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Mop head maple tree leaf disease - advice wanted! :)

JaybirdJaybird Posts: 3
edited October 2023 in Problem solving
Hello

I planted a mop head maple tree in a small border next to my driveway a couple of years ago, and whilst it is still alive it’s not exactly thriving! 

The leaves this year (and last year) appear in spring and are lush and green for a few weeks, before they turn speckly and slightly brown on the edges. They just look ‘poorly’.

They did have an infestation of black/greenfly which I sprayed with fairy liquid to get rid of them, but I’m not sure if that’s the cause as strangely the tree had another growth spurt in August and sprouted some new branches with new leaves, however these have also succumbed to the same issue. I’m not sure if it’s disease, or if it’s too wet/dry where it’s planted…?

I’ve attached some photos. Any advice greatly appreciated. :)


Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    It would seem to be much less fussy about soil conditions and sun than most acers.
    Assuming the soil is reasonable then my money would be on a lack of water.

    You say it starts off well in the spring with healthy foliage (after the winter rains when there will be lot of water in the soil) then goes downhill as the year progresses and the soil dries out.
    New trees need plenty of water - if there no rain, then a couple of bucket fulls a week at least for a year or so so they can develop a wide and deep roots system

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JaybirdJaybird Posts: 3
    Pete.8 said:
    It would seem to be much less fussy about soil conditions and sun than most acers.
    Assuming the soil is reasonable then my money would be on a lack of water.

    You say it starts off well in the spring with healthy foliage (after the winter rains when there will be lot of water in the soil) then goes downhill as the year progresses and the soil dries out.
    New trees need plenty of water - if there no rain, then a couple of bucket fulls a week at least for a year or so so they can develop a wide and deep roots system
    Hi, thanks for the reply, sadly I don’t think lack of water is the issue.

    I did think this could be the cause last year… so I made sure I watered it religiously this year using a couple of buckets per week, especially during the dry period we had. 

    However, the new leaves that have appeared since August has developed the same issue, and it’s rained constantly here since about July!

    Could it be too MUCH water? The bed it is in is sandwiched between the road and the driveway, and it does seem to hold water in the corner of the bed near the driveway when it rains heavily.

    My plan next year is to not water it, or hardly water it, unless it’s not rained for a couple of weeks or so, and see if keeping the soil around it slightly drier might help.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Maybe it's just settling in.

    You can check the drainage - 
    try the test

    Is drainage necessary?

    The first thing to do is to identify areas or poor drainage and actually test how bad the drainage is:Look for surface puddling after rain which normally indicates compacted layers beneath the surface. Be aware that natural springs may occur and need piping away. Also broken pipes may cause wet spots until mended.Pour water into a 30-60cm (1-2ft) deep hole and cover to exclude rain. If water remains for hours or even days the soil may benefit from installing drainage.
    From - 
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-design/installing-drainage

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JaybirdJaybird Posts: 3
    Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll try the drainage thing next year. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think lack of water is far more likely than overwatering, unless the pavement footings are causing some kind of problem, although that usually means the opposite as there's less decent soil in those sites, and the grass also creates competition for moisture. 
    A large specimen is always slower to establish than a small one too, and they can easily take a year, at least, to get roots down well, especially in that kind of site.  A couple of buckets per week is nothing for a specimen that size if it isn't permeating the soil well enough, and especially if you're in a drier area where the soil can dry out very quickly. If there also isn't adequate, decent soil for the roots, that won't help either. 
    It's quite hard to over water a maple of any kind.  :)

    Wind [it looks quite exposed] and various other insects etc can cause a bit of damage, but it isn't usually detrimental long term. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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