dagruber

I acquired a nursery red maple in a 5 gal. pot a few weeks ago. Great trunk and nice low branches, but the poor tree was so pot-bound it was a struggle to get it free to place in a training pot. The crown of the trunk was about 2-3" below the mass of circular roots. I pruned both the root ball and the branches back and placed it in a wide 5" deep training pot.

It seems to be doing OK, but many (not all) of the leaves are browning and curling at the edge. The tree is outside in mostly shade (morning sun for about 2 hrs) and the soil is fast draining. I don't think wind is a problem, but I'm worried about the leaves. I cut a few of the bad ones back and some new ones have emerged.

A few questions...

Would slower draining soil allow the roots more time to absorb water to keep the leaves moist?

Should the dried leaves be left on the tree or cut off?

Is 2 hrs of morning sun too much? (temps are 70ºF/50º).

Thanks for any help.

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