I’m guessing you’re referring to the lovely Japanese Maples, Kate.  I have four and am not an expert by any means. I’ve noticed that for mine, exposure, protection is a key element. The most exposed one kept dying back and finally succumbed a few years back.  The best placed one, Orangeola, has flourished, though did develop an empty spot in its canopy last year that I’m hoping will fill in this year.

If placement isn’t the issue, then you might consider verticillium wilt.  Many sites mention that as a problem for Acer palmatum. Here’s one that might help:

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/prevent-twig-dieback-japanese-maples-22287.html

 

Kitty

 

From: owner-perennials@hort.net [mailto:owner-perennials@hort.net] On Behalf Of Kate Harrison
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2020 3:46 AM
To: perennials@hort.net
Subject: Re: The therapeutic value of the garden in trying times

 

What causes dieback in Acers, in the ground and in pots?

Thanks!

Katex

Sent from my iPad

On 28 Mar 2020, at 07:43, Kate Harrison <929504fc1@rewrite.hort.net> wrote:

I like  that Kitty, thankyou!

I love gardening, always have since childhood watching my parents. Dad worked on the planting veg and flowers some days we took flowers t o school, mum did the weeding. I can’t get down to plant these days so everything is in pots  The Fitilaria is in flower just now, Acer is opening it’s leaf. Forest Flame is red now. The red Lobelia is coming up. All my pots have food pellets to last for six months.

You’ll never be nearer to God than in your gardens, have a successful gardening year everyone.

Katex

Sent from my iPad

On 28 Mar 2020, at 02:13, Don Martinson <101k@rewrite.hort.net> wrote:

My garden(s) have always been and will always be “works in progress”

 

We’re expecting about one and one half inches of rain the next few days, so no garden clean up then.  But finally a string of 50F days next week.  I need to get my hands dirty!

 

Don M

On Mar 27, 2020, at 8:25 PM, Kitty Morrissy <1*@rewrite.hort.net> wrote:

 

Thought this might hit home for many of you:

The therapeutic value of the garden in trying times

By 

Adrian Higgins 

Columnist

March 24, 2020 at 7:00 a.m. EDT

Full article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/gardening-self-isolating-coronavirus/2020/03/23/30bae166-6a08-11ea-9923-57073adce27c_story.html?utm_campaign=pw_acq_032720&utm_medium=email&utm_source=acquisition&wpmk=1

 

If someone were to say I must self-isolate in the garden for the next few weeks, I would shake him or her by the hand. If I could. Here’s a thumbs up from a distance of six feet or more.

The neighborhood sidewalks and nature trails are thronged with the cabin-fevered, so what better place to be outdoors and yet away from others than in your backyard and garden?...

…The mark of a true gardener is a person who does not see a finished landscape but a series of tasks that need to be tackled. This isn’t as onerous as it sounds because it gets to the essential elements of gardening: creativity, honest toil and the satisfaction of a job well done. Aches and pains come along for the ride, but that’s why we have bathtubs.

Just as many of us have been able to compartmentalize ourselves from the coronavirus, we should divide our gardening into a series of discrete tasks or projects. Without that focus, it can become overwhelming. A little every day will accrue to a garden transformation by May….

Kitty