What is going on with this Japanese Maple tree?

[l008com]

I grew this tree with two others from saplings last spring. They all grew well until summer it. I just assumed all trees like sun and water, so I put them in direct, all day sun. They got roasted and the two smaller ones died. This one you see was the largest and it survived.

So I bought it inside for the winter and this spring, I put it back outside. I put it in a spot that gets less sun. It gets morning sun but sometime in the early afternoon, it goes into the shade. It sprouted all these leaves this spring, it seemed like it was doing well. But then the leaves started to look unhealthy and it doesn't appear to be growing any more. What is going on with this thing? I really want to save it. I want to plant three of these trees in my yard, ideally someday before I'm dead. I'm growing them in large buckets because they have to be big enough that the rabbit infestation we have in MA doesn't eat them and kill them.

If I push down on the base of the tree, it feels spongey. If I do the same to the green maples next to it, they all feel rock solid.

Plenty of people have japanese maples in my area (Massachusetts), so its not like they can't survive here. So I don't know, any tree experts out there?

 

[Sluggy]

Probably watering problems. In the ground they like a lot of water like mine, but in a container it is more tricky to water correctly.

 

[l008com]

So are you suggesting too much water? Or too little water? Its been very dry out this year. And I do water them but not daily so I'd be surprised if it's overwatered. Unfortunately its too small to plant in the ground, the rabbits will destroy it, those little shits. It needs to be much taller before it goes in.

 

[Sheal]

They would be happier in the ground. I'd plant it and others you may invest in - in the ground and surround them with temporary fencing or netting to keep the rabbits away.

 

[Xraycer]

What did you use for soil? The wrong soil, in a planter, could prevent water from penetrating to the entire root system, or leaving the root water logged because it is not draining properly.
I got this one, as a tiny sapling from Walmart, for my wife as a Mother's day gift about 7 years ago. FYI, I live right on the NH/Mass border.

 

[dirty hands]

The Japanese maple i have likes it cool. I was warned that it can get root rot easily. I put an umbrella over mine to keep the sun off it when its hot out. Ive been trying to set up a misting system on a timer during the hottest part of the day too but then it cooled off so i took it down.

When i bought mine it was dying in the pot. It was on sale due to its condition. I had been watching it shrink in size for about a year at a local garden center.

Ive had it 2 years now and its just starting to adapt and look better. Last year I lost a couple feet off of it due to the very hot weather we had.

With the base being spongy im thinking root rot is an issue and the leaves look like mine did when it got to hot. The soil may be holding water to long. Just my guess.

 

[Meadowlark]

... Last year I lost a couple feet off of it due to the very hot weather we had.

You won't find many Japanese Maples in the ground in my area. Just too hot. Their upper limit is said to be 95 deg F and most summer days here are at or above that. Just does not work in this climate...outside.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

You won't find many Japanese Maples in the ground in my area. Just too hot. Their upper limit is said to be 95 deg F and most summer days here are at or above that. Just does not work in this climate...outside.

If you're willing to water, i think green japanese maples could be grown in the shade for you. Red ones are a lot harder

 

[nao57]

I liked the input the others gave. Japanese climate plants are used to bountiful water. Good luck.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

You won't find many Japanese Maples in the ground in my area. Just too hot. Their upper limit is said to be 95 deg F and most summer days here are at or above that. Just does not work in this climate...outside.

I talked to my brother, he recommended acer oliverianum or it's hybrid with palmatum for the Texas heat. Says he'll have some ready this fall/winter. I imagine they would still require water, at least during a bad drought, but I've seen korean maple pseudosieboldianum live for several years in Kentucky sans water

 

[l008com]

So I rotated my planting "table" so the greens are still in the sun but the red will go into the shade a lot more earlier in the day. Hopefully that saves it. Although now its not going to catch any rain so ill have to water it more often.

 

[Meadowlark]

I talked to my brother, he recommended acer oliverianum or it's hybrid with palmatum for the Texas heat. Says he'll have some ready this fall/winter.

I'd give that a try for sure.

 

[cpp gardener]

I'm in inland SoCal, easily 100*+ most of the summer. They will grow here, sometimes in full sun, as long as they get some water. Just 3 times a week a good soak is usually sufficient. They prefer some shade and rich organic soil, but will survive less than ideal conditions. A thick layer of mulch goes a long way to making them happy.
Yours looks like the soil is too "soil" for in a container. It is probably staying too wet and doesn't have enough airspace in the rootzone. A more organic potting soil would be better.