How to Care for Maple Bonsai
Today's focus is on how to care for maple bonsai and the maintenance skills for maple potted plants in the field of green plants and flowers. Please see the detailed introduction below.
Red maple is a deciduous small tree of the Aceraceae family, Acer genus, and one of the varieties of Acer palmatum. In spring and autumn, the bright red leaves on the full tree have very high ornamental value, often planted in gardens and courtyards, and can also be planted in pots to create different shaped bonsais. Let me tell you about the cultivation methods of potted red maple.
I. Growth Habit Requirements
1. Light
Red maple enjoys sunlight and can tolerate shade, but is afraid of strong sunlight exposure. It is suitable for neutral and slightly shaded light. The potted plant can be placed in a place with ample scattered light for maintenance, and should be sunbathed appropriately.
2. Temperature
Red maple prefers cool temperatures, with a suitable growth temperature of 18 to 25°C. It can tolerate temperatures as low as -20°C, but the cold resistance of potted red maple is poorer, and it can be maintained on the balcony in winter.
3. Soil
Red maple does not have high requirements for soil fertility, but potted red maple can choose soil rich in humus, which can help the plant's branches and leaves to thrive and also improve its resistance. It is suitable to choose sandy loam that is loose, rich in humus, and neutral or acidic. Generally, red maple special culture soil is used.
4. Watering
Red maple prefers moisture but fears waterlogging. The potting soil should be kept slightly moist. More watering is needed during the growing season, especially in summer, when it should be watered morning and evening. Less watering is needed in winter, with watering every 3 to 5 days.
5. Fertilizing
When potting or repotting for the first time, a base fertilizer should be added to the bottom of the pot. In autumn, nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer can be used. Fertilization is needed during the growing period, with a thin liquid fertilizer applied every 15 days.
II. Management Measures
1. Disease and Pest Control
The main diseases and pests of red maple include powdery mildew, brown spot disease, leafhoppers, tussock moths, and longicorn beetles, which need to be controlled in a timely manner. Chemical pesticides can be used for spraying, and diseased branches and leaves should be cut off and incinerated when diseases occur.
2. Pruning
Yellow leaves should be pruned in a timely manner. After autumn defoliation, shaping can be carried out, pruning excessive suckers, diseased branches, dead branches, and intersecting branches. Red maple usually has red new leaves, which turn green in summer and red again at the end of autumn. If you want the leaves to turn red earlier, you can appropriately remove leaves in August to promote the growth of red new leaves.
3. Potting and Soil Replacement
It is usually necessary to change the pot every 2 to 3 years, preferably in spring or autumn.
III. Propagation Methods
1. Cutting Method
Potted red maple is usually propagated using the cutting method. It is generally carried out from June to July, cutting off healthy branches from the current year, about 20 cm long, as cuttings. The cuttings should be kept moist, and before cutting, the cutting ends should be dipped in 1000 mg/kg naphthalene acetic acid for 5 seconds, then planted in the culture substrate, which should be a mixture of vermiculite and pond mud. After cutting, avoid direct sunlight and keep the soil moist, and roots can grow in about 30 days.
2. Seed Sowing Method
Red maple seeds mature from September to October and are sown in the spring of the following year. The seeds need to be soaked in cold water for 1 day for germination before sowing.
3. Grafting Method
Grafting is often carried out in early spring using 2 to 4-year-old Acer palmatum as rootstock. Bud grafting can also be performed at the end of autumn. Usually, a plump and complete bud from the current year's strong short branches of red maple is used as the scion. The petiole of the grafted bud should be 1 cm long, and if the petiole falls when touched after 7 days, it means that the grafting is successful.
The above introduction on how to care for maple bonsai and the specific contents of the maintenance skills for maple potted plants are provided for your reference and operation.