Japanese Maple Leaves turning white and dry! HELP!

[awqrn]

HI,

I'm new to th forum and looking for some help.

I just bought some Japanese Maple trees. They are still in pots. All three about 3 feet tall. One is a crimson lace leaf and the others I don't know of the names, but they did have red leaves on them. Anyhow, we just went through a dry heat spell in our area for about three days at 90 degrees. The leaves are turning white and look really dry and shrivieled. I'm afraid they are dying.

Did I not water them enough or too much? I watered until water was coming out of the openings at the botton of the pot. I wanted to make sure all the soil was moist. How much should I be watering them in a normally 70 degree high climate.

Should I have planted them in the ground right away? It was just so hot I didn't feel like I could do it.

Should I add fertilizer to them to save them?

Thank you for your help.

[The Helpful Gardener]

How did you bring them home? In the back of a truck? Did you cover it? I have seen foliage windburned on the ride home show up just like that a day or two later...don't panic because it is just leaves right? No twig damage?

HG

[awqrn]

2 were purchased from Coscto. Another 2 purchase at HD. And yet another 2 from ebay. All bought home via minivan, expect the ebay purchases. It has been windy, and hot. I'm trying to keep them in the shade and keep them well watered. I just want to make sure it's a burn, not a disease. Thanks

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yea, white is leaf burn, there is usually other discolorations with fungal diseases. You can't leave foliage wet on hot sunny days, dry winds will dessicate young trees with less than established root systems, and like I said, covering leaves fro the trip home is a necessity (passed someone on the highway who had his Japnese maple popped up in his pick-uplike the mast on a sailing ship, leaves just whipping away on a pretty hot day. Guarantee there is not a leaf on it today... ). But that is not the case here...

Rest assured it is just cosmetic at this point, but it does point to other possible issues. The bark on Japanese maples is notoriously thin and sensitive and I have seen sun scald damage the bark badly on cutleaf maples, and obviously current issues show these trees prefer a bit of shade, especially mid afternoon. Be sure you can provide the right locale for these trees before you plant them, because the other way is just gonna be a heartbreaker...

HG

HG