Maple Seed Bonsai Starter Kit

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 or download it below.

Download Instruction Booklet

Additional Maple growing instructions

Visit the Bonsai FAQ page

Delivery

We have a tiered postage charge system depending on the type of products you order, your location and the value of your order, please refer to our Postage Charges page for full details.

Refunds

All goods we sell must be of acceptable quality and fit for the purpose they are sold for. If your seeds or bulbs do not grow for whatever reason we will happily provide you with a replacement. For all other products, please contact our head office through our contact us page. Please note we are not required to give refunds for change of mind or under any other circumstances.

Support

All of us at Mr Fothergill's genuinely care for our customers and insist that the quality of all our seeds, bulbs, garden equipment and level of customer service are of the highest standards - we want you to enjoy shopping with us. However, we are only human and very occasionally things can go wrong with the picking or delivery process. Please rest assured that, on the rare occasions where this proves to be the case, we will always do our very best to put things right. Please contact us if you require support.