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Acer leaf drop
Robmarston
Posts: 338
I'm worried about my acer - blood good. It didn't seem to leaf profusely due to a windy spring, but enough opened and it has been fine until a few weeks ago. The leaves started to curl and this week they have all dropped off and it is now bare! I have been watering it regularly, and it is in a west facing position against a wall. It is in a pot of good size and I didn't repot it this year but I did top dress it. What could have caused this? Does it mean it's dead or dying? Please help as I love this tree.
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One of two things - thirst makes acers lose their leaves or turn crispy and start curling. The other possibility is an illness that can strike at acers. I can't remember what it's called but the acer struggles to get going but, with food and watering, does well for a while but then loses its leaves.
I would try repotting with fresh, John Innes 3 compost and remove the top layer of soil and any fallen leaves. Give it a good drink and then leave it in a shady, frost free spot out of the wind and wait and see if it recovers next spring. Wind really dessicates their fragile foliage so you'll need to water it more than you'd think to counteract moisture loss.
Now, just in case there are spores of whatever is causing the problem in the compost in its pot and that can reinfect.
Well it's a year later. I lifted the tree, rinsed all the compost off and repotted it. Put it in a shady, sheltered corner but unfortunately no leaves have grown this year. I'm so sad as I loved it. But I have consoled myself by buying three other acers - cheap ones. I'll see if I can grow them successfully.