My tree is shedding, dropping most of the bark off in just a matter of 7-10 days. What causes this and how can I repair the damage to prevent future shedding?
There are many things that can cause this, including that it is a normal process. Some maple trees, like the paperbark maple, naturally loss bark. If your variety of maple is not one that naturally exfoliates its bark, this article will help you pinpoint the disease it might have:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/maple/maple-tree-bark-disease.htm
Our maple trees planted 10 years ago have suckers. We cut them off several times each summer. How do we stop the growth all together?
Here is an article that you may find helpful: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/tree-sucker-removal-and-tree-sucker-control.htm
What can I feed this tree? My driveway has been inundated with these acers. They are dried like a fall leaf. I am hoping there is nothing wrong with my tree. I have noticed the squirrels were breaking off green, healthy leaves this spring in large amounts.
It is hard to diagnose a tree without seeing it. As a general rule, you can give it some balanced fertilizer and treat it with a pesticide and fungicide (I like neem oil as it is both in one spray). This should fix many issues it may have. If the tree still shows decline after these treatments, you will want to have a arborist come and take a look at it so they can better diagnose the issue.
We had a straight-line wind. My two 10-year-old Maples are split (cracked, but not broken) at the first Y. We have them strapped, hoping both sides of the Y will survive. I understand the tree can be bolted together with a long bolt. Is that true? Can I do that? The strap can't stay on forever. What are our alternatives?
You can try using a bolt split branch to the main trunk by installing long bolts through the trunk to pull the split back together and strengthen it. You can also install a cable through the branches above the split to prevent them from sagging and re-stressing the split. Any hardware you put in the tree will be eventually grown around and become a permanent part of the trunk.
I would like to know how to prune an overgrown red maple tree. It has outgrown its place, but we would like to keep it, only in a smaller form. It is currently over 15 ft. tall, and its branches grow into the side of the house. I would like to know when and how much can be pruned.
A maple’s natural form is a rounded. Since they need very little pruning, you should only "train" for developing a leading shoot, which will eventually become the dominant shoot that establishes the tree's framework. Maples should not be pruned in spring and will bleed profusely if this is done. Therefore, it is best to wait to until late summer or early autumn to prune, and only on a young tree. You would typically not prune an older, overgrown tree unless absolutely necessary, and only then take off no more than a third of its growth within a given year.
Our red leaf maple tree is dying slowly. The bottom branches are dead. We thought it was the tree lichen but they say lichen will not kill a tree. It is so beautiful in the fall, we hate to lose it. Any suggestions?
What other symptoms are you seeing on the tree? Are the leaves yellowing? Are there any unusual things on the tree, like peeling bark, leaf spots, powdery substances? About how old is the tree? Let us know and we can better identify what is hurting the tree.
I live in a rental house in Bedford, VA that has a huge old Maple. The roots stick up out of the ground about 5-6 in. This makes it very hard to mow. Will it hurt the tree if I was to put soil or sand around the roots to build up the area and make it level? I have back problems and it is getting very hard for me to maneuver the mower around the roots.
This article may help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/exposed-tree-roots.htm