Winter might be exhausting on all of us.
Positive, the snow might be lovely and there’s a sure magic to the dormant season, however generally these heavy falls and exhausting freezes can do a quantity on our gardens.
For Japanese maples particularly, hostile climate situations may cause some vital dieback and different injury.
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Should you’ve ever handled dieback earlier than, you realize that it may be mystifying. Why had been your timber fantastic one winter, and broken in one other?
Our information to rising Japanese maples covers all it’s worthwhile to know to take care of species within the Acer genus.
On this information, we’re going to debate what causes this widespread drawback and what you are able to do about it.
Right here’s every part we’ll cowl up forward:
Strap on these mittens and put in your warmest coat, as a result of we’re heading into the freeze.
What Causes Winter Harm in Japanese Maples?
It’s not the chilly that causes essentially the most injury to Japanese maples. It’s freezing adopted by thawing that occurs again and again all through the chilly months.
Because the cells contained in the plant freeze, thaw, and refreeze, it reduces the tree’s potential to naturally face up to chilly climate.
Consider this as one thing alongside the traces of the antifreeze in a automobile if it had been regularly draining out.
Sooner or later, there isn’t sufficient “antifreeze” to maintain your plant protected both and that results in issues.
This causes injury and generally demise of the stems and branches. It could additionally injury or kill the creating leaf buds.
Winter injury can also be attributable to excessive wind, heavy snow, or freezing and thawing soil, along with repeated fluctuations within the air temperature. And it may be attributable to dehydration as nicely.
Whereas we would not sometimes take into consideration our timber and different perennial crops needing moisture in the course of the chilly months, when you have an unusually dry spell it may possibly definitely hurt them.
Bushes that leaf out earlier within the spring than different sorts are significantly vulnerable to break as a result of they could begin rising from dormancy earlier than the climate is able to cooperate.
A late freeze can kill all these rising leaf buds.
Younger specimens and people in containers are significantly in danger. These in containers are extra uncovered to the chilly plus the drying results of the solar and wind.
You may assume that dieback gained’t occur as a result of your plant has been rising in the identical location for many years.
Certainly it’s fantastic, proper? It should be one thing else. Simply understand that climates can regularly change over time and you may expertise excessive climate occasions at any time.
Simply since you’ve planted a kind that’s completely comfortable in your USDA Hardiness Zone, that doesn’t imply you gained’t expertise temperatures out of the norm.
What Does It Look Like?
There’s no level in searching for injury in the course of the winter months.
It’s actually exhausting to inform the distinction between indicators of dormancy and damage, and at this stage we are able to by no means inform which stems may very well get well and which can quit the ghost.
Watch for the leaves to bud and kind earlier than you’re taking motion.
Then, search for useless branches, shriveled leaves, black stems, leaf drop, black or brown leaves, or damaged branches. You must also look ahead to peeling bark.
Generally a department will probably be alive nevertheless it gained’t develop leaves in a selected 12 months, so don’t use that as your solely figuring out issue.
Strive gently bending a department earlier than culling it. If it bends relatively than breaking, and it’s the identical shade as the encircling branches, it’s most likely nonetheless alive.
In fact, any of those signs is also associated to one thing else, like a pest infestation or illness.
But when the issue is simply impacting one department and the remainder of the tree appears fantastic, you may often chalk it as much as winter injury.
Should you had a very unusual winter with heavy snow adopted by sunny, heat days and shock heavy freezes, that makes it all of the extra possible.
Coping with Winter Dieback
I like discovering clear indicators of winter dieback greater than discovering proof of pests or illnesses as a result of it’s so easy to cope with: Simply eliminate the broken elements!
When you take away the useless elements, the tree will proceed rising as if nothing occurred… often.
Prune off any useless parts utilizing a clear pair of pruners or a noticed. You don’t need to seal the cuts.
An enormous downside right here is that generally eradicating these useless elements of the tree drastically modifications its look.
If that’s the case, be at liberty to form the remainder of the tree as wanted to attempt to restore steadiness.
Don’t take away greater than 1 / 4 of the entire aboveground progress – together with the stuff that died – all at one time.
It would take just a few years to get the plant again in form, however you don’t wish to contribute additional stress to an already burdened tree.
In case your Japanese maple has misplaced a good portion of its progress, your finest wager is to present it as a lot safety and help as you may to assist it survive the pressure and produce new branches.
DeWitt Tree Wrap
Younger tree trunks might be wrapped in white reflective guards to guard them from sunscald a standard drawback after pruning and cold-weather injury.
Decide up 50 ft of three-inch wrap from DeWitt at Arbico Organics.
Prevention Suggestions
Defending timber from injury within the chilly months begins within the fall.
Through the winter when the bottom is frozen, you may anticipate your specimen to cease shedding water, however that’s not the case.
Water nonetheless evaporates by means of a course of known as transpiration and powerful winds could make this impact much more pronounced.
Give your timber ample water within the fall in order that they’re prepared for the winter. This helps them to resist the damaging results of chilly climate.
After I say ample, I don’t imply drown the poor issues. Present them with the really useful quantity, however be sure you’re constant about it.
You may as well add a thick layer of leaf or straw mulch. 4 inches piled across the root zone of your Japanese maple is okay, simply don’t pile it up towards the trunk as this may encourage rot and illnesses.
Consider a donut form as an alternative. The middle needs to be empty with a hoop of mulch encircling the trunk.
Keep away from heavy pruning, feeding, or overwatering within the fall. This encourages vigorous progress late within the season, which may result in dieback.
Don’t Let Winter Put a Damper on Your Backyard Design
Usually, when you plant a Japanese maple in the fitting space of your panorama and provides it correct care, you gained’t need to cope with too many points.
However winter dieback is a type of issues that’s troublesome to forestall or shield your crops from.
Generally it’s important to let nature do what it must do. However when you comply with the ideas on this information, you may reduce the affect it’ll have in your crops.
Did you uncover indicators of winter dieback in your tree this 12 months? What are your plans for stopping injury within the coming 12 months? Share your suggestions and recommendation within the feedback.
Japanese maples are fascinating and storied timber, and it looks as if there’s at all times one thing new to find out about them.
Should you agree, you may be eager about studying these guides subsequent:
© Ask the Consultants, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for extra particulars. Initially revealed January 20, 2023. Final up to date November 8, 2025. Product photograph by way of Arbico Organics. Uncredited images: Shutterstock.
