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OLD Acer

paul.batepaul.bate Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi I have an old acer planted in the ground. Its about 20yrs old ,never grown very high but has had  a profusion of leaves nearly every year. This year i've found a lot of dead wood with no sign of leaves or buds. What could be the problem and should I cut the dead wood off. 






Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Hi Paul and welcome to the forum.
    I think it's sadly one of those things that happens with acers on occasion.
    Die back sometimes happens if the tree has been too dry for too long.
    As it's been happy for 20 years it must be happy generally with the conditions there.
    Are there other plants competing with it for water and nutrients possibly?
    Verticillium wilt would also cause die back, but you'd normally see that as dead black bits of branch on an otherwise healthy branch (I have an acer with it)
    There may be other causes, but that's my tuppence worth


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Hi @paul.bate  a picture would help. That said I agree Acers often "self prune ", they shed branches the plant can no longer support.  Often it's branches that are congested or shaded by others.  If it's never been pruned, it may need thinning out.  
    AB Still learning

  • paul.batepaul.bate Posts: 4
    hi guys thanks for the feedback just a couple of pictures  I’ve never fed the tree but have started to this term  there’s nothing else competing with it and I’ve never primed it as I was a bit hesitant to do it  I’ll send another pic of the complete tree next  the leaves are only just starting and some have a white tinge to them  
  • paul.batepaul.bate Posts: 4
    hi Allotment guy. This is the base of the tree. I normally protect the base in the winter. I think a bit of frost has got to it this year approx dimensions are.  Height 1 metre. Width around 2/3 metres  two main branches are
    supported
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    This looks fairly normal to me.  We have a 30 year + Acer in our garden, with a similarly wide trunk.  Each year some branches dies off, but the majority are still healthy.  We don't offer any Winter protection, as they are fairly hardy.  Beware of protecting around the trunk too much, as it risks encouraging rot if there isn't enough air circulation.

    If there are clear any dead branches, I would cut them out, making sure you only cut through dead wood.  Even though ours is a very old tree, we still like to treat it, and add a bag of ericaceous compost around the tree each Spring, and we give it the occasional liquid ericaceous feed.

    If yours is already showing leaves, as is ours, then it's too late to do any formative pruning this year.  This Winter you could prune back any branches that you think will help give it a better shape, and that will hopefully encourage more growth next year.
  • paul.batepaul.bate Posts: 4
    Thanks for the advice. Will do
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Those, thin pale branchlets, that are dead can probably be snapped off, that way you will know that they are dead. You can tydy the broken ends with secateurs or sharp snips. I agree it's too late to do anything structural now. I  have a very similar Acer to yours. 
    AB Still learning

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