Maple help

[tonez]

Hi all

New to bonsai
I planted a maple seed in October 2019 and i was very excited to see it grow! However Maple 1didnt grow up right properly and two weeks ago, it was very windy. As a result, it started to turn yellow to brown?
I'm unsure what happened.

I have two more maples with one still green and other one turning red.

Anyone know what happened to maple 1 so can avoid something like this in the future?

All 3 are usually in the shade, partial sunlight when its afternoon.

How often i water maybe once a week..

Edit: NSW, Sydney

[KIRKY]

You don’t say where you are? Can’t rally see anything wrong in the photo’s. As it’s mid Autumn could just be time for the leaves to fall. Just because all three are the same doesn’t mean they will loose leaves at the same time.
Cheers
Kirky

[tonez]

Thanks Kirky,

Just worried since im taking interested in Maple but thought its strange.

[shibui]

Hi tonez,
I see you have added Sydney to your first post. Much better if you put that in your profile then it comes up each time. easier for members to remember where you are and give better advice that would suit your situation.

Many of my maples have felt the cooler weather and started to change for autumn. there are other possible causes for leaves turning yellow but I think it will be normal change of season. Trees in smaller pots seem to often change earlier than the same sort that have a better life in the ground or in larger pots.
Other possibilities include too dry or too wet. Small bonsai pots do dry out pretty quick. A couple of dry days could also cause yellow leaves but if they get water before real death they usually survive.
The only thing you can do now is to check that the soil is not too wet or really dry.
The leaves will drop off for winter. As long as the stem remains plump and healthy your maple should grow again in spring.

[tonez]

So during winter all the leaves would be gone?

[TimS]

Yes, maples drop all their leaves in autumn, are bare through winter, then regrow new leaves in spring

[tonez]

During winter. How often should you water?

One of the maples is starting to lose all of its leave. So it would be just a stick

[thoglette]

During winter. How often should you water?

As little as possible - they don't like cold, wet feet.

As I mentioned in another thread, the reference text is "Bonsai with Japanese Maples" by Peter Adams. Get it from your local library and digest over winter.

[shibui]

The trees will not be using water in winter when they ave no leaves but some will still evaporate and if it gets cold some will be drawn away by the frost so you to need to check. Aim to have the soil just on the dry side of wet.Constantly wet is not good but they will still be OK through a few weeks of rainy weather.
In most places when the tree is in the open normal winter rainfall will usually provide plenty of water for winter tree. I rarely water through winter.

One of the maples is starting to lose all of its leave. So it would be just a stick

That is certainly what you will have for the next few months. Fortunately it should grow again next year and if you grow and prune well it will have a couple of branches by next winter. In time you can build a really good tree with lots of branches and twigs that looks great, even in winter. You may not yet understand that bonsai is a long term project. Trees will only grow so fast and it can take many years to grow a really impressive bonsai from a tiny seedling. The alternative is to start with much older trees that already have branches.

[tonez]

In most places when the tree is in the open normal winter rainfall will usually provide plenty of water for winter tree. I rarely water through winter

Mine would be outside but under shelter so it wont receive open rain water however it does get abit cold.

I tried many times to grow Cherry blossoms from seed and i used about 100 seeds, never germinate...

During winter. How often should you water?

As little as possible - they don't like cold, wet feet.

As I mentioned in another thread, the reference text is "Bonsai with Japanese Maples" by Peter Adams. Get it from your local library and digest over winter.

Thanks, i'll check it out.


Appreciate the help. I always wanted to do bonsai but dont know where to start until i got these seeds. I enjoy watching the seeds grow!

[tonez]

So after losing all its leaves in Winter, was very happy to see them come back during Spring.
The question is now it grew its set of leaves, it's not growing anymore leaves.
Is that normal?

I grew these maple from a seed, so this is year 2 now. The stem looks thin.
I used bonsai soil i got from bunnings, i dont fertilize it but what i notice the leaves don't really look like Japanese maple. Looks wider?

[legoman_iac]

Be great to see some recent pictures. Am new to maples, though believe some maples have multiple growth spurts during spring and summer, depending on the species, and how healthy and vigorous they are.

I pinched most of my maples back a few weeks ago, they grew new leaves, though no as lush as the initial growth.

You should look into fertiliser. That's something I don't do enough, when I do, the trees respond very well.

Being summer, you should check your trees each day. I check mine in the morning before work. You might not need to water them every day, maybe every 2nd day, or longer, depending on the pots.

Hope this helps?! Keen to hear from maple masters.

- Daniel

[Stu]

The pictures don't look like Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). Looks more like Amur maple (Acer ginnala). Treat them the same. They like full sun except for the hotter days when some shade would help. Don't let it dry out. Any fertilizer will do to promote more flushes of growth.

[tonez]

Be great to see some recent pictures. Am new to maples, though believe some maples have multiple growth spurts during spring and summer, depending on the species, and how healthy and vigorous they are.

I pinched most of my maples back a few weeks ago, they grew new leaves, though no as lush as the initial growth.

You should look into fertiliser. That's something I don't do enough, when I do, the trees respond very well.

Being summer, you should check your trees each day. I check mine in the morning before work. You might not need to water them every day, maybe every 2nd day, or longer, depending on the pots.

Hope this helps?! Keen to hear from maple masters.

The pictures don't look like Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). Looks more like Amur maple (Acer ginnala). Treat them the same. They like full sun except for the hotter days when some shade would help. Don't let it dry out. Any fertilizer will do to promote more flushes of growth.

Here are the photos i taken today, i do water them regularly or every few days. They are mostly in the shade because of the Sun.
There has been some strong winds lately so i put them in a greenhouse shade.

Only fertilizer i have is the Seasol , is that fine?

I bought the seeds from Bunnings, they're from Mr Fothergils. It said "Japanese maple". But when it grew, it didnt look like any maples i seen but assumed it was a different type..

So it normal for the plant to stay the same after dormant?

[KIRKY]

Firstly seasol is not a fertiliser. If you want to liquid feed it then get something like Charlie Carp or power feed.
It’s definitely not a Japanese Maple, agree it looks more like Amur maple (Acer ginnala). Once you start fertilising you should see an improvement in the growth.
Cheers
Kirky