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Acer leaf drop

juliepeppiattjuliepeppiatt Posts: 3
edited July 2022 in Problem solving
Hello,

I've recently purchased a dwarf Acer tree which was doing really well in a partial shade spot on my balcony. However the 40c temperatures and then following change to 20s temp has given it drastic leaf drop and leaf scorching. I'm not sure what might be best for it at this stage, watering during the heat seems to have just made the soil soggy rather than helped the leaves and moving it to a shaded spot meant more leaf drop. Should I repot in fresh better drained soil and just wait for new leaves to appear? Any advice appreciated! 

Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    I don’t think new leaves will come now as it’s getting on for autumn .Just leave it alone and new leaves will come in the spring .
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    One of ours in a pot under an apple tree was hit very badly by sorching from our garden room roof (sun reflecting) while we were away. There are a very few green leaves but it looks vey sad. This is the same acer that was hit badly with the frosts in April. Can't win!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You may find it's not the ideal plant for the location @juliepeppiatt - unfortunately. They're basically woodland plants, which prefer a moister, cooler environment, with shelter from prolonged hot sun and drying winds. A balcony can often be too exposed/windy, and too hot. The wall can also create a hotter environment, even if it gives some shelter from wind. 
    In a pot, you can at least move them, but it might still be difficult to keep it healthy. 
    The growing medium needs to be soil based, not just compost, which will help to retain moisture in long dry spells, but they also need adequate drainage, so mixing some grit with the soil will help. Make sure the drainage hole is open enough [some crocks loosely covering it is ideal]  to enable excess water to get away, and some pot feet will also help, as they keep the pot up off the ground. 
    Be careful with those ties which it's attached to that cane with. They can easily damage the trunk. It shouldn't really need support.
    The weather in many places has certainly been challenging for all sorts of plants, so it can be an ongoing problem, but if you can keep it healthy over autumn/winter, it will hopefully be ok. It won't produce more foliage this year, but it should recover and grow next spring  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • juliepeppiattjuliepeppiatt Posts: 3
    Thanks very much! This has all been really helpful! I'll try changing the position, pot feet, drainage and a mix of soil and see how that works. Hopefully I can keep it healthy till next spring! 
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