I’ve learned through intense study (both in the US and Japan) and actual practice for well over 50 years that plants, especially Japanese maple cultivars have diverse growth habits and respond differently to bonsai training techniques. I must have skipped the defoliation chapters in the books studied. Unfortunately, I did not study with Ryan, whom I respect, and others. Today I’ve been told that Ryan Neil and others do not recommend total defoliation of healthy maples. However, maples can be trained without wire making them great trees for enthusiasts of all levels.Although defoliation is “generally” recommended as a bonsai training technique it actually requires considerable thought and it’s necessary to contemplate each specific tree and the purpose of removing foliage. To learn more about wiring and how to wire an individual branch, watch the video here. Wire can also be used to bend branches down or to fill spaces. By doing this, the leaf growth will appear closer together on the branch rather that skip a large segement if the internode is too long.īy combining this process of pruning with the clip and grow method of directional pruning, you will be able to create pad layers and ramification on your maple bonsai. Buds will appear at the nodes beneath the cut internode.Ī simple trick to compact the foliage of your maple is to simply cut longer internodes. To prune your maple, just make the cuts on the internodes. The internodes are the segment between the lines (nodes). These are very easy to identify as they appear as lines that circle the outside of a branch or trunk. Maples bud out of the nodes on the branches and trunk. This makes it very easy to see the branch structure and make appropriate cuts. This is a great time to prune because there are no leaves on your tree at this time (due to dormancy). Maples enjoy pruning in late winter, right before the spring flush of growth. Maples are great for enthusiasts of all levels due to their ease of pruning. Remember: Healthy trees will naturally fight away pests and diseases as well so keep your tree well hydrated and fed and your tree can natural fight away issues on its own. However, fungicides can also be used to kill the fungus. Proper air circulation will correct this issue. If you see a layer on the surface of your trunk or branches or discoloration in your leaves, you may have a fungus issue. This will eliminate any newly hatched eggs.įungus issues can be a problem. The key to stopping the cycle of bugs is to spray 7 days after the first application. However, they can also be killed with Neem oil or simple diluted household dish detergent. Applying this before the active spring insect season will prevent outbreaks. To prevent insects from harming your tree, we recommend preventive spraying with the use of neem oil or year round oil. Fungus gnats can also pose a problem if soil conditions are too damp. These include aphids, beetles, and leaf eating insect. Common issues with Maples include the normal pests that often attack other trees.
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