AusBonsai

Hello,

I have had a Japanese Maple for 20 odd years and I think I have done for it.I root pruned it late winter and all was well when it started shooting...Unfortunately the shoots have turned black and died and there are secretions (not many) coming from the buds. Also the pot has stayed wet.
Any suggestions? Please?

Regardsbillie

Posts: 1
Joined: 51 minutes ago
Location: australia
Bonsai Age:
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Do you have a photo?

Must be somthing i the air as I have lost 5 Japanese maples this year
2 of them just turned black and rotted. Ray and Clinton Nesci think this it is a fungus so I will be getting some Stuff to stop it. Apparenlty it is applied via watering in 2 times a year.
The 3 others all were attributed to Curl grub eating their way thru the roots. Found them during repotting, but obviously was too late

Sorry i did ot get an photos.

Ken

billie wrote:Hello,

I have had a Japanese Maple for 20 odd years and I think I have done for it.I root pruned it late winter and all was well when it started shooting...Unfortunately the shoots have turned black and died and there are secretions (not many) coming from the buds. Also the pot has stayed wet.
Any suggestions? Please?

Regardsbillie

Posts: 1
Joined: 51 minutes ago
Location: australia
Bonsai Age:
Private message

Im sorry to hear about your loss. Did the leaves wilt and then go black? I have a feeling its too late to put some fongarid. Some fungus in the soil which thrive on hot and humid conditions may have cotributed to it after the root prune. In future just water heavily once after a root prune and let it be on the slightly dry side before rewatering. Also with old maples after a root prune, is best to deliberately water fongarid into the new soil after a root prune, even before any signs of wilting. I use this as a preventative. I have a couple of old japanese maple cultivars, ones 44 years old and the other is 35 years old and so far they seem to be doing well using this approach.

That stuff might help me with my possible fungus issues I will keep an eye out for it.

I've lost a few J maple this spring due to the hot winds we had during the big dust storm, it burnt off the new soft shoots, severely weakening the plants. The roots seem to go into shock, probably because all the apical hormones have disappeared overnight. I'm certain a fungus or bacteria infected some of these soft shoots as well. I think this because usually with root rot the tree dies from the ground up, sure the leaves wilt, but the bark mostly goes black from the bottom up. Some of my affected trees haven’t developed black bark anywhere yet. Whatever, this problem soon leads to wet soils, and then it's only a matter of time before a fungus does move into the roots.

I’m sure the dust brought in some sort of pathogen, as many of my J maple cuttings have been rotting where the leaves join onto the stem, not something I’ve had a big problem with in the past.

Move the trees into the shade, no direct sun, monitor soil moisture very carefully, place a layer of sphagnum moss or mulch on the surface of soil to keep soil moisture even throughout the pot. Cross your fingers and pray. If branches start going black from the shoots cut them off and treat wound with line sulfur. The tree will be weak for months, if it recovers, so watch out for over watering and too much direct sun.

Paul

I'm still working with a sick trident and won't know the final outcome until I defoliate in January but I had no help with Fongarid. Mancozeb seems to do better. The leaves are still deformed [naturally] but not black at the tips and new leaves are almost normal. It has been tested as being a fungal disease but has not hit my other three tridents.

I have noted this spring that my tridents are not growing as strongly as they did in past years. This is probably Murphy's Law in that I'm trying to develop the tops now that the lower branches are coming along and that is why I am noting the slower growth and lack of budding on the upper branches. Leaves seem healthy so I don't know if it is a cyclical thing that nature dictates or there is something brooding within. I'm watching intently.

Thanks All,
I think it is too late to save. It was budding but even this has stopped. It is very sad and dripping a few brown drops which are surprisingly large. The branches are also turning black(ish) so it looks terminal.

Better start again, it was only 20 odd years old.

Cheers,