Japanese Maples.....

Does anyone have any experience with these plants?

I bought it just over a month ago and have just planted it out into my border in the back garden. It was doing fine in it's pot, but since I planted it out a few days ago it appears to be dying? The leaves are going crisp and appear dry?

I've tried to plant it in the shadiest spot I have and it's somewhere that's sheltered from the wind. I've read up a bit on the internet and some say it could be sun burn and others say it could be due to over watering. It does get the sun until late morning, but the weather hasn't exactly been hot and sunny these last few days. Over watering could be possible though as I got a bit carried away just before I planted it out!

Just wondered if anyone has any thoughts, I have an annoying feeling I'll have to put it back in it's pot though.

I think it has just had a bit of stress during the move, don't panic, mine get a bit brown round the edges I think its the wind/sun combination, don't panic I think they are as tough as old boots - not as delicate as people believe just find the right place for it. The leaves will drop and new ones appear. I must say if I get a bit that has gone off a bit I run my hand over it and if the "brown" leaves come off all well and good I find new leaves appear quickly.

I managed to kill a purple one, I'd been growing it in a pot for a couple of years and it was quite large, so decided it was time to transplant it. The leaves turned brown and crispy and it gave up the ghost. It also got the morning sun and I thought that was the problem especially if it was still dewy from the night before followed by a hot day. I think it would do better in partial shade.

Did you just dig a hole and plant it, or did you go to the trouble of buying a bag of ericasious (sp?) soil to line the hole with and fill it back up?

These are lime hating plants, and you have to use that special soil until it gets established, so if your soil has some lime it won't like it at all. You should also have drenched it when you replanted it?

I've moved two from pots into the garden, but I made sure I put lots of that soil in the hole and left most of the potful when I plonked it in. I have nothing but these in my garden all different varieties, some LOVE the sunshine, whilst others like partial shade or one in particular likes all shade now coz he's alongside the fence.

You might be able to save it if you get that ericascious (sp?) soil and replant it, but they do suffer with shock, although I've not experienced that with mine and to be honest, they will only do that if they're quite big when you replant. It sounds to me like it has too much sun with those brown leaves, or lack of water, but talk to it nicely, give it time, and even if you think it's dead now, they have a habit of transforming themselves for next year so don't give up on it please!

Even one of my japanese acer trees looked awful for 2 years, but that was big when we planted it, it probably was in shock, but now it's absolutely magnificent! Once you've ruined the leaves this time of year though, you've had it, you'll have to wait until next year to see it in it's full glory if it's ever going to happen. Good luck!

Well I've panicked and brought it back in!

Not sure it's the right thing to do but I couldn't stand to look at it dying in the garden any more!

I lined the hole with bog standard multi purpose compost and drenched it after planting, it was also well watered prior to planting. I'm just hoping against hope it's the sun rather than the soil, but I think I'll go out and buy some of that special stuff you mentioned H either way!

I love my little Acer, I really hope I haven't killed it!

I've taken a few pics to show what it looks like.

Mine wasn't the soil because it was put in a ericaceous bed with several others, the rest of them were fine but sometimes the purple ones can get scorched, moisture on the leaves acts as a magnifying glass in the sun. You can also use ericaceous plant food.

Some of the leaves do look like they're all curled up and dried out so that could be it. Thinking about it although the weather hasn't been hot, it's been very sunny during the mornings getting cloudier in the afternoon so that could explain it. It also looks to me like the colour is coming out of the leaves, not sure if that's due to the soil?

Anyway I'll buy some proper soil tomorrow and for now he's nice and safe indoors! God it's worse than having a puppy!

I had mine in a pot a couple of years ago & it got completly frazzled, but it was hanging on in there so I planted in the ground in the shade of a tree & it has flourished & quadrupled in size, so there is hope for yours

Yes I'm hoping that my panicking might have saved it! Looks like I'll have to keep it in a pot in the shade until I get a tree it can shelter under.

Have you given it a name yet? .......mine are all rescues....and are called Eric (taller) and Ernie (shorter and wide) Wedding cake....or WC for short......this is taller and the shape looks like a wedding cake...that is another rescue....then there is Baby green....because it was so small just a stick up and down when I got it and also green (others are red)