When To Prune Japanese Maple Bonsai

For the most part pruning japanese maples is confined to removing dead wood and fine stems which obstruct the handsome skeleton of the tree.
When to prune japanese maple bonsai. Partial leaf pruning is more gentle. Remove all the leaves leaving the leaf stems intact. This article discusses how to do basic pruning to keep a maple looking good. Look for an upward growing branch on the lower half of the trunk and put an airlayering just abowe it.
Pruning is recommended during warm months but not during early spring when they are on the verge of a new spring growth. Unlike many other bonsai specimens it can be pruned year round. You should prune your japanese red maple bonsai on a regular basis several times per year. If you are going to be pruning stronger more sound branches you should do this in the fall.
But this is what i would do. If you haven t pruned it lately it may look like this bushy and green having lost it s shape. Bonsai japanese maples can be cut anytime during the year but they take longer to heal after cuts. Prune your japanese maples the same time of the last freeze date expected for your zone.
Leaf pruning the removal of leaves during the growing season can be done every other year in early summer to encourage smaller leaves. Japanese maple pruning 1 month 4 days ago 58844. Assessing your tree s shape. Figure 1 before.
This one clearly isn t and needs to be pruned. If you prune the branches before the buds are differentiated which generally happens around the end of june the reduction of the leaf surface area obliges the plant to increase the number of leaf buds and abandon flower buds in order to re establish a balance in the existing foliage. Late winter or early spring is when to prune a japanese maple. This is its natural dormant period and less injury is caused by japanese maple trimming during this time.
Any pruning or trimming encourages your japanese maple bonsai trees to grow. When the air layering has good roots cut it of and start to form a new leader from the upward growing branch. Unless you need to cut back dead or dying branches limit your pruning to once a season. The best time to prune bonsai japanese maples is winter its dormant season.
Prune bonsai japanese maples year round but sparingly. Continue reading about pruning bonsai trees. Defoliate after the new spring growth has hardened off. For most bonsai tree species june is the best month to defoliate leaving enough time to grow new leaves and prepare for the winter season.
This is what i would do.