AusBonsai

Hi everyone,
I only have a couple of Japanese Maples in my collection, and both are showing the same odd characteristics with this early Spring growth.
Here in northern New South Wales, we are experiencing an early Spring this year for a lot of species, and my Japanese Maples were the first to leaf out, but the leaves are quite pale and show this mottled bumpy profile in all the leaves.
I'm clueless as to what it is or what might be causing the issue, so if anyone can shed some light please....

What feeding regime is it on? Has it recently had any fertiliser/tonic/seasol?

The most odvious thing would be that it's had wet roots over winter and is suffering a bit.

looks like it needs a complete fertilizer--to build up the trace elements

Looks like chlorosis to me. Maybe I'm wrong though. If it is try adding a little bit of iron chelate (I think) to your water.

i am with Andrew on this. Iron deficiency.

Get out the osmocote and give everything a spring feed.

Paulneill wrote:The most odvious thing would be that it's had wet roots over winter and is suffering a bit.

Paul, It is in a deep pot and you could be spot on re wet roots over winter. Can you give me some advice on where to go from here.
Repot into shallower pot and add more drainage?

Guy wrote:looks like it needs a complete fertilizer--to build up the trace elements

Thanks Guy.... which complete fert would you recommend?
I hear this term a lot "complete fert", but no one is prepared to say an actual brand name for some reason?? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Just let it dry out more between watering ,only water in the morning .
Tilt the pot after watering to help it drain more.
If its not in full sun gradually move it into it over a few weeks.

SteveW wrote:i am with Andrew on this. Iron deficiency.

Get out the osmocote and give everything a spring feed.

Steve, It was given a handful of slow release just before winter, which I do just to help build up stores for winter, but have always been told to wait until new Spring growth has hardened off before starting the fert program for the upcoming season......

Paulneill wrote:Just let it dry out more between watering ,only water in the morning .
Tilt the pot after watering to help it drain more.
If its not in full sun gradually move it into it over a few weeks.

Cheers Paul...
Being as Maples are your favourite species, can you tell me what your soil mix consists of for your maples?

Shane martin wrote:It was given a handful of slow release just before winter, which I do just to help build up stores for winter, but have always been told to wait until new Spring growth has hardened off before starting the fert program for the upcoming season......

Just something worth checking depending on which slow release it was that you have applied, there are some that do not release much at all during the colder months and only when soil temps go above 20 degC.

All my trees are in a mix of diatomite , zeolight and pumice. Maples and most deciduous trees like to be a little more wet aparently So some added coco peat wouldnt hurt.
I also give them full sun. but move them to somewhere more sheltered on 30 deg + days.

Paulneill wrote:All my trees are in a mix of diatomite , zeolight and pumice. Maples and most deciduous trees like to be a little more wet aparently So some added coco peat wouldnt hurt.
I also give them full sun. but move them to somewhere more sheltered on 30 deg + days.

Thanks for that Paul,
That just confirms for me that I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary soil mix wise.... using similar mix and all my trees are in full sun.
I think the wet feet may have been just a little too wet, and the nutrients in the mix may have been a bit depleted. Would you see anything wrong with a fortnightly Powerfeed/Seasol mix to kick its feed program off?

Re: feeding. I do it all the time. Seasol and gogog juice on alternate weeks, pelletised "roses only" just gone on and refreshed in about 3 months, liquid powerfeed every other week plus some trace elements once a month in the warmer parts of the year. I stick to Walter pall's philosophy- totally inorganic substrate, water often and feed heavily.

Cheers

H