The summer heat could be ruining your Japanese maples, causing their leaves to scorch and drop off - here's how to fix the problemThe summer heat could be ruining your Japanese maples, causing their leaves to scorch and drop off - here's how to fix the problem (Image: Getty Images)Japanese maples are a gorgeous plant to brighten up your garden with beautiful and vibrant red leaves. While they may add a pop of colour during the summer, the season’s weather and conditions can put the plant’s leaves - and health - under threat. If Japanese maples are not kept in the correct conditions, the vibrant red leaves can become scorched, shrivelling up and dropping off. In severe cases, leaf scorch can lead to premature leaf drop and even dieback of small branches. When this happens, the leaves won’t grow back until next year. In a recent TikTok video, gardening expert Michael Griffiths said: “If the leaves on your acer are turning brown and crispy, it’s not the end of the world. It’s called scorch, but it is fixable. So here are three causes and how to fix them.”
Japanese maples don't like being placed in direct sunlight
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Getty Images)
How to keep Japanese maples safe during summer The first culprit is the plant getting too much sun in the garden. When the plant’s leaves are exposed to too much heat and sunlight, they could lose their vibrant red colour, but also crisp up and fall off. Michael explained that Japanese maples like “dappled or partial” shade. If your Japanese maple is planted in a pot, manoeuvre it into a spot where direct sunlight can’t reach it. The second issue is that the plant could be dried out. Michael said: “Acers like moist but well-drained soil. They don’t like sitting in the wet, but they hate drying out even more. “Potted acers especially can dry out in summer, so keep them well watered and never dry.”
