Hi I'm a new member

I recently bought an Acer Palmatum Purpureum and when it arrived it was like a sapling with a handful of leaves which have since dried up and fallen off. It is trying to produce new leaves but they are dried up as soon as they appear.So all I've got at the moment is a stick in a pot. I'm assuming its in the correct compost as it came from a garden centre and I don't think it needs repotting. I am watering it liberally but not overwatering. Any ideas? Should I try repotting? Thank you.

 

I would get in contact with the supplier, express my dissatisfaction and ask for advice.

 

I'm assuming from your post it was purchased by mail-order?

I'd take a photo, attach it to an e-mail to the supplier and ask for a refund, or at least a replacement.

 

Hello and Welcome.

 

Hi

I am NO expert, but I do have one of these in my garden, which at time suffers the same problem your having! I have managed to minimise the problem by making sure it is well watered, and not in full sunshine - it is doing well, and it really is a beautiful tree. Good luck with yours.
Ian

 

The broader leaved acers do suffer from strong sunlight, one day they seem fine, the next there's shrivelled leaves, our neighbour has a broader leafed one presently suffering from this condition. They seem more susceptible.
We've two, ours are the other variety, this one about 25 years old.
I'd "over-trimmed this one" as I'm training it to be contained by the new brick circle I built, so that the grass doesn't die off under the leaves which were too close to the ground. It's grown "down a bit" since I took this photo a couple of weeks ago.



But this one we've had only four.



It was forty quid in B&Q, I've trained them both to assume this shape. The second replaced one that inexplicably died, plants can be very fickle. It does get a bit of shade but only a few hours near the end of the day as our garden is south facing.

I don't get leaf burn as in the warm weather I water them every evening (we've quick-draining soil) and in the mid afternoon if it's sunny, spray the leaves. The larger one is always in direct sunlight. I'm not over-protective, I trim the "skirts" with shears.

This is just a general comment. A lot of people are naturally reticent about using too much water if they are on a water meter and I can understand that. But it can in some instances, cause underwatering.

We're not, we pay nearly £600 in water charges each year, So I make sure I get my money'sworth.

The lawn's a bit of a mess as the two "pop up" sprinklers I installed just before I took these photos.

 

Me too!