Possible Issue with an Acer 'Bloodgood' Tree

Hello all

I Hope you are Well.

I have an Acer 'Bloodgood' Tree in a Sheltered area of the Back Garden which has thrived in previous Years.

This Year, only Half of the Tree is Leafing, there are Buds on the other Half but they are not opening.

I have also noticed a Fluffy like substance on sections of the Tree and from what I have been able to find it says that it could be Spider Mites.

I have Sprayed the Tree with the Hose just to clear the Fluffy Growths and any Bugs present, however, that is far from a permanent solution.

Is there a Commercial Product that treats Bugs etc. on Acers or any other solutions?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

'Bloodgood' is the only acer I have lost and it wasn't after a severe winter either. One year it was absolutely fabulous and stone dead the following Spring.

 

Hi

Acer do occasionally have a branch/s that die off , best to cut out , re the fluffy growths they will be scale insect , try and squish if you can they feed off the sap of the host tree, they can be a nightmare as were I could only park the car in work it was under a lime tree that would be covered in them which produce a sticky poo .

 

Hello

Thanks for the Replies.

I have Sprayed the Acer with a Bug Killer that I found in the Shed, it is not specifically for Scale Insects but....

Now I know that the Fluffy Growths are Scale Insects I will look at getting a Specific Treatment for them.

Thanks

Kevin

 

Fluffy growth could be woolly Aphids, treatment is the same. It's been so dry this past weeks in most parts of the country. Acers tend to have very fine surface roots. If there is no rain for as little as 2 weeks they may need more watering even when planted in the ground. It depends on how established it is and how exposed the site is. Remember they are naturally woodland edge plants.

 

Hello all

I Hope you are Well.

The Acer 'BloodGood' still has no New Growth on one of its Branches and the other Branch that has Leaves looks poorly, however, there is quite a bit of Healthy New Growth lower down.

This is how the Tree looks now:



And this is a Photo of the Healthy New Growth lower down:



So, at least the Tree is not Dead which is Good, obviously

Any suggestions on any course of action I should be taking to Help the Tree?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

The new growth could be from below the graft point. If so, and it continues to grow well from there, it won't turn out to be what you expect, ie - the plant you initially put in.
However, if the foliage matches the top, and it's above the graft, then all is fine.
You can improve the surrounding soil by adding good organic matter - leaf mould and shredded bark are good, but avoid the immediate area at the trunk. You can also add some ericaceous compost if your soil isn't brilliant. I take it the soil isn't alkaline in the area?

Acers need water [rain preferably] and plenty of it, but also decent drainage. Don't be tempted to add food until it's actually growing well and thriving. A liquid seaweed feed is good at that point.

If you get woolly aphid or scale again, just scrub them off with water, with a tiny drop of dish soap, rather than using chemical sprays. A nail brush or similar is ideal.

 

Hello @fairygirl

Thanks for the Reply.

I have just checked and the New Growth, which matches the Top Growth, is definitely above the Graft Point as can be seen here:



Thanks

Kevin

 

That's great @Kevin Cowans - I couldn't decide from the photo, so the new one helps. The new growth looks sound which is promising.
I think I'd just do what I suggested re the addition of good organic matter around the general area, and make sure it doesn't dry out over the next few months.
I can see lots of other planting - ferns and Japanese anemones [?] which will be taking quite a bit of moisture, and being near a fence - that can also be a drier spot, so it pays to check regularly to see that it's not dried out lower down. When you water, do it right in at the base for a good time, and that's the ideal time to then add the mulch.
That branch on the right hand side may not recover. Then it's a question of what you do about it. You may have to remove it over autumn/winter, which would be a shame, as it would alter the overall shape/look of the tree. Just keep an eye on it over then ext few months to see what it's doing.
I hope it continues to improve for you though.

 

Hello @fairygirl

Thanks for the Reply.

You say that the Branch on the Right which has no Leaves will probably need removing in Late Autum(ish), what about the Branch on the Left, whilst it has Leaves it is very sparse and some Side Branches have no Leaves.

As an Extreme Measure, can it be Hard Pruned to just above the New Growth Lower Down and let it regenerate from there?

Regarding Watering, I use Drip Line, the Brown Hose in the Photo, I have now added another length of Drip Line which tees off the Main Line which goes around the Back of the Tree to provide more uniform Watering.

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

I don't know if Bloodgood is particularly sensitive, but it's the only one I have lost. It was great for several years then died over one, not very severe, winter.

 

I can't comment on drip hoses @Kevin Cowans because it's not something I've ever needed here. I would rather do a good can of water every few days though, if you're in a drier area. The soil condition is what really matters, and a nice rich, free draining soil, is what to aim for. Regular mulching will also help to retian the moisture.
I think you may have to bite the bullet and prune it back in winter. It's difficult to say because it could just turn up it's toes, but you could try doing one section this winter, and then, if it manages to thrive next year, do the same to another bit. Always cut back to healthy wood if you decide to go for it, but I'd take it slowly if you decide to prune hard, and not do the whole thing at one go. It's possible that it's been struggling for a while though.

As far as I'm aware, it isn't a particularly difficult variety @KT53 . It's certainly one of the most common ones sold, but it can simply be the general conditions/climate that would make it fail, or if it just wasn't a terribly healthy specimen to start with. They're very common round here, and sold in every outlet that stocks plants - from GCs and nurseries to supermarkets and DIY stores.

 

Yes I agree I find Blood good one of the more vigorous ones.
I wonder if that many drippers is a bit much, they want to be moist not wet. We lost an Acer that was below the patio in a sheltered corner and I think it just drowned with the run off, the winter before last and the following spring were very wet.

 

Hello

Thanks for the Replies.

@fairygirl

What is the best way to determine if the Branches are Dead?

Maybe a Stupid Question, but.....

The Branches that are not Leafing are still Flexible, i.e. they do not Break when Bent, I would of thought that if a Branch was Dead that it would not be so flexible, is that not Correct?

@Allotment Boy

I thought the same regarding the Number of Drippers, however, before I added the extra length of Drip Hose around the Back of the Tree it was suffering with Leaf Scorch, I could of just increased the amount of Time that the Drip Irrigation is on but doing that would then provide too much Water to the other Planting.

After adding the extra Length of Drip Hose and the Three Extra Drippers the Leaves feel much Better, i.e. no Brown Tips etc.

I have now Reduced the Time the Drip Irrigation is On and it now provides 2.3L to the Tree per Day rather than the previous 3.45L per Day.

Thanks

Kevin

 

I had bloodgood in a pot for years and never did anything special for it. When I planted it it was just left to its own devices. It does get random dead branches but has plenty of new growth every year. Cut of the dead branch in winter but never beyond a couple of nodes before the main trunk.

It's very tall now, it's slow growing and took 20 years to get to 15-20 feet.