Q: Dwarf Japanese Maple leaves are wilting. Think too much rain. Planted in clay by landscaper. Put plastic under the mulch under the plant to limit temporarily this week's heavy rains.

What should I do? Thanks

A: I would remove the plastic as soon as possible, leave the area un-mulched for a day or two to let the soil dry out, and then put down just 2-3" of mulch over the root zone (but keep it away from touching the trunk).

Clay soil does not drain very well unless it has been aerated properly. If you put plastic down over it you reduce the amount of oxygen getting down to the roots, along with the amount of water.

And, the plastic can keep soil moisture from evaporating, which makes the soil even wetter than without it. So, I think your problem may be due to a combination of the clay soil and the plastic.

It's OK to have lots of rain, as long as it drains away quickly enough.

It's only when the water stays too long in one place that it causes problems.