Making a bonsai from a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is a fabulous project; these are trees that lend themselves well to the growth of bonsai. The little maple tree will grow exactly like the regular version, including the wonderful change in fall colors. To carry out this project you only need a few things and an interest in bonsai care.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Choose the Maple Margot
Step 1. Get a tender Margotta from the maple cultivar of your choice in early summer
Maple trees are easy to multiply by cuttings. Select a maple branch that has a nice shape. The size of the branch can be at most the diameter of a little finger.
- There are many Japanese maple cultivars. Choose it depending on what you want - some will grow more than others, others have the toughest bark and require grafting.
- It is a good idea to take several layering; this way you can be sure that one will take root (sometimes the roots are weak, rotten or simply do not form).
- Note that Japanese red leaf maple cultivars tend to have weak roots and usually graft with other rootstocks. Unless you know how to graft, or have someone to help you do it, it would be best to avoid red-leaved cultivars until you have more experience.
Method 2 of 4: Prepare the Margotta
Step 1. Cut at the base of the branch where the roots will form
Make a circular cut through the bark and into the wood below.
Step 2. Make another cut, two branches apart from the first cut
Step 3. Make a straight cut to connect the first to the second cut
Step 4. Remove the bark between the two cuts
The bark should peel off easily. Make sure that no green layer remains either.
Method 3 of 4: Grow Bonsai Maple Roots
Step 1. Switch to cutting the rooting hormone or gel
Wrap the area with damp sphagnum, then put some plastic and tie it together.
- Keep the moss moist. After a few weeks you should see the roots through the plastic.
- Alternatively, put the branches in a good quality sandy fertilizer. Keep the fertilizer moderately moist.
- Roots should form in 2-3 weeks if the taken part is healthy and the climatic conditions are warm and humid.
Method 4 of 4: Plant the Maple Bonsai
Step 1. Separate the tree
When the roots begin to thicken and turn brown, separate the new tree by cutting it under the new roots.
Step 2. Put some gravel in the bottom of a pot for drainage
Partially fill the pot with quality potting soil - a good mix is made from 80% bark and 20% peat, as this promotes fibrous roots and makes for good drainage. Remove the plastic without disturbing the roots, plant the new tree, adding just enough soil to keep the tree stable.
Adding sphagnum helps in hard water areas
Step 3. Insert a small stick
A stick will prevent the tree from moving; as the tree is consolidating, any movement could damage its delicate roots.
Step 4. Enjoy your new tree
Find an outdoor place to keep your bonsai, such as a porch, flower bed or patio. Bonsai are not indoor plants; if they are put inside, keep them for a couple of days before taking them outside again; bring them in only when they leave leaves or for an hour or so during the winter.
- Keep the maple bonsai under cover for the first few years. Don't leave it out where frost can get for the first 2-3 years, or it could kill it. Avoid placing the plant in a windy place and do not leave it in direct sunlight all day.
- Feed it with balanced elements after bud formation until late summer. During the winter, feed her with low or zero nitrogen fertilizers.
- Never let the bonsai dry out. It must be kept constantly slightly moist. Where possible, use rainwater and not tap water; it is healthier for the tree. Misting the tree regularly with water promotes healthy growth.
- Learn to "stylize" the tree as it grows. Here you will learn to imitate what nature usually does, give the tree the look of a real tree. It's about pruning and tying. Getting these steps right takes a lot of practice, but it's part of the fun of caring for your bonsai.
Advice
- Air layering Japanese maples are best done in spring after the leaves have sprouted.
- For descriptions of many Japanese maple cultivars, see Japanese Maples: The Complete Guide to Selection and Cultivation, Fourth Edition, by Peter Gregory and J. D. Vertrees (ISBN 978-0881929324). This volume will also help you understand growing habits, because in general bonsai trees grow similar to how they would in the ground.
- Japanese maples for bonsai can also be grown from seed if preferred; it will obviously take longer, but it can be ideal if you don't want to make cuttings from the tree. Acer palmatum grows easily from seeds; when grown from seeds its appearance can vary, this is one of its most interesting traits.
- Aluminum or copper metal wires can be used to guide the tree in certain directions of your choice. Start at the thickest part of the tree trunk and lightly wrap around. Don't put the strings too tight, otherwise you will damage the tree, leaving marks. Touch the bark, but don't press on it.
- Repot the bonsai every 2-3 years for optimal growth during the spring. Cut the roots about 20% on both sides and plant. Water a repotted bonsai thoroughly.
- Top the tips of the new shoots after 2-4 leaves have formed throughout the year.
- In areas with hard water it is recommended to add a soil acidifier to the one present in pots twice a year.
Warnings
- Aphids love the new shoots of the Japanese maple. Eliminate them quickly or they will cause leaf deformities.
- Root rot caused by excess water or too wet soil is the main enemy of a bonsai. Make sure the potting soil has good drainage and don't over water. If you see water stagnating on the surface, the drainage quality of the soil is poor and must be replaced.
- The new roots are very delicate and can be easily damaged. Be careful when removing the plastic and planting the tree.
- Do not eliminate or disturb the sphagnum during the process.
- When you put the strings on the tree, do not pull too much: it can damage the bonsai. The scars will only go away after years and the shape of the tree may deteriorate as it grows.
- If the leaves remain green and do not change color, this means that there is little light: it must be increased.
