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How to revive a newly planted Japanese Maple?

I recently bought an Acer Palmatum Atropurpureum (only 6 weeks ago). We planted it the day we bought it with some Black Gold Premium Compost in the hole as well. We have been watering this frequently, however over a week or two all the leaves started to wilt. When planting it, we had noticed the soil around is like clay. Would there be a way we can revive this? Not sure if it's over-watering, too much exposure to wind or sun, the soil type, or whether it has picked up some disease? Thanks in advance for any help.

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Comments

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @beatriceb. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about Japanese Maple care.

Sounds suspiciously like the roots have been water-logged from the clay base. Planting a tree in clay-based soil is similar to placing it in a bucket of water. There's nowhere for the water to escape, which eventually leads to the plant's demise. You might like to dig a small hole next to the plant and check how wet the root zone is. If it's saturated and you haven't watered it or it hasn't rained in the last few days, then you can be relatively certain that's the cause.

Unfortunately, at this stage, it does appear that the plant might be past saving. Let me mention a couple of our gardening experts, @Noelle and @mich1972, to see if they have any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Noelle

Hi @beatriceb

Great to have you in the Community!

Sadly, I think @MitchellMc has the situation summed up perfectly. Unknowingly you have created a sump when you dug the planting hole and you've filed it with lovely compost which makes it really easy for any moisture to just fill up the hole and drown the roots of the beautiful Japanese maple. It was a beautiful specimen and no doubt didn't come cheap, so it's a shame this has occurred.

When planting into a predominantly clay soil, you need to undertake quite a program of soil improvement not just in the planting hole itself, but for a good couple of metres in either direction. Or plant into a raised mound on top of the clay.

Being deciduous, Japanese maples will prefer being planted out in winter when they are dormant, Planting when in full leaf and the middle of summer isn't ideal, so if it were my garden I'd start preparing the soil now in a new spot ready for a new tree in winter.

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