Tips on How to Care for Japanese Maple Bonsai
by May Stern
A variety of trees can be used for the art of bonsai. The Japanese maple however seems to be among the most popular choices. Aside from its impressive and beautiful foliage, it is also manageable and enduring when properly cared for. The Japanese maple bonsai can come in different types and in red or green. Bonsai experts naturally have their variety preferences but all Japanese maple bonsai varieties have equally exquisite appearances.
Sunlight
The Japanese maple bonsai is still essentially a plant so it does need some sunlight to exist. People however who know the true nature of the Japanese maple bonsai are also familiar with the fact that the plant has sun sensitive leaves. The leaves could burn and curl with too much sunlight. You should therefore expose the Japanese maple bonsai only to mild sunlight in the day or during off summer seasons. Winter however is a time to provide extra protection to the plant since extreme cold could also damage it.
Water Properly
You may water your Japanese maple bonsai everyday. Limited water can lead to dry soil and poor hydration. You should however choose the time and place to water your Japanese maple bonsai. There is some evidence that watering combined with sunlight exposure could lead to more leaf damage. Evidence suggests that water droplets could increase the effects of the sun. Another theory points to the possibility that chemical or mineral content in water could react with sun exposure resulting in burns.
Pruning
Pruning is the way to shape and manage a Japanese maple bonsai. You usually prune roots, branches and leaves with additional internode control. It is suggested that pruning should be avoided during spring since this could be harmful to your bonsai. There are pruning schedules that you should ideally follow. Leaves can be pruned during the early to mid parts of summer while root, branch and extensive pruning should be done in the fall.
One other great pruning technique is to completely defoliate a Japanese maple bonsai in the summer. This is often the strategy used to produce smaller and finer leaves. One rule to remember though is that you should never remove all the leaves if your Japanese maple bonsai has just been repotted. Check your bonsai for wounds after pruning and make sure you have dressed all of them.
Short internodes are usually desirable as compared to long internodes in Japanese maple bonsai. You would definitely want to have fine, elegant looking branches. You can easily manage internodes by removing emerging shoots or pinching branches.
Wiring
Experts do not always agree about wiring because some maintain that pruning and pinching is enough to shape a Japanese maple bonsai. Wiring however may additionally be employed. It is usually advisable to avoid wiring during winter or after the leaves have fallen. This is because the bonsai may be extra sensitive and any damage from wiring may not heal well.
You should be careful during spring wiring since the wires could damage the bonsai during its growth and healing phase. It is usually recommended not to leave the wires for longer than half a year.
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