I think I have made a big BOO BOO

I think Acers will do okay in most soils jeanie although some people do recommend ericaceous, I think as long as it’s not too alkaline it should be fine . Happy to be corrected though. I would maybe check the drainage in your planters.

I have had two Acers die on me they just don’t seem to like my garden at all the first one died the first year I put it in the second one lasted one season but I ve now noticed it’s going brown so think it’s on its way out boo hoo?

They don’t like rich soil. Maybe the MG compost is too rich for them. Avoid manure, and any fertiliser with a high nitrogen content is the kiss of death. I grew them successfully in my last garden - first in pots and then in the ground but here in this garden they are not happy. I have lost one and a recently bought one is struggling because our garden is exposed and they don’t like wind. I hope you get yours going and it gives you years of pleasure.

Ours are in ericaceous compost in tubs and seem to flourish with benign neglect. It could just be a reaction to being replanted jeanie or the wind which will make leaves brown at the edges. Don’t worry too much yet, keep an eye, you could always replant if you need to.

I would take it out asap jeannie as miracle gro is not for planting shrubs in.
John Innes No 3 with some bonemeal near the roots is ideal,
Or if acers need ericaceous compost, then use that.
If only just planted there is no harm to replant, it won’t have got going yet.

oh wow. we had a wonderful one when we lived in North Yorkshire. near Scarborough, I think it did so well cos I watered the yard area around it a lot,,, then when we sold and moved to Swindon, the new owners,, (peasants! lol) cut it down..
whatever.

now here we had one in a pot, and I watered it a lot, then the recent hot weather and I noticed the tips died off, so dh and I quickly planted it in the ground so now we are praying... never knew that about what to plant them in,, I think I put some good compost in... hope I haven`t over done it... but I do think they like lots of water, but that is just my experience..

I have four different Acer's which are absolutely thriving in my garden (one in the ground and three in tubs) but I never had much success with the purple/red one until my neighbour told me it was in the wrong place in the garden. Apparently the red/purple ones don't like the morning sun! She was absolutely spot on, I moved it to the other side of the garden and it is now thriving like the others. I never worry about what type of compost - I just mix whatever I have to hand with soil from the garden, never lost anything yet!

Maybe it's simply too big for the pot and needs to be planted out in the garden? We had two lovely acers in our previous garden (one red, one green) and they grew beautifully, without any special care other than pruning. They were there when we arrived and still there when we left, 25 years later. (We had a lot of rain!)

Have been watching the Chelsea flower show and their are some absolutely beautiful ones on the stands and in the show gardens of all sizes and colours. I have had several attempts to grow an Acer and failed each time, in two different gardens. Not sure exactly where I am going wrong but perhaps I will have another attempt. I don't seem to have a problem with other plants & shrubs.

I totally second Greyduster in the suggested John Innes number 3. Anything other than annuals should be in a long term soil solution and MG is just compost (peat based but that’s a separate environmental issue) with feed for 4-6 months added to it. So shrubs, trees etc need JI. As for your Acer, plant it in equal amounts of JI number 3 and ericaceous compost as it needs that. Then yearly scrape off the top few inches of soil and replace with some feed and more ericaceous compost. Good luck

I have looked at Acers on sale in the supermarkets just now. The lovely colour really is tempting. However don't know if they are the 'in' plant at the moment but they are on sale everywhere and seem so cheap which makes me think they have been force grown and will be delicate to grow. I may be wrong but I am resisting the temptation this year. Good luck with yours those.

I have three acres, one in the garden (red) and two in tubs (one red, one green). They are about 15 years old and thriving although we nearly lost one (the green one) a few years back. I researched online when it started dying and found that the slow release fertiliser I had given it as a treat wasn’t good for it at all. I had to remove it from the pot and wash away all signs of the fertiliser before repotting. They don’t like fertiliser. I do the same as pamhill4, scraping the top layer of soil off each year and replace with new compost. Good luck with yours jeanie99.

My sons bought me an Acer Palmatum which I loved but had to leave behind, with many other precious plants, when we returned to NZ. Very sad.

Then, when I worked for the City Council here, our Japanese sister city, Kakogawa, gave us a beautiful garden in traditional 15th century design and it too featured Acers.
I saw immediately that the site was far too windy and exposed for the gorgeous, glowing Maples to survive, although they may have if they'd been re-positioned behind the pagoda, or near the gate.
I tried so hard to persuade the Gardens department to move them but they refused - and of course the Acers died.
Doubly sad - because it was avoidable.

It’s possible your Acer was nipped by frost during the early hours a couple of weeks back! The new leaves are really sensitive to frost.

A mixture of acidy and regular compost is supposed to be the best.

I have had two lovely red Acers in pots, for many years. They seem to prefer a sheltered spot with not too much hot sun. They are simply in ordinary compost, and I throw a handful of feed and a bit of new compost around them each year. Sometimes the leaves get a bit nipped if we have a cold spell after they start to grow in the spring, but they soon recover.
I have noticed that they seem to be quite happy in pots that aren't too big. Mine have only been re-potted once, in about 10 years.

They don't like wind, they get windburn. Our purple one in a north facing front garden does well. However, last summer it suffered badly in the drought. I now give it a can of water every two or three days when we have a dry spell and that keeps it flourishing.

I have 3 in very large pots next to a pond- they are different colours & look gorgeous. They were planted in Ericaceous compost & fed them every Spring with MiracleGro food - it's the one for these type of plants. They must have been there for about 10 years & are thriving.

There was piece on Chelsea flower show mid week just about Acers. It was either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Look on iplayer.

I have several in different locations around the garden and in pots. 3 of them are in pots and over 8ft. Now they have grown that tall the wind and sun catches the top branches and scourched the leaves.
As others have said protect from sun and wind (my most successful ones are under the protection of other trees) keep moist in dry seasons and they will thrive!!

This is from the RHS website.

Japanese maples are ideal plants for growing in containers. Plant in a loam-based compost, which allows good drainage and has a high percentage of organic matter, such as John Innes No 2 or John Innes Ericaceous.

Keep the compost evenly moist, but not soaking wet and feed in spring and early summer with a slow-release fertiliser or liquid feed.

Your maples will need repotting into a slightly bigger container every couple of years. April or September are ideal months to do this.

The roots of maples in pots are vulnerable to frost over winter, so wrap containers with a sheet of bubble wrap, held in place with garden twine.

I hope you have success. It's far to windy here for them to grow, but they are beautiful trees.

Yesterday I became a proud owner of a green Acer, after watching the Chelsea Flower Show the other evening, I just couldnt resist treating myself ( Husband doesnt know how much I payed for it).We live in Sweden and I cant leave it out in the winter, but I wonder how or where I should keep it during the winter, indoors will be too warm I expect, we have a conservatory which isnt heated in the winter, has anyone any suggestions please.

Acers are pretty good in most soils, but do best in acidic soils, just like you are using. Brown leaves usually occur when it's under watered, or the wind causes leaves to burn at the edges. It rather enjoys a cup of tea, no sugar or milk.

If you have it straight into the pot from the shop in which it was bought it may not have hardened off enough?

Also the sun has been quite hot, well it has here in the north mids, just could have scorched a few leaves. Try it in the shade for a week or so. Was looking at some in morrisons this morning, they were lovely delicate little plants.

Hope it recovers.