I recently got an unwanted Japanese maple from a garden. I dug it up before the buds started swelling in spring. I heavily pruned and washed the roots. I potted it up in a holed basket (with lots of drainage holes on the bottom too) in pure attapulgite (cat litter). I placed lots of sphagnum moss in a layer around the roots to encourage root growth. Some weeks later the spring buds popped.
![20210424_160918.jpg 20210424_160918.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359337-5fd791f8f34649cf63eaa0ac1ea6c5a9.jpg?hash=X9eR-PNGSc)
HOWEVER, as you can see below, the spring leaves are not doing so well...
![20210424_161012.jpg 20210424_161012.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359338-6fd0bbe260a1a5276b57e6ed74dfbefa.jpg?hash=b9C74mChpS)
![20210424_160952.jpg 20210424_160952.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359339-5c0af1f99ec5ded85a4bd14660bd7509.jpg?hash=XArx-Z7F3t)
Do you think it's overwatered or underwatered?
It could be underwatered as the roots were pruned so heavily, but I think it's more likely overwatered as attapulgite holds a lot of water even after it drains.
Yes I know potting it up in pure attapulgite was a bad idea.
What's the best thing to do at this point?
![20210424_160918.jpg 20210424_160918.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359337-5fd791f8f34649cf63eaa0ac1ea6c5a9.jpg?hash=X9eR-PNGSc)
HOWEVER, as you can see below, the spring leaves are not doing so well...
![20210424_161012.jpg 20210424_161012.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359338-6fd0bbe260a1a5276b57e6ed74dfbefa.jpg?hash=b9C74mChpS)
![20210424_160952.jpg 20210424_160952.jpg](https://www.bonsainut.com/data/attachments/359/359339-5c0af1f99ec5ded85a4bd14660bd7509.jpg?hash=XArx-Z7F3t)
Do you think it's overwatered or underwatered?
It could be underwatered as the roots were pruned so heavily, but I think it's more likely overwatered as attapulgite holds a lot of water even after it drains.
Yes I know potting it up in pure attapulgite was a bad idea.
What's the best thing to do at this point?