Hello, I hope this article informs you about the main areas that require attention during the life of your Maple Bonsai. The subject matter can get quite intense and some of the topics can be contentious even amongst experts. But these short paragraphs contain a lot of very useful information and I hope provide any necessary pointers you are looking for.
Origins and description.
Japan and China are its native countries of origin. The leaf looks slightly like a person’s hand. When the branches and trunks are young the bark’s color is usually green, but can be red on certain types; they all become pale gray or brown when older. Of the numerous varieties the red leaved one is the most sought after for bonsai.
Light and watering.
Sit the tree in a spot out of direct sunlight during the hottest part of summer, preferably where it can have sun in the morning or evening. The foliage is dainty; it is likely to burn sitting in direct sunlight. For this reason watering in direct sunlight can be harmful. Watering should be done very early or late in the day and the plant needs to be watered well. Do this every day and give the plant adequate drainage so its roots won’t rot by sitting in excess water
Fertilizer feeding.
The bonsai needs to be fed every two weeks, use a slow-acting pellet fertilizer. This procedure should be done from spring through autumn, during the other periods it should not be fed but should be left to rest. If a tree is debilitated or re-potted don’t feed it; stop feeding for approximately two months. When the hottest summer months come also quit feeding it for a month, perhaps even two. If you would rather use chemical fertilizers then feeding should be done bi-weekly with a balanced mixture and make the compound half-strength.
Pruning.
Never stress the root system by pruning it without pruning the branches because they will be over taxed in an effort to feed too large a branch system. To prevent losing too much sap prune the branches during the fall or winter. Seal the wounds with wound dressing to aid recovery. New growth should be removed by pinching so the tree grows good branches; this also stops long internodes, which are the spaces between sets of paired leaves on the branches. To get the utmost internode reduction, use tweezers and a magnifying glass when the shoot first opens. If long internodes have been grown, repair this by cutting the branch down to the first internode. Let it grow again and pinch correctly to get the appropriate spacing. The aim is to have a short spacing.
The way to get smaller leaves is to prune them off; take them off during the early summer one year and leave them on for the next year, thus rotating the procedure. Remove every leaf from the tree, but let the leaf stem remain. This creates what can be called a false autumn and causes smaller leaves to grow back. Don’t re-pot and leaf prune in the same year, as this is too stressful for the tree.
Wiring.
Normally, most people would shape maples with just pruning and pinching. When wiring is needed, do it during the summer months as the tree is fully leaved during this period. You will need to protect the bark and can use raffia for this. Remove the wire after six months at most, preferably before then, to avoid damaging or scaring the bonsai tree. An alternative method of shaping a younger tree can be achieved by tying it to a stake. This way it can either be pulled straight or bent to a wanted shape.
Re-potting.
The re-potting of younger maples is done bi-yearly and for older ones in two to three year intervals. This should routinely be a spring project; the roots need to be curtailed by half or a little less. If lifeless or damaged roots exist they need to be removed so they won’t rot and cause further damage. Ideally use 20-30% course sand in the potting mix which can be either a loam or peat mixture. This allows for adequate drainage and lets the roots breathe.
You can find a further article about potting on this site. Please leave a comment as blogging is supposed to be interactive. Thanks for viewing this and come back soon, there is also an RSS feed for this site.
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