One sign a Japanese Maple needs urgent action and could be about to die

Japanese maples are a favourite of gardeners across the country; their crimson red leaves can be a beautiful centrepiece of any backyard.

But their bright leaves can soon become damaged and begin to turn an ugly brown if they're not properly taken care of - creating somewhat of an eyesore.

With the strong sun out once again this week, there is one sign in particular that gardeners need to watch out for, as it could soon spell the end of your favourite acer.

Japanese Maples thrive in mild climates, so when the sun's strong UV rays are beating down on the leaves, they can soon become scorched.

Once the sun has baked the leaves, they will begin to dry up, curl, and shrivel before they begin to die back, leaving the branches particularly bare.

But luckily for green-fingered people across the country, there is one early sign that leaves are becoming scorched, which means you can act and give your maple a fighting chance of surviving the sun.

People love Japanese Maples because of their colour, but when you begin to see the bright red, pinks and oranges start to turn grey and brown, it's a sign your plant is starting to struggle.

Sadly, if they are scorched, it may take some time to repair, but when Autumn rolls around, if you have put the work in, you can still expect a fantastic fall bloom.

Roger Eavis, a gardening expert from GreenShutters, has given his two tips to take if you spot signs of scorching.First, he suggests: "Keep the soil or compost well-watered and never let them dry out. If the leaves on your Japanese maples appear dry or scorched in summer, this is likely to be a lack of moisture.

"This is, by far, the main cause of dieback. Most Japanese maples will grow happily in direct sun if they are kept well-watered, which means once a day during hot weather if they are in a pot, and two or three times a week if planted in the ground. If not, plant them where they will get shade for part of the day."

He also suggests moving your maple into some cover and somewhere it can't be battered by strong winds. This is especially important as your maple begins to re-grow its leaves, as gusts can easily blow young shoots away.

Roger added: "These two tips will keep your Japanese maples healthy and vigorous all summer, and they will reward you with incredible autumn colours."

The RHS suggests similar action to Roger, but for gardeners wanting to go the extra mile, they advise adding some mulch around the base of the tree. This will help to keep the moisture in, but they stress not to mulch up to the trunk of the maple to prevent any rot or disease.