The Japanese Maple is a perfect species for bonsai which accounts for it's popularity all over the world. It is adored for it's smaller size, it's lacy leaves, and it's spectacular display of fall colors. It's botanical name is derived from and is descriptive of the tree's leaves, which have at least five lobes and somewhat resemble a human hand. The Acer palmatum includes the red, green, lace-leaf, and thread-leaf varieties. The most popular of these varieties is the red variety.
These five examples barely scratch the surface of the large number of choices for your bonsai plant. A good nursery or garden center will probably be an ideal place to begin your search for your first bonsai masterpiece.If you have repotted and done some spring root pruning then do not feed during the two months following repotting when a tree is weakened or you could cause root damage.Give your Japanese maple bonsai its first feeding in early spring when you first see new growth appearing using a slow-release, high nitrogen fertilizer. Continue feeding every 2-3 weeks until about mid-autumn. Fish emulsion is a good choice as a natural fertilizer. If you're using a chemical fertilizer make sure that you only use a half strength solution. A balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer is recommended. You should stop fertilizing your bonsai tree during the hottest weeks of the summer to avoid any possible damage. Switch to a low nitrogen fertilizer in mid-autumn in oder to help harden off the current year's new growth. this will help prepare the tree for the upcoming winter.The Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) is a very common houseplant, very often seen in offices as well as homes because it is relatively low-maintenance. This can be a good plant to modify as a bonsai plant, and once more is an extremely good choice for the beginner grower. For the reason that this plant is accustomed to living in a very warm environment it should only be grown indoors. Keep the soil evenly moist through the summer months, cutting back during the winter but never permitting the soil to completely dry out.HumidityOnce they start to germinate provide about 50% shade to keep the sun from burning them. Snow fence suspended about 30� above the bed will provide about 50% shade. Japanese Maples will tolerate some shade so it isn�t too important to transplant them too quickly. Depending on how close together they are, you might be able to leave them in the same bed for one or two growing seasons. Don�t transplant until they are completely dormant.Japanese maples, while being hardy, should be placed in an area that is protected from cold and harsh winter winds also. Winter winds tend to be dry winds, and even though your Japanese maple will be in a state of dormancy during the winter, cold drying winds can cause damage.Good light conditions ensure smaller leaf size, better back-budding, denser foliage, and stronger fall colors. Avoid burning the sensitive and delicate leaves of your Japanese Maple by providing it with sufficient protection from the intense mid-day sun. Try to place your tree where it will receive direct morning and evening sun, but is protected from the mid-day sun when it is the hottest outside. The sensitive leaves of the maple can actually burn if exposed for long periods to intense sunshine. In the spring and autumn the mid-day sun is relatively mild and so it is OK to leave your bonsai in the full sun all day at these times of the year. Another thing to protect the leaves of your Japanese from is hot, dry summer winds, which can also burn the leaves. Your Japanese Maple will be especially vulnerable to sun and wind burn for a week or more after pruning it's roots and re-potting it. Be sure you keep it out of harsh sun and wind during this time.You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm
If you have repotted and done some spring root pruning then do not feed during the two months following repotting when a tree is weakened or you could cause root damage.
Author: Mike Andrews
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