The roots are small and sensitive, so I hold off on fertilizing for a few months. In the growing season, your maple seedlings will likely require a lot more water than in autumn or winter, so ensure that they are always getting enough to drive growth in the seedling.Īs a personal preference, I’m not particularly eager to fertilize my seedlings for a while. They are easier to kill from overwatering and underwatering, so make sure to test the soil’s moisture before you do water. Seedlings will have a lower water demand than older trees, so ensure you address this when watering them. Seedlings will require a bit more care than older trees and can be pretty finicky at times however, as they get older, they’ll be a lot easier to take care of. Growing Japanese Red Maple Bonsai from Seed Otherwise, this can harm them as they don’t have many. Try not to disturb the roots of seedlings. When you feel your seedlings are running out of space, delicately prick them out and transplant them into their own pots. If you leave them in a tray for too long with other seedlings, their roots may get tangled, making it quite hard to separate them when you do. Seedlings can die a lot quicker than older trees from underwatering and overwatering, so always pay attention to the watering needs.Īnother thing to watch out for is the seedlings needing more space. You can poke your finger an inch deep into the soil to test the moisture of the soil, and if it’s soggy, you should hold off on watering until it starts to dry out slightly. However, you should only be watering when they need it. When your seeds have successfully germinated, you can begin to water them more frequently. I recommend using a plant label to note down what you are growing and the date you sowed the seeds to ensure that you don’t get confused with any other seeds and can keep track of the time. Continue to water the seeds when the soil starts to dry out slightly, placing them in a shaded location that gets morning sun. Once this is done, sprinkle some of the soil mix over the seeds, ensuring they are covered.Īfter this, you can thoroughly water the soil mix with something such as a fine mist to ensure the seeds don’t move. It would be best if you spread the seeds apart from each other, giving them room to grow. With seeds, I like to use large trays to sow them in. This holds a good amount of water but is also well-draining, preventing the seeds and seedlings from rotting/being overwatered. Sowing the SeedsĪfter stratifying your seeds, you can now get ready to sow them! Prepare a mix of soil for your seeds. I dampen some paper towel and wrap the seeds in it, placing a plastic bag over them with some holes poked in the top for ventilation. With maple seeds, you should store them in a fridge for around three months. This encourages them to germinate when you plant them, as they follow the natural cycle they would be exposed to in nature. Once you have soaked your seeds, you need to give them a cold period known as stratification. This will also save you the effort of collecting the seed yourself, especially if you don’t have any maple trees near you. Bonsai nurseries or independent sellers typically sell maple seeds in large quantities for a low price, allowing you to try and germinate a lot for cheap. Once you have found one, you should break off the wings of the samara and place the seeds into warm water for 24 hours.Īnother option is to purchase seeds from a retailer. Maples will produce these samaras in autumn, so it’s best to look for them then. Maples produce samaras, which have little wings to help the seeds they carry to spread further. If you’ve ever seen seeds floating down from the sky slowly, chances are that it was a samara. Are Japanese red maples hard to grow from seed?.How long does it take for Japanese red maple seeds to germinate?.How long does it take for my seedling to develop into a bonsai?.Growing Japanese Red Maple Bonsai from Seed.
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