So, I am returning to the hobby of bonsai after a few years. I've decided to be adventurous and grow from seed, even though I acknowledge that this is a lengthy process. I purchased some Purple Ghost Japanese Maple seeds from eBay, and am looking to purchase a sky blue variety as well. Given the fact that spring is nearing, I understand that I would probably be most successful by undergoing stratification.

Let me break here and give some background. I attempted to grow a Silver Maple (not a Japanese Maple variety) several years ago. I ended up killing it not too far into it, so I'm hoping to gain some wisdom from you folks to ensure this go around is successful. I cut the top of it off too soon, rather than letting it grow to it's potential with the pot size.

The videos that I have seen have mentioned pricking the leaves off in order to ensure they remain small. How many years into this, should I begin to do this? Also- the Bonsai Empire video dedicated to propagation from seed showed him putting several seeds in one pot. I was planning on planting them in small seedling trays and going from there. I certainly don't want to end up with a forest style. What process would you folks recommend in planting? Any special soils? What about using SuperThrive to soak the seeds in before propagating? Final Question: what sorts of things should I be doing to the seeds in the 2-3 years before any serious training can be done?

Thank you!

tslawson wrote:

The videos that I have seen have mentioned pricking the leaves off in order to ensure they remain small. How many years into this, should I begin to do this?

Depends on what size bonsai you are going for, but I'd say about 25 years.

What process would you folks recommend in planting

Get a pot. Fill the pot with soil. Plant a seed in it.

ok..

unlike with trident maples, you can't completely defoliate japanese maples.. it's not safe..

use a soil poor in nutrients..

better yet, use google on germinating and cultivating japanese maples from seed

once they have germinated, plant them in your garden for 10 years (until you have a bit of a tree.. )

Cronic wrote:

unlike with trident maples, you can't completely defoliate japanese maples.. it's not safe..

You don't defoliate trees at all. Not until they are established as bonsai.

Keep in mind: The best time to start propagation is in winter. If you start now, and you add a 3 month stratification period, you are in June before germination will even start. This is on the late side; Your newly germinated plant will have only limited time to grow this year.

Once you are passed the first year, in early spring, just as the plant is starting to wake up from winter lift it, trim the main root. Put a light wire on the tree to give it some shape and plant on top of a barrier. Then just let it grow.

Thank you all. I definitely appreciate your input.

Leatherback:

In response to the potting, should I go full-fledged pot or start it (especially during stratification) in those small trays like those at garden centers?

In response to trimming the main root next spring, how much should I trim it? Forgive my ignorance, but what type of barrier would you recommend?

Where and how you propaget.. up to you. I just take a big flat container and pot seeds in there. Others put each seed in individual containers. May differ also by the number of seeds you plant. Last I planted was a few hundred grams of seeds..

How much you can trim.. That is personal too. I am merciless, but also accept high percentage of losses..

Here some things I wrote in the past: www.growingbonsai.net/growing-bonsai/growing-roots/