Homeowner Forum / Lawn and Garden / March 2007

I just had a seminar on trees (Master Gardener program) and one of the
things the instructor mentioned was that potted trees have ALWAYS been
potted.  They are grown in the pot from the beginning and their roots tend
to grow in a swirl rather than spread out like they should.  He said that
even after they are placed in the ground, the roots sometimes tend to
retain that swirl pattern and they will, eventually, be unable to feed the
tree properly and it will die.  

I don't know what you can do about it if that's the problem but if the tree
does dies maybe you can do a postmortum and check out the roots and let us
know if his theory is true.

One thing you might be doing wrong, although you didn't mention it, is
overwatering it while trying to save it.  You could be drowning it.  

Have you tried calling Gurney's and talking to them?  Someone there should
be able to give you some advice.

I think your tree is beginning to show signs of Verticillium Wilt. It's a
virus that nursery raised maples seem to be prone to. I had one in a pot
that had leaves showing the same symptoms as yours and pruned and babied it
for most of a year before I took a sample leaf to the extension service and
that's what they told me it had........get rid of it and don't compost, burn
or throw it away. There's no cure. Also don't plant another maple in the
same or near the same spot. It's a soil borne disease and doesn't go away.
There are some other plants that are susceptible to this so you can Google
the disease and see what they are, don't plant those in the same spot or pot
either.

Val

On Mar 30, 3:55 am, Charles Woolever <i...@existingstations.com>
wrote:

Charles,
I proposed the varegation solution because of the look of the yellow
area
Nitrogen/chlorosis and magnesium deficiency shows between the veins
A virus is usually very mottled, splotchy yellow. This appears to be
on the
leaf margin (?)
Sometimes in the presence/absence of light variegation varies.
Sun can cause it to show or some plants need shade for variegation to
show. Sometimes it takes a more mature plant. So that was a
possibility.

I think FW might also have suggested a good cause in the watering
situation, as
Abutilons need very good drainage.

What I would do with it is this: water it really well and let the
water run out
of the pot freely and leach out all the fertilizer salts. (which could
be causing
yellowing, too)  Then set it in bright light, but not direct sun until
the soil
becomes dry on the top inch. Then water again and let it recover from
the
cutting back. Then try watering it in the same manner:  water until it
runs
out the bottom of the pot and then let it dry out on the top.See what
it looks
like then.  If the yellow continues, you might try a very weak drench
with
Epsom salt, which promotes production of chlorophyll. If the yellow
goes
away, you have a solution. If the yellow stays, you might just have a
variegated plant!!
Good luck and let us know what happens
Emilie
My abutilon is a hybrid which is bright red-orange and is an outside
plant
which the hummers love. I just bought a pink one.
mle