Your Own Amazingly Beautiful Japanese Maple Bonsai

In my previous report, we considered the proper fertilization, watering, light and humidity requirements for the Japanese maple bonsai. In this second article on how to care for your Japanese maple we will focus on when and how to re-pot root pruning and branch pruning your Japanese maple, and how it fits into the winter.

Prune

The Japanese maple bonsai is shaped partly by careful and planned cuts. The best season to prune Japanese maple is in decline, because the tree will be much less flexible than if pruned in spring. It is also much easier to prune when no leaves. This bleeding will be reduced if tree roots are pruned in advance. Any damage caused by pruning branches must be sealed with a dressing sold at your local garden shop or nursery. If you want the tree root pruning and pruning of one branch to carry out the best time of year will be to do both in the autumn.

Fine, fine branches are a function of superior Japanese maple bonsai specimens. If you prune your tree to avoid long internodes result is delicate branches. The gap between a pair of leaves and the next pair of leaves on a branch, is to call internode. To shorten internode you pinch back all new growth regularly during the growing season. You want to pinch back new shoots by pruning them back to just two sets of leaves (internodes). When you pinch new shoots, it creates a shorter internode to the next shoot, when shorter internodes and leaves are always nearer.

Prune your Japanese maple leaves, also known as defoliating, may be performed every other year in early summer to encourage smaller leaves. Defoliating requires removing the leaves a tree, but does not affect the leaf due to the branch. By removing the leaves in this way the tree think it is autumn and will then a second set of leaves that are smaller than the first set produced in the spring. Defoliating may only be performed every two years, and you should not plant leaves in the same year that the tree is repotted.

Repot

Most bonsai trees need to be re-potted every two years. It is crucial not to let bonsai roots pressure to get into the pot. The perfect season to re-pot your bonsai is in the fall. The primary goal of re-pots to give you the opportunity to prune tree roots. The effects of root pruning will stimulate new, healthy growth. Once you have carefully removed the tree from the pot, you can rinse the roots with running water.This will make it easier to cut and re-pot. Make sure you carefully examine any dead or damaged roots and remove. Re-pot your tree in a mixture of potting soil 1 / 3 clay, 1 / 3 peat 1 / 3 coarse sand. For all styles except a cascading style would you use a shallow pot. This will allow the roots to spread and will create a stable base root.

Root Pruning

Trimming of your Japanese maple roots must always be combined with branch pruning so that the root system is not overloaded trying to feed and water the plants leaves and branches make.

Root pruning really done every two years younger plants, and then every two to three years for mature plants.

As a result of your root pruning Japanese maple will lose some of its ability to water and food for its leaves and branches transport. This is why fall is the best time for you to prune the roots, because the tree is slowing the system that moves water and nutrients through the tree anyway. Late autumn or early spring is the time that the least stressful for the tree.

The Japanese maple would normally stopped supplying water from the leaves of late autumn. The roots of the Japanese maple will remain active long after the leaves have fallen, if the temperature is above 55 degrees. When you prune the roots before the temperatures drop below 55 degrees roots have a chance of some new growth.

Spring is also a good time to the roots of your Japanese maple pruning because the temperature rose and the leaves of the trees have not yet formed, so there is no loss of water through transpiration from the leaves is so stressful to the plant is minimized.

Caring for your Japanese maple during the winter

Water the tree very much like the last couple of leaves fall in autumn. Your Japanese Maple should then be moved to a location in the winter, which will provide shelter from drying winds of winter. If not protected, the dry winter winds cause extensive damage to your Japanese maple. The soil in the pool of your bonsai will quickly dry out when exposed to winter winds. You can not water Japanese maple bonsai much in winter, but the soil to check from time to time. Give it a drink of water when the soil in the pot feels dry to a depth of one half to one inch below the surface. You must also ensure that your roots will not freeze in winter. If you are unsure of the robustness of your tree, the tree in a cold frame to keep the soil from freezing and freeze protection.

Bonsai gardening is a hobby that is exciting, affordable and easy to be involved in. bonsai can be enjoyed by people of all ages and can last a lifetime. Click this link to read more about growing your own beautiful Japanese maple bonsai to learn, and apply for your free 7-part introductory mini-course on how to grow miniature bonsai trees. Or get down to your own bonsai trees grow at the same view on the famous "how-to" bonsai book "Beautiful Bonsai secrets."