Japanese Maple experts, need advice. (home, move, yard)

[kilroy61]

I have a Japanese Maple tree that is planted in a planter on my front porch. The tree was there when I purchased the home 14 years ago. All I have ever done to this tree is water it every other month. This Japanese Maple has always looked great with bright red leaves until about 3 months ago. Now all the leaves have fallen off and the bark on the trunk seems to have turned a lighter color. See photo.

I need advice/help from Japanese Maple owners who may have experienced this. My wife wants me to call an arborist, but I wanted to try the free route first.....

I also have a second old Japanese Maple that is doing fine.....leaves are green, but will turn red in the Fall/Winter.


Thanks in advance.

[BoBromhal]

that tree's relatively expensive. If you want to keep it, I'd call in an arborist stat. $100-200 is well worth it to save that tree

[MarkCanWrite]

Sounds like it might have gotten potbound. After that length of time, I can almost guarantee it. There are a couple of things you can do; one is root pruning and repotting into a larger container. The other is planting it out in the landscape, where it will eventually grow to its fully mature size.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVe7pJd1vpg

[kilroy61]

Thanks!!.... Someone else had suggested it may be root bound. Not sure why anyone would plant a Japanese Maple in a planter to begin with...go figure. I need to dig it out, cut the root ball and plant in my yard. The bad part is this is not the time to be transplanting anything. However, I may not have a choice....

[no kudzu]

It might also be getting too much water. This is absolutely THE WORST TIME to be replanting or repotting anything. Wait till late fall and move it outside. Don't be afraid to root prune to stimulate new growth. Don't fertilize it during this hot spell either.

[NCwoodworker]

I will agree with MarkCanWrite, it is definitely root-bound. That is too small of an enclosure for that old of a tree. Just because it's not very big (tall, wide-spread), if you look at the trunk girth you should have at least 12" on each side for every inch in diameter the trunk is the minimum size for a container plant. I would recommend waiting until the other trees drop their leaves and go dormant. Then try to transplant it to a larger growing space. Just because it lost it's leaves for now doesn't mean it has gone dormant, it is probably just shocked by the sudden and slowly creeping strangulation from it's own roots. Also do some slight root pruning, just the circling ones, when you transplant this late fall.
Good luck, DaveO