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Acer not looking good

street.darren7street.darren7 Posts: 1
in Plants
After some advice as my acer leaves have been dropping for the last 6 weeks . It's flourished for the last 5 years and I've watered no different this year . Leaves have dried from the outer edges in and fallen . White spots on leaves and a white residue on the stems so have used fungus treatment thinking it's powdery mildew . 
Should I cut back or will the leaves come back ?
Any advice appreciated !

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'd say it's likely a combination of insufficient water for a period of time and possibly too much sun more recently has made it look worse, even though the red-leaves acers can take more sun than others. Dry winds can also cause significant leaf damage.

    It's not mildew of any kind. If you used a fungicide when the sun was out, that will cause leaf damage too.
    The problem with pruning acers at this time of year is that it will cause them to bleed and loose sap. The only time to do any significant pruning is in the dead of winter (January) to minimize bleeding.
    I think all you can do atm is just keep it well watered - several gallons a couple of times a week at least during this weather.

    Can't really see the white residue, but it could be related to a scale insect infestation.

    You may find several branches have died-back completely and you can cut them out in winter if that's the case.
    Don't be tempted to feed it anything until it's recovered.

    Good luck and welcome to the forum :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's most likely short of moisture. Many areas have had severe shortages of water/rainfall this year - from winter onwards, and that affects well established planting as well as new stuff.
    It looks as if it's very close to the fence, which will always be a drier site. It also looks as if it has some scale insect on the branches. Many people have been querying that on their Acers this year too. That can happen on shrubs which are stressed too . 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Agree with @Pete.8 our red varieties maintained their leaves while we were away for 2 weeks. They are in pots. The "golden" one that suffered with the frosts in April also suffered very badly with no rain and loads of heat. Maybe it will come back now we are here to water again but hadn't realised before that the lighter acres appear to suffer so much more than the darker ones.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Pete.8 said:


    The problem with pruning acers at this time of year is that it will cause them to bleed and loose sap. The only time to do any significant pruning is in the dead of winter (January) to minimize bleeding.


    I  agree with all the other parts of Pete's post, but the above sentence is a UK myth that is still propagated by magazines and TV gardeners. The Japanese prune Acers in all seasons except early spring when the sap is rising. Ok I am not talking about heavy pruning of large limbs but you can prune and shape. That said I would not do it now while the plant is under stress. I  agree give lots of water now.  We have some 14 Acers in our garden, most were fine until the two 40 C days,  when it's that hot no matter how we'll watered the plants can't transpire fast enough so shut down temporarily.  The good news is it will  grow a nice flush of new leaves next season.  
    AB Still learning

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    From my experience it is not a myth.
    I have a large acer palmatum dissectum in the front garden, sometimes school kids snap bits off as they pass.
    Most recently that happened around Feb/March this year.
    The acer bled so much there was a stalagmite of hardening sap on the top of my front wall.
    It bled non-stop for about 3-4 weeks and the leaves on that branch were tiny this year.
    On other occasions I have also had to cut branches that overhang the footpath and they bleed a lot as well.

    Yes, very thin branches can be cut without problem, anytime, but anything more than about 1cm will bleed - in my experience.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Allotment Boy , could we have pictures please. I had to move our variegated ones into the shade under trees.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Yes in Feb-March I would expect it to bleed sap as that is exactly when the sap is rising. 
    I am Not advocating cutting anything thicker than a pencil except in winter that counts as structural pruning. I guess it depends on your definition of pruning. I  am talking about shaping and tiering thin extension growth no thicker than a piece of wire.
    I  will be cutting back the long thin growth to two buds, to re-establish the shape, as soon as the weather cools down a bit. 


    AB Still learning

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