Bunnings weeping japanese maple

[ynotrialb]

I planted a japanese weeping maple from Bunnings in September, At the first blush of Spring it came out with some delicate and attractive leaves and we thought it was on its way. Within day, they had all gone.. It has now tried three more times to sprout again and each time they are destroyed. We've tried Neem and Pyrethrin, I've put a copper shield around the base of trunk (not touching) and spray coffee on the ground as it was getting slugs but they stopped. Yesterday we put bird netting up as we thought that might be the problem. Last night we lost our latest foliage. I cant see any sawdust signs so its not a bug inside the tree.. New branches are dying at their ends, about 4-5 cms.

Dont know where to go from here. Thinking of starting next spring with a new and more expensive plant from a nursery but need to find out why I'm having this problem.

Help please!!.

[ynotrialb]

Thank you Noelle I'll take your advice.

(I think I meant to say shallow rooting)

Tony