Is this root Rot?

Goober69

I have an Acer Deshojo that was given to me as a gift 2 years ago. I had repotted it this past spring. I used a mix of Turface and pine bark mulch. I can't remember exactly but I used either a 50/50 mixture or a 60/40 mixture with the pine bark being the 60.

Over the last week or so, all of the leaves have wilted. Some have curled up others just went "limp." The thin branches that these leaves are on have also become somewhat limp looking in appearance.

I dug into the soil a little and it did look very wet so I raked it a bit to try and dry it out some. I also put an aquarium pump hose into the drain hole to try and blow some air into the soil.

My question: Have I been overwatering the tree and is this the effects of root rot?

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Joanie

Someone will come along with better information no doubt, but here are a couple of questions....

Is the tree in dappled shade or something similar? How hot has it been there? Is the tree in a black pot that heats up in the sun? Have you been using fertilizers, and if so, what kind and how often? Do you wait for the soil to dry out on the surface, and be just damp underneath, before you water more?

Joanie

Little_John

Joanie's questions sum it up.

One other thought, can you rake the soil back a bit, maybe enough to see the roots? A visual inspection would be the most accurate way to tell.

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Aaron_K

Hi Goober,

Joanie asks some very relevant questions here, which would definately help with subsequent advice given. As a general rule, Japanese maples do not like intense sunlight. They can scorch easily especially in higher heat zones. The plants tolerance for sunlight will vary from one cultivar to another.

From what you describe, it does sound as though the tree has been a bit nuked by the old sun. Both my Kiyohime and Deshojo live under a shelter and receive no direct rays, and grow well as a result. On the otherhand my Sango Kaku has sat in full sun all summer with no burnt leaves - even on days like today where my thermometer read 34c /94f in the shade.

I would be quite suprised if you have root rot, as your soil mix should be very fast draining and allow for good aeration too, although erring on the side of caution, I certainly wouldn't rule it out. The rot occurs when the roots die, usually suffocating as a result of sitting in waterlogged soil for too long.

I might also ask how often you have fertilized the tree, as overfeeding can damage roots and as a result would cause leaves to dry and softwood to wilt.

For now, I would place the tree in the shade, put the pot on a couple of bricks or something so that air can circulate beneath it, and pay more attention to the watering. My maples "tell" me if I have not watered them enough, as the leaves lose their rigidity. Really though, in this heat and in a fast draining soil, it is pretty hard to overwater a maple, as they are a thirsty tree.

All the best,

Aaron

node

I would assume this to be correct. I had a lace leaf die on me from root rot this spring, the symptoms were very similar.

You might want to check this thread, dealing with how to recognize/deal with root rot.

Mind you, the situation is slightly different. It was early spring when I did my repot, it is the end of summer now, not the most opportune moment to repot japanese maples. The symptoms you describe sound pretty severe, if it is root rot I don't really hold much hope for your maple, especially if it's not grafted on something else.

I'm really not sure whether repotting now would not finish it off more quickly, but my guts tell me do it anyway. I hope I'm not totally wrong in this? Any takers?

Stefan

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Goober69

Ok,
The tree sits on a bench in a gazeebo. It does get afternoon sunlight. I dont think it is a lot though because in general the yard is mostly shaded due to many large old oak trees.

I had last fertilized the tree about 2 weeks ago. I used miracle grow mix (20-20-20.)

I water the tree when the entire surface of the soil is dry. If it was only damp, I would mist the surface until it is wet again. There is one corner of the pot that I do mist everyday because I am trying to grow moss there. I also water the tree until it begins to drip out of the bottom of the pot.

I failed to mention that I had cut off a few branches that had died from the previous winter. I immediately put wound sealer on all of the cuts. The wounds were not near the living branches.

Something similar to this happened to a maple (not a japanese type) in the spring. It budded and was growing furiously for about 2 or 3 weeks. Then all growth stopped and in another week, all of the new growth became frail looking, wilted and died. The new branches turned black and died a few days after the leaves. The soil conditions were the same then (mix & mositure level.)

That was the spring where it was in the 70's out most of the time. It was a wet spring but I had this tree in the gazeebo also.

The current tree has been sitting in 80 degree temps the past few weeks. We had a heat wave recently but it did not seem to bother the tree then. The pot did not seem to be drying out as much or as fast when the heat wave broke.

Is this enough info?

Thanks everyone for helping.

Little_John

Try using a chopstick or put your finger in the soil to tell if it needs to be watered. I normally go to my first knuckle on my index finger, if it is slightly damp I'll water if it's still wet I'll leave it and check the next morning/afternoon. I'm not quite getting why you mist the surface when it dries. I'm no expert either, that's just what I've read and what works for me. I've yet to kill a tree from overwatering (knock on wood).

Are you able to look at the roots at all? Sound like with the soil you're using you may just be able to rake it back a bit and see if the roots are going black.

Good luck, I'm sure more experienced folks will chime in here. I hope this helps.

A pic may also help.

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Joanie

I would also wonder about your water. Here, we have trouble with maples because the water is so full of salts and chlorine. Fertilizers have salts, too, so between the water and the ferts it may be a lethal combination.

Little John is right, in how he tests his watering needs. If the tree isn't in too much sun, or too much shade, then it's bound to be water of some sort. (Possibly a fungus or bug but since you lost another tree the same way....hmmm.)

If you really want to give it a go, I would go out and buy some cheap spring water. NOT that weird kind, distilled water. Just cheap spring water for drinking. I pay about 95 cents a gallon for it here, cheaper when there's a sale. Buy a gallon or two, and use it to water the tree. It may flush the salts out if used from now on. Make sure not to set it where it gets too hot. Just a thought, it sure won't hurt. I'm watering my Japanese maples and azaleas with this kind of water because we can SMELL the chlorine in our tap water this time of year. Collected rainfall also works well as long as it is clean and kept covered (to keep the windborne spores and bugs out)

Just a thought, hope someonw else can help you more definitively,
Joanie

Vonsgardens

Well, root rot or plant not needing water. It is a maple, perhaps talking it out of the pot, taking alook- see if all the roots are balck and rotted looking and then, if still alive, placing it in a slightly larger pot with really coarse soil planted around it until (hopefully) it goes dormant and can have root work done. Naka says- emergency transplant into sand- I have tended to use crushed pea gravel (1/4", sharp, washed) with good success. Best of luck, John