I have an acer palmatum in a pot on my patio, and after getting some advice on this and another forum i haven't pruned it yet, was going to wait until the spring. However, it has now shed all it's leaves along with their branches, so I am left with a spindly stick in a pot :'( - my husband says there are new shoots sprouting where the branches used to be, but i'm still worried! Is this normal, or should I give up on it? Any help gratefully received! Thanks all, kitten x
Acer palmatum is very prone to die-back, especially if exposed to cold winds. But don't give up on it!
My 6ft specimen died down completely. I was devasted and bought a new one, only to find the dead one re-sprouting from the base in spring.
I've got them in the garden & they're no trouble, but I was given a new one this year, which is in a pot. Would it be better for me (and the acer!) to move it into the cold greenhouse overwinter, or should I just mulch it well?
Phew - thanks dandelion, it's good to know i haven't killed it off then! Should I prune it now though so when it starts shooting up again in the spring it might bush out a bit too? It's currently about two and a half feet tall & really skinny? kitten x
A potash feed in the autumn helps against winter die back.
Kitten yours is still alive. all 3 of my acers are doing exactly the same thing. they shed their leaves in autumn every year after changing colour. well most of them change colour anyway.
If it's got new buds on it then it's a sure sign it's still alive. Like it's said already.....they can be shocked really easily and loose their leaves but soon reappear.....but right now...it's natural for them to loose their leaves.
And aliskha.....you don't need to do anything to them. as long as they've got good drainage and are kept just moist and out of extreme wind....they're be fine. there's no need to put them in a cold greenhouse :)
i don't even think there's any need to mulch it. They're really tough plants.....but it's how they cope with stress = loose leaves.
come spring when the buds start to sprout.....i'd give it some acid feed.
Acid feed is essential for acers that aren't in acid soil. even though they'll survive quiet happily in neutral soil, you won't get the lovely autumn colours if it hasn't recieved fortnightly acid in the growing season.
We have had one for ages and never pruned it. I didn't think it needed to be pruned and it is absolutely beautiful if the late Spring. Its Acer Palmatum Disectum, all green. It has been repotted probably three times and we always give it a good feed and plenty of home made compost. My daughter has one that I thought was not a good specimen but since it has got a bit taller it looks better but its very sparse whereas ours is dense with good branches. Maybe hers needs pruning - I'll tell her.
Quote from: florald on November 20, 2006, 17:41:21
We have had one for ages and never pruned it. I didn't think it needed to be pruned and it is absolutely beautiful if the late Spring. Its Acer Palmatum Disectum, all green. It has been repotted probably three times and we always give it a good feed and plenty of home made compost. My daughter has one that I thought was not a good specimen but since it has got a bit taller it looks better but its very sparse whereas ours is dense with good branches. Maybe hers needs pruning - I'll tell her.
it doesn't need to be pruned really....it's only to shape it to your liking that you can prune it.
I have 3 but have no idea what they're called. one of them has stayed pretty small...it's got deep red leaves that turn into burgundy red later on in the season and has a bush like structure. so it has several main branches.
One of them is a single branch that goes straight up to about 2 feet and has leaves all along the side with no other branches coming off it.
another one that i'm not really shure what to do with. it has a couple of main branches which leads to loads of thin, weak branches that dangle from the top. it almost looks like an ivy like climber. it has really small fragile green leaves that turn into patchy pranges and reds in autumn.
Never pruned mine either. As they are very slow growers, don't really need it. Thought mine had died a death last year but came back good as ever! ;D
Thanks everso much everyone, you've really reassured me, I would have been so sad to lose it. I've decided not to prune it, i'll just leave it until the spring then give it a feed. It's in half ericaceous and half normal compost as that's what i was advised at the garden centre when i bought it's new pot.
Wahaj - my uncle had one just like the first one you describe, it's gorgeous and the reason why i got myself one in the first place - you lucky thing!
Thanks again, kitten x
Thanks from me too, Wahaj :-*
So it can stay where it is.....