BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Root & Wire//Care calendar//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Japanese maple bonsai care BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-jan@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260101 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: January DESCRIPTION:The tree is dormant and wants to stay cold. Leave it outside in a sheltered spot\, and move the pot into an unheated shed\, garage or cold frame only for the days when the pot would freeze solid or a dryin g wind is forecast\, bringing it out again when the weather softens. Che ck the soil weekly: it should be damp\, never wet\, and never bone dry. This is the month to study the bare branch structure and plan the year's pruning. Basis (rhs): RHS: Acer palmatum plant page (hardiness H6)\; RH S advice: Japanese maples (winter care of pot-grown trees) https://roota ndwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-feb@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260201 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: February DESCRIPTION:Still dormant. Any large structural cuts\, removing a branch or shortening the trunk\, are best made now\, sealed\, while the tree is not bleeding sap and can callus through spring. Keep up the frost routi ne. Towards the end of the month\, in a mild year\, the buds begin to sw ell\; from then on the tree should not be moved in and out\, and the rep otting window opens. Basis (reference): Harry Harrington\, bonsai4me.com species guide (Acer palmatum): structural pruning in late winter\; gene ral bonsai practice on sealing cuts https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/ japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-mar@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260301 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: March DESCRIPTION:Repot as the buds swell and before the leaves open\, usually mid to late March\, a little later where spring comes late. Every two ye ars for a young tree\, three to five for an old one. Comb out the roots\ , remove up to a third on a healthy tree\, and set it in fresh mix. Keep a repotted tree out of frost and wind for three or four weeks\; a fleec e over it on a cold night is enough. No feed until the leaves have harde ned. Basis (reference): Peter Chan\, Bonsai Masterclass (repotting decid uous trees at bud swell)\; RHS advice: Japanese maples (repot in spring) https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-apr@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260401 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: April DESCRIPTION:The leaves open and the tree is at its most fragile. A late f rost will blacken the new growth\, so keep fleece to hand and cover it o n clear\, still nights when frost is forecast. Begin pinching: as each n ew shoot opens\, pinch out the tip beyond the first pair of leaves on sh oots in the crown and outer canopy\, and let weak inner shoots run. Wate r every day the surface dries. Basis (reference): Harry Harrington\, bon sai4me.com (Acer palmatum: pinching new growth)\; RHS advice: frost prot ection of new growth on acers https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japane se-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-may@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: May DESCRIPTION:Growth is at full speed and the pot can dry in a few hours on a warm day\; water morning and evening if needed. Keep pinching the str ong shoots. Start feeding once the leaves have hardened\, with a balance d liquid feed at half strength every fortnight\, or a slow-release organ ic pellet on the surface. Watch for aphids on the shoot tips. Basis (pra ctice): General bonsai practice: feed after the spring leaves harden\; R HS advice on aphids https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-jun@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260601 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: June DESCRIPTION:The main pruning month. Cut back the spring extension to one or two pairs of leaves on every shoot you want to ramify. On a strong\, established tree that was not repotted this year\, a full or partial def oliation in the first half of June\, cutting each leaf at its stalk\, gi ves a second\, smaller set of leaves and doubles the twigging\; a tree i n its first year with you\, or anything weak\, is left alone. Shade from midday sun matters from now on. Basis (reference): Peter Chan\, Bonsai Masterclass and Harry Harrington\, bonsai4me.com: June defoliation of st rong Acer palmatum only https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-map le/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-jul@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260701 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: July DESCRIPTION:Water is the whole job. A maple in full leaf in a shallow pot wants water every day and sometimes twice\, and a single afternoon bone dry costs it the fine shoot tips. Afternoon shade and shelter from wind keep the leaf edges from scorching. Feed lightly\; tidy any long shoots that escaped June. Do not wire now: branches thicken fast and wire bite s within weeks. Basis (rhs): RHS advice: Japanese maples (leaf scorch fr om sun and wind\, watering container-grown trees) https://rootandwire.co m/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-aug@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260801 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: August DESCRIPTION:Much the same: water\, shade\, a light feed. A strong tree ma y push a small second flush\; pinch it as in spring. Towards the end of the month a nematode drench against vine weevil grubs\, while the soil i s warm\, protects the roots through autumn. Check any guy wires and the ties on a wired branch. Basis (rhs): RHS advice: vine weevil (nematode t reatment in late summer when the soil is above about 5 °C) https://root andwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-sep@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260901 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: September DESCRIPTION:Growth stops and the tree starts to store for winter. Switch to a low-nitrogen feed (a tomato feed at half strength does) for the las t two feeds of the year\, to harden the wood without pushing soft growth . Water less as the days shorten. Let the tree have more sun now\; it im proves the autumn colour. Basis (practice): General bonsai practice: low -nitrogen autumn feed to harden growth\; estimate for the effect of sun on colour (widely reported\, not measured) https://rootandwire.com/bonsa i/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-oct@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261001 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: October DESCRIPTION:Autumn colour\, usually peaking in the second half of the mon th after a few cool nights. Stop feeding. Once the leaves have dropped\, the structure is visible: this is a good moment for light wiring of you ng shoots\, since the sap is low and the bark marks less\, with the wire checked monthly through winter and removed by spring. Clear fallen leav es off the soil to deny pests a home. Basis (reference): Harry Harringto n\, bonsai4me.com (Acer palmatum: wire in autumn after leaf drop or earl y spring)\; general practice on hygiene https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/c are/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-nov@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261101 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: November DESCRIPTION:Dormant. Water only when the soil surface is dry\, which in a wet November may be never\; the danger now is waterlogging\, so make su re the pot is tilted or raised so it drains. Begin the frost routine: a sheltered spot outside\, the shed or cold frame for the hardest nights. Remove any wire that is starting to bite. Basis (rhs): RHS advice: overw intering container plants (drainage\, raising pots\, shelter from the wo rst frost) https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:rw-care-japanese-maple-dec@rootandwire.com DTSTAMP:20261102T000000Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261201 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY SUMMARY:Japanese maple: December DESCRIPTION:Leave it alone and keep it cold\, damp and out of the wind. C heck the pot after each frost that it has drained and that the soil has not been pushed up by ice. A light pruning of crossing twigs can be done any time the tree is bare\; the big cuts wait for February. Order soil\ , wire and a pot now for the spring\, because the repotting window is sh ort. Basis (practice): General bonsai practice for dormant deciduous tre es\; RHS guidance on frost protection of pots https://rootandwire.com/bo nsai/care/japanese-maple/ URL:https://rootandwire.com/bonsai/care/japanese-maple/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR