Lacklustre Acer

[IWannaRock]

Can anyone help my solve the mystery of my acer?? I've had Alan for ten years. He's never been an exuberant character but gradually over the years he's gotten more depressed looking. He's been rehomed in a bigger pot, new soil, plant food...He's near the house so sheltered, gets sun until 1pmish. What am I doing wrong?!

I don’t feed my acer.

How big is the pot? Mine is currently in a 50l one and I’m going to transplant him into 70l in the spring.
It also looks like you have him in a pot within a pot, they don’t like standing in water. (Might just be my eyes)
Is he getting the heat of the day sun, they don’t really like that.
Do you have him in ericaceous compost, not essential but definitely preferably.

Put him in the shade for a few weeks, I don't think he's enjoying that position much. Don't overwater, but don't let him dry out completely either, and don't give him any more food - plants can't use plant food when they are sick, and if anything, it can make matters worse.

Does that outer pot have holes at the bottom, or does water collect in it?

Hmm, it's a knee high single pot but no holes in the bottom. I'll move him to the front of the house (no sun until this time of day) and buy a new pot and ericaceous soil tomorrow. Hopefully that helps, thank you!

@IWannaRock

Hmm, it's a knee high single pot but no holes in the bottom. I'll move him to the front of the house (no sun until this time of day) and buy a new pot and ericaceous soil tomorrow. Hopefully that helps, thank you!

He definitely needs drainage holes. He’s probably alright at the moment but they don’t like sitting in water and do get grumpy.

Good luck that does sound like a decent plan

Don’t buy a big pot for him, you only want the next size up. Potting up too big is not a bonus, he needs to develop strong roots rather than over- growing above ground (although that’s not looking too likely at the moment😆).

Make sure the pot has drainage and use free-draining soil mix (two thirds ericaceous and one third peat free is good). Don’t plant too deep.

I would put him somewhere more sheltered, make sure he doesn’t dry out (even though as above not sitting in water) and hope that he rallies. Do you know what variety he is?

Actually, you say he’s been rehomed to a bigger pot already - when, and how much bigger?

Ease him out of his pot and look at root concentration/visible soil. If the roots aren’t covering at the very least half the surface area when out of the pot, he doesn’t need to go up at all.

I suspect you’ve already potted him on too far and he needs to catch up. Put some pebbles under the inner pot to ensure drainage, put him in the shade, sheltered from the wind, and let him recover.

I had an acer in the front North facing garden for 7 years and it was about 1.5m high - I moved it to the south facing back garden next to a fence - more of less under the shadow of the trees of the house at the back - so it was in a far shadier position - it caught the morning sun in the front. Within 9 months it was a different tree and with 18 months it was flourishing. I didn't do anything with regard to the soil. It was, IMHO, all down to the location and what suited that particular type of acer. Do you have to have it in a pot? Could you plant it out? I'd try it in a far shadier spot.

Definitely needs drainage holes.

@Whitney168

Don’t buy a big pot for him, you only want the next size up. Potting up too big is not a bonus, he needs to develop strong roots rather than over- growing above ground (although that’s not looking too likely at the moment😆).

Make sure the pot has drainage and use free-draining soil mix (two thirds ericaceous and one third peat free is good). Don’t plant too deep.

I would put him somewhere more sheltered, make sure he doesn’t dry out (even though as above not sitting in water) and hope that he rallies. Do you know what variety he is?

No idea what type he is. He was a new home gift when I first moved out so he's moved around with me over the years.

@larkstar

I had an acer in the front North facing garden for 7 years and it was about 1.5m high - I moved it to the south facing back garden next to a fence - more of less under the shadow of the trees of the house at the back - so it was in a far shadier position - it caught the morning sun in the front. Within 9 months it was a different tree and with 18 months it was flourishing. I didn't do anything with regard to the soil. It was, IMHO, all down to the location and what suited that particular type of acer. Do you have to have it in a pot? Could you plant it out? I'd try it in a far shadier spot.

The front of our house is west facing and quite sheltered so I'll try him out there and see if that helps. He could go in the ground but I need to clear space and a redundant chicken coop!

I had a sad acer in a pot. He is much happier now I have put him in the ground in a very shady corner. He only gets the full sun for the first hour of the day and it seems to suit him much better. Could you find a shady place for your pot?