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Red Acer Woes

sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9
in Problem solving
In the last 6 years I have bought a red acer almost every year (one year I didn't).  Every time i bought them was in the summer (June-ish).  The next April/May the acer gets new leaves and looks really healthy and then without fail, by mid-May, all the leaves shrivel up and then the plant dies.  I have tried different positions in the garden each time.  I've moved house during this time.  I've tried in pots/not in pots.  Last year i bought 2 acers: one red and one yellow.  They are in identical pots next to each other, in a shady spot.  The yellow one looks amazing and same story again with the red one.  I tried googling it and I found several people posting on forums with the same issue, but the responses are always the same about either under-watering or over-watering or too much sun.  I don't think I have any of these.  At present, this tree itself looks alive as the branches are all still red.  I would love to save this plant but I cannot understand that this happens every year.  Previously, I had a red acer for 12 years and it was amazing, but it died because I had to move it (long story!).  Since then I have either been very unlucky or something else is going on.  Any ideas would be appreciated.
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Have you got a photo or two?
    How are you caring for them when in pots compared to in the ground? If your soil isn't ideal, or your general climate, or the site, that will make it  more difficult for them to thrive, but in a pot you can move them around to get the best site.
    What medium are you growing them in when potted? What drainage do the pots have? What are the pots made of? 
    Where are you placing them? 
    What size are they when you plant them? Mature, sizeable specimens? Tiny plants from a supermarket or similar?
    What types are they?
    All these things are, or can be,  factors along with the watering. They're relatively straightforward in the right conditions, especially the palmatum red ones   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9
    Hi, each case has been completely different (i have even moved house and so in 2 the cases a totally different garden).  I could give you a list of all possibilities by now.  This time the pots are terracotta, but before I had used plastic and ceramic. I usually get the trees from garden centres and I have had all sizes ranging from very small (tiny) to the ones last year were already quite a decent size (2/3 foot).  Sorry I don't have any pics but if you can imagine a tree with no leaves then that covers it. The ones this year are in a shady spot with some direct sunlight at about 9-10am.  The very tops are getting dappled shade for a bit longer. Why would the yellow one be thriving and the red one lose all its leaves in exactly same conditions is my main question.  I think the conditions themselves must be OK if the yellow one looks good.  In the old house, I planted one in the ground in a similar situation to the one that lasted 12 years (not the exact spot but same conditions). 
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    I admire your persistance.  You must be a sucker for punishment.

    I bought and grow  a palmatum Osakazuki with green leaves, a palnatum disectum viridis and was gifted an Acer japonicum; In the ground, no problems.  I grow others from seed of my Osakazuki and that collected from an arboretum.  A couple have reddish leaves that change shade with the seasons.  A couple I grow in pots as bonsai.

    They are not long lived plants.  But I am unable to be of any real help to you.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9
    it's now like a vendetta.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    Time to make peace?

    I can't grow delphiniums - no delphiniums

    I can't grow rhubarb - no rhubarb.



     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9

  • sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9

  • sylvievenablessylvievenables Posts: 9
    Got some pics. It was in the terracotta pot at the back but my husband repotted in the plastic pot after a while to see if it would help. 
  • willow5465willow5465 Posts: 3
    Had some in the past and used quite a deep pot (mine was aluminium) so roots can grow freely. Also good drainage is important don't like to sit in wet and leaf mold in the mix as they usually grow in wooded areas. Hope your plant will recover, good luck :-)
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    edited May 2023
    Acers cultivated in pots are vulnerable to another invisible enemy .......cold or hot drying winds .
    Combine these with possibly forgetting to water for one day or night can (and I've witnessed) cause the demise of the plant in less than a day .
    The other factor here , those pots are far too small !
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