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Coral Bark Acer Help!

LacyAcerLacyAcer Posts: 8
in Problem solving
Hi everyone. First Post. 
I rescued a coral bark Acer from the leftovers corner at a garden center last year and its still really spindly and has very few leaves which are bunched at the end of the few branches it has. 
I potted it with ericaceous (I've had many Acers for years and have a dozen beautiful healthy specimens) but I'm at a loss with this one. 
While the bark is beautiful, can I encourage more leaves or pamper it in some way. 
Thank you ❤️ 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    If you could post a pic of your tree that would help us give advice.
    To upload a pic, it's the icon above the message box that looks like a mountain in a frame.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LacyAcerLacyAcer Posts: 8
    edited June 2023
    I tried but it says the file is too big and I don't know how to resize it on my phone. No worries, I've sorted it. 
  • LacyAcerLacyAcer Posts: 8

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think it looks OK and probably just needs to settle down.
    The compost you've used is probably OK, but for long term planting it's better to use a soil-based ericaceous compost such as John Innes.
    That said, my blueberries are doing fine in the stuff (I couldn't get JI soil-based during lockdown)
    I wouldn't try and pamper it -likely do more harm than good.
    Keep it somewhere appropriate (not too much sun) and water with rain water if you can.

    Max photo size is 6MB for this site.
    This site does have the habit of rotating photos by 90°  - the smaller they are (1MBish) the less likely it is to happen.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited June 2023
    That compost looks claggy to me.   I would re-pot it in an ericaceous loam-based JI no 3 type compost as soon as possible.  Mix in upto 30% MPC for moisture retention.  Water well before and after to avoid root distrubance and then keep it in a sheltered spot out of strong winds.   

    In my experience they cope well with full sun if planted in the ground but in a pot it's entirely reliant on you for food and water so dappled shade would be a better position till it recovers.

    Then it's a case of patience and regular watering plus a top dressing of slow release fertiliser every spring if you can't get it in the ground.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LacyAcerLacyAcer Posts: 8
    Obelixx said:
    That compost looks claggy to me.   I would re-pot it in an ericaceous loam-based JI no 3 type compost as soon as possible.  Mix in upto 30% MPC for moisture retention.  Water well before and after to avoid root distrubance and then keep it in a sheltered spot out of strong winds.   

    In my experience they cope well with full sun if planted in the ground but in a pot it's entirely reliant on you for food and water so dappled shade would be a better position till it recovers.

    Then it's a case of patience and regular watering plus a top dressing of slow release fertiliser every spring if you can't get it in the ground.
    Yes it's already In ericaceous as I said in my post, as are all my acers and out of winds, so I'll just keep looking after it. Thank you. 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Well, your compost doesn't look loamy to me, unless you've put a mulch on top to retain moisture.

    Whatever, I hope it does well for you.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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