How to Care for a Maple Bonsai
A comprehensive explanation of how to care for a maple bonsai and the related green plant content for cultivating a maple tree in a pot. Next, the editor will introduce to the netizens.
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 and are often planted in gardens and courtyards, or in pots to create different shapes of bonsai. Below, I will talk about the cultivation methods of a maple bonsai.
One, Requirements for Growth Habits
1. Light
Maple likes light 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 sufficient scattered light for maintenance and appropriately exposed to sunlight.
2. Temperature
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 a maple bonsai is slightly poorer, and it can be maintained on a balcony in winter.
3. Soil
Maple does not have high fertility requirements for soil, but potted maple can choose soil rich in humus, which helps the plant's branches and leaves to flourish and also improves resistance. It is suitable to choose loose, humus-rich, neutral or acidic sandy loam, usually using special maple cultivation soil.
4. Watering
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 water should be applied in the morning and evening. In winter, less watering is needed, and it can be watered once every 3 to 5 days.
5. Fertilization
When potting or repotting for the first time, a base fertilizer should be added to the bottom of the pot. In autumn, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers can be used. During the growing period, fertilization is needed, with a thin liquid fertilizer applied every 15 days after decomposition.
Two, Management Measures
1. Pest and Disease Control
The main pests and diseases of maple include powdery mildew, brown spot, leafhoppers, sawflies, 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 disease occurs.
2. Pruning
Yellow leaves should be pruned in a timely manner, and shaping can be done after autumn defoliation, pruning excessive suckers, diseased branches, dry branches, and crossed branches. Maple usually has red new leaves, which turn green in summer and red again in late 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. Repotting
Usually, the pot should be changed every 2 to 3 years, preferably in spring or autumn.
Three, Propagation Methods
1. Cutting Method
For potted maple, the cutting method is usually used for propagation and cultivation. It is generally carried out from June to July, cutting about 20 cm long healthy branches of the current year as cuttings. Keep the cuttings moist, and before inserting them, dip the cutting ends in 1000 mg/kg of naphthylacetic acid for 5 seconds, then insert them into the cultivation matrix, which should be a mixture of vermiculite and pond soil. After insertion, avoid sunlight and keep the soil moist, and roots can grow in about 30 days.
2. Seed Sowing Method
Maple seeds mature from September to October and should be sown in the following spring after soaking in cold water for 1 day to promote germination.
3. Grafting Method
Usually, 2 to 4-year-old Acer palmatum is used as the rootstock for grafting propagation in early spring, or bud grafting can be performed in late autumn. A full and plump bud from the current year's healthy short branches of maple is usually used as the scion, with a 1 cm long leaf petiole on the grafting bud. If the leaf petiole falls after 7 days, it means that the grafting is successful.
The above sharing of how to care for a maple bonsai and the complete content of cultivating a maple tree in a pot, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!