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How to Take Care of Your Japanese Maple Bonsai

By: May Stern

Bonsai plants can come from many different types of tress. Lots of bonsai masters however popularly use the Japanese maple. The leaves of this tree are impressively exquisite and the tree itself can last long if properly maintained. There are various types of Japanese maple bonsai in red and green. Whatever the type you choose, the Japanese maple bonsai will always look magnificent.

Moderate Sunlight

Just like other living organisms, the Japanese maple bonsai needs sunlight too to survive. You should take note though that the Japanese maple bonsai has particularly sensitive leaves and may burn easily due to sun exposure. It would therefore be a good idea to expose it to mild sunlight and away from exposure during the middle of the day and in summer. Autumn and spring are good times for sun exposure because sunlight is mild but winter should be a time for intensified protection against the wind and cold.

Water Properly

The lack of water could result in dry soil and a dehydrated Japanese maple bonsai. There is no rule against watering the bonsai plant everyday. You should however only water the plant early in the morning before the sun comes out. Experts believe that water droplets on the leaves could increase the sun's burning power. Others also suggest that water could contribute to leaf burns since minerals in the water could produce a chemical reaction when exposed to the sun.

Pruning

The Japanese maple bonsai is usually shaped through careful and discriminate pruning. You can prune leaves, branches and roots with additional internode pinching. It is recommended though that you should avoid pruning in the spring to avoid damaging the plant. You could schedule leaf pruning in the middle of summer. Roots and branches should be pruned at the same time ideally in autumn.

Some bonsai experts also simulate fall in Japanese maple bonsai by defoliating during summer. This technique will result in smaller and more exquisite leaves. You shouldn't do this though if you have just repotted your Japanese maple bonsai within the year. Make sure that all wounds that result from pruning are properly sealed.

Short internodes are usually desirable as compared to long internodes in Japanese maple bonsai. You would definitely want to have fine, elegant looking branches. You can easily manage internodes by removing emerging shoots or pinching branches.

Wiring

There is some debate to the practice of wiring Japanese maple bonsai specimens. Although wiring is a common practice for other bonsai types, others prefer the simpler practices of pinching and pruning. You may however resort to wiring to get your desired shape. It is suggested though that you shouldn't wire during the winter season. The bonsai could have more sensitive parts in this season and extra wiring may hurt it.

You should be careful during spring wiring since the wires could damage the bonsai during its growth and healing phase. It is usually recommended not to leave the wires for longer than half a year.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

Do you have what it takes to grow your own bonsai plant? Study the secrets of bonsai art in fast and easy steps!

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