rainfall. That does them a lot of good if you don't have regular rainfall. 

    If you pot it on, don't move it into too much bigger a pot, and just make sure  it has a suitable soil mix, not just compost.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    I use ericaceous compost for mine and have used their forever pot from the start. They need space and would be better off in the ground but since downsizing from  garden the size of a football pitch to one where you can barely swing a cat ( sorry cat lovers, I won't be trying it, Ellie wouldn't like it!) Pots are the only way. Mine are thriving but are in the biggest pots possible and I keep them watered. I bought a cheap Acer from tesco 5 years ago. It was in a litre pot and went straight into it's big pot. It looked a bit lost at first but has grown into it. I'm hoping that it will keep it a reasonable size by restricting the roots, like a big bonsai.
    I was tempted to put some heavy stones in the bottom of the pot to act as ballast but if you do this, you reduce the volume of compost somewhat. My pots have a water reservoir and small rollers built into the base which means that I can move them if there is wind forecast in the summer when they are in leaf, to prevent them blowing over and keeping the water reservoir full adds to the weight of the pot.
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