I just read the post about the "Wholesale Slaughter".

I am still unsure what to do and where to prune? This is all new to me. I need to learn fast to try to help these poor guys.

Searching via Google, I cannot find answers, so I come here waiting for advise.

TIA, and it's almost good to know I am not the only one going through the heartache.

Don't do anything. Let leaves drop naturally. Wait on the tree and see what it is going to do to recover. You should know by mid summer.

Dave

I agree with dcsteg - don't prune your maple yet. The good thing with maples is they have second buds that will leave out again.

I remember my JM leaves used to be scorched, so I rip off the burnt leave, to reveal the second bud. It took me about 10 minutes job to rip out the ugly looking leaves by hand.

I was glad that I didn't prune the tree in the first place.

Thanks, I will wait it out then and see.

But, in the meantime,should I use a fertilizer to help them right now, with extra nitrogen, or extra something? If so, what should I use?

I was planning on putting out Vigoro for Azeala's and Rhodies. I think it's for acid loving plants. Is this enough?

Likely the best thing to do is pull off the dead leaves once they have crinkled and browned. This is not necessary, but it may speed up the process of new buds coming out.

But don't prune any branches right now...this is probably the worst time to do that.

As far as fertilizer goes, it probably wouldn't hurt to add a bit of Vigoro on the JMs (as long as it is slow release). JMs like similar conditions as azaleas so this should be fine, as long as it isn't too high in nitrogen. A little 16-4-8 slow release might be fine too (or something similar). JMs don't usually like much fertilization unless in pots, but in this case it should help replace some of the nutrients lost in the dead leaves.