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Acer - Replace or Persevere?

cjkavanagh9710032cjkavanagh9710032 Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Hi all,

We’ve had this acer for a good few years now and we’re struggling to decide what to do with it. It seems to make a decent effort to come through each year, but the top of the trunk and some of the branches are gradually dying off and it’s very disheartening.

Is it worth sticking with it or getting a new one? The pot is much larger than the one it came in and it has barely grown since then. It gets plenty of water and the pot seems to drain well.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I wonder if it was over-potted and the compost got wet and stagnant before the roots had time to spread out and fill the pot? That can happen when you put a new plant straight from its small nursery pot into a much larger container instead of potting on gradually, going up a couple of inches at a time in pot size. 
    I think I would carefully lift it and check the roots. If they look good (no rot) plant it into a pot just a little bit bigger than the rootball, with fresh compost.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Does it get hot in that corner? Some, particularly the red ones, get burnt in the sun
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • cjkavanagh9710032cjkavanagh9710032 Posts: 7
    JennyJ said:
    I wonder if it was over-potted and the compost got wet and stagnant before the roots had time to spread out and fill the pot? That can happen when you put a new plant straight from its small nursery pot into a much larger container instead of potting on gradually, going up a couple of inches at a time in pot size. 
    I think I would carefully lift it and check the roots. If they look good (no rot) plant it into a pot just a little bit bigger than the rootball, with fresh compost.
    Hmm, I had no idea about that. I’ll take a look at that and see if that could be the problem.
  • cjkavanagh9710032cjkavanagh9710032 Posts: 7
    B3 said:
    Does it get hot in that corner? Some, particularly the red ones, get burnt in the sun
    It does for a bit in the morning through the summer, but I’d say it’s the coolest and most wind protected part of the garden for the majority of the day.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    It's not that, then😊
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I would take @JennyJ's approach. They're very good as pot specimens, but they need more attention in pots than in the ground.
    What is the pot filled with? Compost alone is no good for any woody plant, long term. They need a soil based mix, and you can add ericaceous compost if you want, and they also need decent drainage. Bark is a better mulch than that gravel too.
    Most of them are grafted, so check that you haven't covered that 'joint'.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • cjkavanagh9710032cjkavanagh9710032 Posts: 7
    Fairygirl said:
    I would take @JennyJ's approach. They're very good as pot specimens, but they need more attention in pots than in the ground.
    What is the pot filled with? Compost alone is no good for any woody plant, long term. They need a soil based mix, and you can add ericaceous compost if you want, and they also need decent drainage. Bark is a better mulch than that gravel too.
    Most of them are grafted, so check that you haven't covered that 'joint'.  :)
    Good question about what the pot is filled with. It was some time ago and I think it was too compost heavy. I’m sure I put some John Innes no.3 in there with some horticultural grit last year, but I might be misremembering.

    I didn’t know about the grafting. What would the joint look like?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It'll look a bit like a thicker 'knuckle' - the bottom section will look different from the top section.
    Sorry - that's not terribly helpful!
    I'll see if I have a photo of one of mine, or if I can find a link to show you.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Here you go

    You can see the different colour and texture between the two areas.
    Grafting is done to help something grow faster, or slower, and it depends on the rootstock used.

    The important thing though, is to plant at the same level as the previous pot it's been in. That helps prevent any problems. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • cjkavanagh9710032cjkavanagh9710032 Posts: 7
    Fairygirl said:
    Here you go

    You can see the different colour and texture between the two areas.
    Grafting is done to help something grow faster, or slower, and it depends on the rootstock used.

    The important thing though, is to plant at the same level as the previous pot it's been in. That helps prevent any problems. 
    Thank you. That’s really helpful.
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