The pot doesn't look big enough to me. I would re pot it in a much larger pot. Is it also getting enough light where it is. Plants do go leggy trying to reach more light.

Thanks.
It's in full sun all day. Would it make it "leggy" just being in too small a pot?
Regards
Mark

Hi, I think it might have been 'forced' by being too close to your window, and getting heat from the room, try moving it to a spot where it will get some sun, but out of cold winds, also as Cammomile suggests, take it out of the pot, and see if it's potbound, if so, use a larger pot, you already have a good shape when those side shoots develop, so when you have the right conditions, it will be a good shape, Derek.

Thanks to both of you.
Much appreciated, will adhere to your suggestions.
Watch this space.
Thanks again
Mark

It looks relatively healthy to me, albeit a bit 'leggy' Young plants, especially trees, usually have a tendency to grow this way in the first few years. They tend to grow upwards to compete for sunlight with other plants around them. Once established, they will then start to bush out.

One way to stop this top growth and make your acer more bushy is to pinch the top out, as this will encourage more side growth.

As others have said, I would pot it on into a larger pot, and at the same time I would give it a feed of slow release fertiliser, such as Growmore.

Hope this helps?

Hard to find a place out of the wind here, especially just now.

Seems we are still experiencing the effects of hurricane
'Bertha'. Having given the matter some considerable thought, am moving my Acers into the greenhouse for the winter. They can go outside when I need the space in the spring. The winter flowering Heathers can go up on the
gravel border. Good to have movable pots !

These winds have wrecked my Runner Bean canes. Am growing French Beans in my raised beds next year.
It would really be more sensible to think about weather
conditions when buying plants, rather than the attractive
pictures of the subject or how they would fit in with the design of the garden.

This a.m. I moved both the Japanese Acers into my greenhouse. Left the door open.
Two hours later the leaves had improved. Gone was the
'cringing' shape that I thought was dehydration.
They were not dry, as I had put them in the dunking
tub for a good drink yesterday.
Yes, these leaves definitely looked much better.
As its cool outside have now closed the greenhouse
door.
Thinking about Acers the ones we see on Goy blogs at
Westbirton Arboratum are at the front of lots of other
large trees, which must shelter them from the cold winds.
Thanks to Derekm for giving this good advice.