Dying (or dead) Japanese Maple Tree

[kcd1757]

About 4 months ago I had a Japanese Maple Tree replanted from my parents house. They are re-doing their pool area and their were two maple trees in the way of the new deck, I wanted to take one and my dad wanted to relocate the other on the same property. I got a few quotes from the area to relocate it and most were trying to charge me around $1200 to move it. The company that was building the deck offered to move them as part of contract - they are a landscaping company so I figured it would be fine and just went with them.

I wasn't there the day they moved mine but I watched it back on my parents cameras because there was a ton of damage on the tree after they replanted it at my place. They basically couldn't get their backhoe arm around the edges so they tried to push it through the branches of the tree and dig it up from the opposite side. The ball was not very big and they scratched up the trunk + damaged a bunch of the branches.

They dropped it in a hole I pre-dug. I used Fertilome Concentrate Root Stimulator on it, back filled it and put a few yards of mulch around it (trying not to volcano it). For the first few months I watered it often and it seemed to be doing fine.. but here in NJ we've been having severe heat waves and it started to dry up. I tried watering it more often during those days and I tried using slow release fertilizer but it's still trying up, to the point where I think it might be too late:

https://photos.fife.usercontent.goo...5wrC2gh9cB6XdKg=w1409-h793-s-no-gm?authuser=0

https://photos.fife.usercontent.goo...I5OWc4xn53RBZ2zg=w446-h793-s-no-gm?authuser=0

It gets slightly less sun in the new spot but for the most part the conditions are similar. I'm thinking it's lost at this point? Or does it look recoverable?

FWIW my father's tree is flourshing and he also used the root stimulator and watered it roughly the same amount as mine. The only difference is that he used way more mulch and doesn't have a dog sitting on the mulch each day (my dog likes to sleep under the tree - he doesn't pee on it or anything though) - he basically flattened the mulch I put down.

Idk - just looking for any advice at this point or maybe its a lost cause.

 

[dandan111]

What kind of light? Full sun? Will the branches still bend or do they snap?

 

[kcd1757]

What kind of light? Full sun? Will the branches still bend or do they snap?

It get's some sun between 8-9:30, then shade till around 2PM, then from 2 onward it gets full sun till around 5:30PM

9AM:

~2PM:

So the more "dead" shriveling leaves branches, those branches snap. The ones that are a little more lush are still very bendy.

 

[kcd1757]

Anyone else have anything that can help?

If it's too late, what do you think I should replace it with? My dog likes sleeping under the tree.

 

[dandan111]

It looks unhappy. I’d say too much sun not enough water. Buy a water ring to go around the base. I don’t think it’s dead yet. Get it to fall and maybe she’ll survive.

 

[kcd1757]

It looks unhappy. I’d say too much sun not enough water. Buy a water ring to go around the base. I don’t think it’s dead yet. Get it to fall and maybe she’ll survive.

Do you think I should trim the dead branches or provide it with new mulch/fertilizer?

 

[dandan111]

I’d maybe pull any weeds, charge the water ring put it down and leave it alone for now.

 

[capetrees]

Trim back the deads, keep it watered but don't drown it and give it till next spring. It's only been 4 months. It went through a lot of shock being transplanted and then had to go through a very hot summer.

Give it time.

 

[kcd1757]

Thanks for the replies I'll keep watering it.. I bought a tree ring and cut back some of the dead ones but they entire tree is crispy now. Every single leaf looks like the one in the picture below.

That being said the tree is still very green under the bark so I guess it can come back possibly.

I feel bad for it but it was last minute that we had to move it. Didn't have much time to shop around for better prices or just do it myself.

Anyway thanks!

 

[dandan111]

Some guys say not to because of mold but you could sprinkle it
and maybe soften the leaves.

 

[JMcMahonJr]

Hi, before you start adding any fertilizer to your tree, get a soil test see exactly what you may or may not need. I agree with the other responses about the summer heat, need for water and the transplant shock. Good luck!

 

[kcd1757]

Hi, before you start adding any fertilizer to your tree, get a soil test see exactly what you may or may not need. I agree with the other responses about the summer heat, need for water and the transplant shock. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply.

Not sure it's going to make it at this point:

This is my tree vs my fathers:



His tree does get slightly less sun but we watered them both basically the same amount. Mine took a lot more damage during the move though.

Going to keep going with it and see what happens in Spring but right now the leaves are extremely crispy. The branches have a little bit of bend to them and still seem slightly green underneath the bark but if I push them too far they snap easily compared to my father's tree.

I'll see about getting a soil sample.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Let's just take a breath... this is a classic case of transplant shock... basically a case of too few roots trying to support too much tree. It was transplanted poorly, and nothing can undo that. Japanese maples are delicate anyway, and don't transplant well. At this point, all you can do is give it time, and let it do it's thing. I would avoid fertilizer, or any drastic measures. You will probably see some fairly dramatic dieback, no matter what. Good news is you are through the worst of the summer, and fall and winter are your friend... just don't kill it with kindness.

 

[capetrees]

Do you see ANY green leaves emerging at all anywhere?