| Re: Sickly Acer
Unfortunately, Acer negundo and its variagated clones of which there are at least two doing the rounds under the name 'Flamingo' are often not very vigorous plants and often suffer from dieback. If they have a good healthy rootball and are sited in good loam soil, they can produce reasonably good plants but are usually best coppiced at least every other year ie back to either the ground in Spring or at least to heavy wood. This will encourage strong wand-like shoots with bigger than normal leaves.
Feed the plant heavily twice each year with an organic fertiliser. Autumn and late Spring should be good.
There is also a relatively new product on the market called Rootgrow which you can now (should be available) get from most garden centres. It contains five species of Glomus michorrizal fungi so one of the five should be a suitable partner to the Acer. Once established on the roots (usually after a couple of weeks from planting) you will get a far stronger and healthier rootball and therefore a better plant on top. You wont need any top ups either as it will stay with the Acer for the rest of its life.
Steve.  |