Help! Dog Attacked Japanese Maple!

davidryan820

I just got my japanese maple from evergreen gardenworks last week. I immediately planted it in a gallon pot until I could take the time to decide how I'll grow it. Today I came home and found it out of the pot and mostly chewed and eaten by the ill-behaved dog who is still very much a puppy. If someone messes with my dog, I get mad. If someone ruins one of my plants, they die with it! I can't believe her!

Anyway, it has but only a few leaves now and it is a fraction of what it use to be. The roots were thoroughly dried. But in a panic I planted it in the pot again, added some water and misted the plant. What are her chances of recovery? It is hot and dry here in Co so I took the plant and put it in the basement where it'll get lots of indirect light and not be subject to the wind. It is only a seedling but it was beautiful! Any advice (besides throwing it away and buying a new one) would be appreciated.

My dog and I are not on speaking terms. Good thing she can pick up on the fact that she's one more stupid stunt away from getting herself planted!

Thanks-

concerned...

oh and I should mention that all of my plants are now behind one of this invisible fences for dogs. Most of them were already there but I put the maples outside of it because they only got morning sun and didn't have direct wind there. For now everyone goes behind the fence!

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vgnfarmer

Sounds like you are on the right track with the misting, low light etc. I had an adenium knocked over by a squirrel (I think) and after repotting and shade it already seems much better after two days.


Good luck!

Aaron_K

Hi David,

Seens as it was only a few hours that the roots were dry for, you may be lucky and the tree recovers. The tree may still drop its remaining leaves out of shock. Don't over water it, but obviously don't allow it to dry out either.

Other than that, all you can do is sit and wait.

All the best,

Aaron

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davidryan820

Thanks guys...yes I know not to over water it especially since it prolly isn't soaking up much right now-- but I wanted to "wet" its feet so that it didn't go a moment longer with dry roots.

JohnQuinn

Bummer...as said, it depends on how long the roots were exposed.
I have been fortunate as my two 100 pound labs have been very well behaved re. the trees, only knocking a bench over on two occasions! Once the black lab puppy had a cone on his head after surgery and didn't realize he was much larger than life!

When something similar happens to me, I will set the pot into a tray of water for a while (couple of hours) to make sure it is as rehydrated as it is going to be before placing it in a protected location.

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davidryan820

Hi All--

I'm posting an update-- though there isn't much to tell. My tree has shown no signs of rebounding and I haven't got enough nerve to scratch the bark to see if the remaining intact bark is still green and moist. Is it still too early to tell? And because I'm impatient I went ahead and ordered some more trees-- inlcuding another japanese maple. This time all plants will be behind the dog fence!

susieq

Very annoying when our puppy dogs do things like that. But that's just a puppy for you. He/she would probably do the same thing tomorrow and not even give it a thought....... The stories I could tell you ....but I won't right here.....

If your dog or anything else should up root or bare root a plant and leave it high and dry again, you might put the plant and roots in a bowl of water to soak for a few minutes or so to re hydrate them before repotting. I would also suggest the addition of something like "Super Thrive" to the water.
After repotting, use the water in the bowl to soak the soil of the pot for the initial first watering. Good luck with your maple. It probably just got it's first trunk chop. I would also trim off any ragged end left by the attack as that would allow moisture to escape the plant and it would have trouble healing over if ragged and torn.

Don't be too hard on your puppy, they are like two year old kids until they are adults.
Best of luck
susieq

AndyPandy

Train the maple not to look the dog straight in the eyes, and to wilt submissively when it approaches.

davidryan820

Thanks for advice. I didn't come down too hard on Lucy (my pup). She's a cockapoo-- notorious for being very sensitive and frightened easily-- not agood thing! I found out early not to be too harsh on her, even if it were warrented, simply because her "fear" overwhelms her-- making the punishment pointless because she'd be scared silly. Usually a very stern look is all that I need to give her now. With the raising of one brow, she cowers submissively and begs for forgiveness-- poor thing. But really I knew what she'd do with plants that I'e touched at some point-- she'd eat them! So it was my fault, too, that I did not put the plant behind the invisible dog fence (it begins to beep if she's too close and if she gets closer she gets a startling zap). The fence has worked to protect all the other trees, garden beds and keep her from running into the street.