I have a red maple 10-12 years old. In the past few years the leaves turn yellowish with the veins remaining dark green. New leaves at the end of branches appear scorched. Other red maples in the area have the same symptoms. A recent home soil test kit showed the soil to be slightly acidic. What can I do about this problem?

Hello Bern:

You are describing a common problem among red maples. The dark green is cholorphyll that produces the food for the tree. The tree is not able to aquire the right minerals from the soil profile to create the chlorophyll in the entire leaf or there are vascular problems inhibiting the trees ability to move those minerals upward into the canopy. If the trunk is sound, I suggest you have a soil test done through a laboratory to confirm your findings. A commercial test is going to be more accurate than a home test. A soil pH of 6.5 is preferable. A ph can be lowered by the use of soil sulfur distributed throughout the soil below the canopy. The new leaves are being "scorched" as the cell walls are not healthy because they do not contain chlorophyll and other essential elements. The two minerals that are often missing in quantity are Iron or Magnesium.

Sincerely, Richard