Question:
I have a five-foot-tall Red Leaf Japanese Maple in a large container. Last summer, the hot afternoon sun burned the leaves, and the tree looked terrible for the rest of the year. What can I do now to avoid the brown leaves?Answer:
- You protect the foliage of Japanese Maples from tip burn and leaf scorch by applying Bonide Wilt Stop to the Leaves. I like to refer to it as 'Chap Stick' for plants as it provides a transparent protective layer that protects the leaves from excessive moisture loss.
- Wilt Stop is primarily used for cold weather protection, but they're just as effective against hot, drying winds. You make two applications about eight weeks apart. Your first application is made with the temperatures are in the mid-eighties.
- Water stress is another contributing factor to burnt leaves that also curl up. I'd suspect that the plant could have been on the dry side when the warm temperatures arrived. Mature Maples, Citrus, Roses, and other container plants suffer when the temperature warms up, requiring more frequent watering.
- Many plants that wilt from water stress recover; however, they never turn green again when leaves turn brown. Also, older plants suffer sooner than those recently planted.
- As container plants grow, they displace the soil with roots. The longer a plant stays in the same container, the more susceptible it is to water stress early on. I'd have the following suggestions to help water container plants more efficiently. I'd apply EZ Wet from Gro More or a similar product to help with the water penetration. EZ Wet is a soil surfactant that breaks down the surface tension around soil particles allowing water to flow through the root ball instead of rolling down and out the sides of a container.
- Next, use a long screwdriver, create half a dozen or more spaces in the root ball, and insert polymer crystals such as Soil Moist. When water is applied, the crystals hydrate into a clear gel. The hair roots of plants will then cling to the gel and use it as a backup or secondary water supply. With new planting, the Soil Moist crystals are mixed into the potting soil, then you plant. With Soil Moist, EZ Wet, and Bonide Wilt Stop, you have the flexibility to vary your watering pattern and keep the foliage pristine all summer long.
Question:
I bought a pear tree online, but it came broken into two pieces at the root. So I was so upset, I just stuck it into a bucket of mud I had sitting next to me. Can this whip/trunk/part of the tree be saved?Answer:
- While it is always possible, I wouldn't hold my breath. Although there are no roots, the internal moisture will keep the plant going for a limited amount of time. When the moisture is used up, the tissue will shrivel and collapse. A cut Christmas tree is an excellent example of this. So, I'd wait and see what happens.