Page 54 - Ebook bonsai for beginner

Japanese Maple in winter, by Walter Pall

Specific care guidelines

Position: Place the tree outdoors year round and it should be protected
from direct sunlight in the afternoon, but morning/evening sun is no
problem. The Japanese Maple is hardy, but should be protected during
the winter when temperatures drop below 14F (-10 degrees C).

Watering: Daily watering is necessary, especially when they start

growing in early spring, assuming the soil drains well.
Feeding: Use a normal fertilizer once every three weeks in the growth

season.
Pruning: Normal pruning can be done year-round, but style pruning

should be done in autumn to prevent excessive bleeding (it is also
advisable to apply cut-paste). Cut new growth back to two pairs of
leaves. Leaf pruning (removal of leaves during the growth season) can
be done every other year in early summer to encourage smaller leaves.
Remove all the leaves, leaving the leaf-stems intact.

Repotting: Repot Maples once every one to two years, removing some of
the roots is important. Older trees may be repotted less frequent.

Propagation: Either from seeds or cuttings in summer.