Fuzzy tips on acer?
niki.norman
Posts: 10
My poor acer is still struggling to recover after the drought last year. I had to cut almost half of it out in spring as that much was just dead.
This year it has tried to grow a good 10" all over, and did produce good leaves initially, but they all crisped and died in the end (black crisping. Too dry? Too wet?).
Anyhoo, I'm now seeing this on the ends of some of the new growth. What's going on with my poor tree now?
I get a strong crosswind, but I was careful to plant it where it's got a large garage on the windy side to shelter it. It does get a lot of sun but until last year it was growing beautifully. Soil is sandy and drains well.
If it makes any difference, the variety is Orange Dream. It's about 4ft tall and wide now.
This year it has tried to grow a good 10" all over, and did produce good leaves initially, but they all crisped and died in the end (black crisping. Too dry? Too wet?).
Anyhoo, I'm now seeing this on the ends of some of the new growth. What's going on with my poor tree now?
I get a strong crosswind, but I was careful to plant it where it's got a large garage on the windy side to shelter it. It does get a lot of sun but until last year it was growing beautifully. Soil is sandy and drains well.
If it makes any difference, the variety is Orange Dream. It's about 4ft tall and wide now.
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Posts
Sandy soil is too free draining so I suggest you try and move it this autumn to somewhere ore sheltered and that you beef up the soil with plenty of moisture retentive compost and leaf mold. If you can't do that, provide a windbreak to filter the wind coming round that garage and give it a very good long drink and then a thick mulch of well-rotetd garden compost and manure.
Repeat the mulch every spring and autumn and never let it go thirsty during hot or dry spells during the growing season like we've had this year. If that happens next year, you'll need to water it generously at least once or twice a week during a heatwave.
I do have a more sheltered spot elsewhere now, close to an 8ft silver birch (which I'm keeping to that height, so it's got a lot of sideways growth) after the drought last year killed off my kerria. So I can move it. I've been watering well; the problem last year was that I didn't start that until soon enough, with not realising quickly enough that the drought wasn't going to stop anytime soon. I've been on top of it this year with that in mind.
Mulch-wise: I'll have plenty of bark chippings this week but they do come with fresh quail poo! Is well rotted a strict necessity? My chicken poo isn't rotted down enough to use yet. Failing that I can soon get some older garden waste, plenty of that around too but I'd rather use the bark if I can (because I'll need somewhere to put it and my compost bins are full of the chicken poo).
My acers in previous gardens always developed crispy leafy tips it they got too much sun and/or wind.
Last year’s summer was particularly harsh on moisture and dappled shade lovers.
They hate going dry, so thick layer of well rotted mulch is essential.
I have a variety similar to yours, in my new garden. It’s planted under an olive that is very tall and gets sun all day, but the acer is in dappled shade and has a warm, northwest facing wooden fence behind it.
Definitely don’t move it until it’s dormant, but when the ground is still warm and there is no frost.
No harm sticking some mycorrhizal fungi powder on the roots when you do, to help it settle into its new spot.
Hope it works - they’re lovely trees.
It is a beautiful tree, or was going to be until last year - I lost about a third of it. But actually, it'll be even better in the new spot because it's closer to the house so I'll get to enjoy it more!