Japanese Maple Advice?

[Lilly]

Hi All, I was wondering if anyone might have some wisdom for me regarding a poor lone Japanese Maple in a pot? I inherited it when I moved into this house as the previous tenants have left it behind. Poor thing has one rickety "stem," about 8 leaves, and just looks awful. What can I do for it? I was thinking of planting it in the ground, although I've never planted one before. Any ideas or special recommendations for me before I launch into a google research expedition? Thanks!

~Lilly

"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."

-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-

[Pen]

Choose a site with sun, add some compost to your soil and plant. Try not to move it once established.

Here's some info:

[dr-solo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Layne]

I'm not an expert, but I'd think the plant is so stressed that maybe you should wait a while and try to nurse it back to health in the pot first before planting or repotting as doing such puts stress on the already stressed plant.

Layne

[Lilly]

~Lilly

"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."

-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-

[Lilly]

Hi Ingrid! Sorry, should have said zone 8, pacific northwest. This one just looks bad, maybe it's the pot, the pot size, or the soil, I dunno. I've never had one before, so I have no experience or "feel" for this tree yet, happy to have it though. Thanks for the advice! ~Lilly

"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."

-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-

[Lilly]

Good point. Maybe I'll do whatever I need to do once it goes dormant, whenever that is, lol. Ack. ~Lilly

"I am not afraid. As a matter of fact, this is one of the more pleasant evenings I have spent in the catacombs."

-Jeanne St. Remy de Valois-

[Layne]

Hi Lilly,

The following links might help:

These are very good forums for maples only.

info on Japanese maple care:

luck,

Layne

[dr-solo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Jim Lewis]

maybe

the pot

on the

dormant,

OTOH, you live in the part of the country where Acer palmatum does best.

I'd guess that the soil in the pot is compacted and water doesn't get to the roots, but flows down the side of the pot.

I think I would dig a large (diameter - 3X the diameter of the pot) shallow (1/2 the depth of the pot) hole, fill it with water and let it soak in, then lift the plant from the pot (you may have to break the pot!) and break the soil ball without doing too much damage to the roots. Maybe you could soak the rootball in water for an hour. Then plant in the hole, filling with GOOD soil -- rotted cow manure compost, maybe. Water well, then keep it well watered but not soggy.

If it lives, you're ahead of the game. If it dies, well YOU didn't pay anything for it and I'd bet it would die soon in the pot anyway.

Jim Lewis - [e-mail] - Tallahassee, FL - Bonsaiests are like genealogists: We know our roots!