Maple Seed Bonsai Starter Kit

Brand: Mr Fothergill’s

Botanical Name: Acer palmatum

Grow your own Japanese Red Maple Bonsai from seed with the Red Maple Bonsai kit. This gardening kit has everything you need to start growing your bonsai from seed. For beginners who want to try bonsai for the first time, we recommend choosing the Jacaranda Bonsai kit.

Kit includes: 4 x biodegradable pots, soil pellets, Japanese maple seeds, and a growing manual with comprehensive growing instructions.

Product Dimensions:

How to Grow

Follow these five simple steps to grow your Red Maple bonsai:

1. Soak and prepare your seeds
2. Hydrate your peat pellet with water
3. Sow your Bonsai seeds
4. Place in a sunny position
5. Water when necessary

Maple Bonsai Growing Tips:

Japanese Maple, or Acer Palmatum, is a deciduous tree species from Eastern Asia. Its beautiful hand-shaped leaves turn varying shades of colour in autumn, making it a popular choice for enthusiasts.

In their natural environment, maple trees go through a winter dormancy. Growth slows down in the autumn as the trees lose their leaves and the ripe seeds fall from the trees, their wing-like structure helping them disperse. This wing dries off naturally or is removed during commercial seed processing. The seeds are then left on the ground through winter and begin to germinate once spring arrives and the soil warms.

When growing Japanese maple seeds at home, we need to mimic this natural process with a technique called “stratification.” To stratify your seeds, follow the steps below.

• Place your seeds in a bowl and cover with warm water.
• Leave the seeds to soak for 24-48 hours.
• After soaking, remove the seeds and place them in a ziplock bag. Before bagging, wrapping the seeds in a moist paper towel or burying them in about a cupful of moist (not dripping wet) vermiculite or potting soil can be helpful. This will keep them from drying out.
• Seal your zip-lock bag, leaving some air inside, and place it in the refrigerator (your fridge is about 3-5°C).
• Refresh the air inside the bag on a weekly basis and check to see if the paper towel or soil medium is still moist. Mist with water if it isn’t.
• Leave your bag in the refrigerator for 5-10 weeks. If you notice your seeds beginning to sprout a small white tail, this is a great time to remove them for planting. They may not always pre-sprout, in which case we recommend leaving them in the refrigerator for a maximum of 10 weeks.

Sowing conditions:

Autumn or spring in Australia is the best time to sow your stratified Red Maple seeds, as it is closer to their natural growing season. If you wish to plant your seeds in the other seasons, try out these tips:

Winter sowing: To keep the soil warmer, keep your pots in a light area indoors and place them inside a mini-hothouse. You could also repurpose clear food containers flipped upside down to insulate the pots.

Summer sowing: Place their pots indoors, away from direct sunlight, which can burn the young shoots. They will need regular watering and daily monitoring as small pots dry out fast.

Once sprouted, hardening off your young tree seedlings is recommended before moving to their final bonsai pot. This acclimatises them to outdoor conditions and prevents weak, leggy seedlings.

Bring your pots outdoors for a couple of hours in some partial sun. Ensure they are protected from strong winds, which can knock over pots and dry out the soil. Gradually increase the time outdoors over 1-2 weeks. Watering is a must and should be done regularly, particularly in hot weather.

For further growing information, including how to prune, fertilise, and style your new bonsai tree, check out the care booklet included in your kit.