Japanese maple with wilting leaves

damon00

This maple just put out a new set of leaves about a month ago. I left on vacation about 10 days ago. I came back to find all it's leaves wilted. It gets watered automaticly, and always has been, although I adjusted it a little before I left. The soil seems very wet, almost soggy infact.

So, does this look like a tree that's been over-watered, or does it look like something else?






EDIT: BTW... is it OK to post an image that is over 75k if you host it on your own site as apposed to "attaching" it? This image is 108k, but I used "insert image" instead which asks for a web link instead of uploading it from my comp. Is that cool?

EDIT2: Sorry for the double post!

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bisjoe

How was the weather while you were gone? Japanese Maples prefer filtered sun or even shade, the leaves can cook in full hot sun, and that would be worse if the roots are too wet.

damon00

I was told it was pretty hot. You can't see it in this picture but I have 50%-shade cloth over the tree.

Vance Wood

You mention that the tree seems almost soggy. Being over watered probably would not cause the problem you see hear, being soggy is probably an indication of another problem that has caused the roots to shut down. If the roots shut down the tree will not take up water giving you a soggy bottom. Has anything else been done to this tree this spring? Was it sprayed with anything, or did your neighbor spray anything, was it repotted what has been done?

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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

damon00

Actually now that you mention it there was one more thing that I did to it before I left. There were little tiny black flies on several of my trees that I thought were aphids (they weren't though), and I sprayed several (this tree included I think) with Safer Brand Rose and Flower Insect Killer. It's supposed to be a fairly light and harmless spray...

Vance Wood

Almost any spray can cause problems in the heat and especially with newly opened leaves. If this is all that happened the tree may re-bud but the current crop of leaves are gone.

__________________
The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

MrMiyagi

Nice avatar...damn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsly#Bonsly

Dav4

I've had this happen to 1-2 year old grafts of various palmatum stock that was shipped to me from the west coast several spring ago. Arrived looking healthy, watered several times...then the decline began. It starts with wilting leaves that eventually turn crispy over about 1 week. According to the nursery that sold the trees to me, the symptoms are consistent with a fungal infection of one sort or another. The fungus gains entry into the tree can occur by watering the leaves or perhaps just touching them. Apparently, dwarf palmatums seem more susceptible due to their inherent reduced vigor. Anyway, your situation seemed similar to my experience so I thought I would mention it.

Dave

ps I would recomend putting your tree in 100% shade and keeping the soil slightly moist. If it is alive, it will start to push new leaves in 2-3 weeks. Good luck

Vance Wood

This too is a possibility. As is the case with most diagnostic efforts with plants, and trees, it is all an educated guess bassed on visual symptoms.

__________________
The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa