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Trident Maple Bonsai
Trident Maple Bonsai is considered to be one of the best varieties to begin the bonsai adventure. Trident Maple is a member of the Aceraceae family, and is commonly found in china and other temperate regions of earth. They get in all the necessary characteristics for making a great bonsai tree. Trident maple is very responsive and accommodating to bonsai training and hence makes perfect material for beginners. PropagationYou may follow different approaches for propagating trident maple. It may either be grown from seeds, or from cuttings and air layerings. If you plan to propagate your Trident maple from seeds then collect them during the late autumn season. Before planting in a good quality seed starter mix, wash the seeds with mild fungicide and then refrigerate it in a plastic container for about 2 months. This will make the germination process much smoother. If you plan to grow your trident maple by cutting from an existing tree, then you have to choose the best time of the year. Making the cut during the late spring or early summer season will help in rapid root formation. You may consider using a good quality rooting hormone to expedite the process. It is also possible to propagate your trident maple by air layering. The best time to carry out an air layering exercise is during the late spring season, just after the hardening of new growth. Cut the bark on the trunk, and place a container around it, with some moist sphagnum moss and soil in it. Roots will start forming within two months, after which you can separate it from the parent tree and grow a new trident maple. General CareTrident maple bonsai needs to be protected from extreme cold conditions. During the cold waves moisture in the soil gets converted to frost and this is detrimental to the plant. Better growth of your trident maple can be achieved by use of good quality soil, with excellent drainage capabilities. They grow well in moist soil, but do not need a lot of water. Repot the bonsai once every two years. As the tree gets older re potting frequency may be reduced. Trident maples grow at a rapid rate, so you need to carry out wiring and pruning exercises during the early spring, when the growth is maximum. For big branches you should wait till autumn season when the growth rate diminishes. Because trident maples grow very fast you should avoid it wiring very tightly, as that will lead to formation of wire marks and wounds of the plant. Give a lot of sun to your maple bonsai, except during the very hot summer. Follow a watering schedule that keeps the soil moist. Depending on the area you live in and the climate, decide on a balanced watering schedule for your maple bonsai. The best part of growing trident maple is the changing colors of its foliage over the season. It will give you a great sense of achievement to see a healthy growing trident maple bonsai in it’s fully glory.
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