Sycamore maple is endowed with all the wonderful properties we want from an outdoor bonsai. These instructions will show you the way to successfully cultivating an Acer pseudoplatanus as a mini tree for the balcony, terrace and garden.
How do I care for a sycamore bonsai?
A sycamore maple bonsai needs a sunny to partially shaded location, regular watering, liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks, cutting branches in the leafless period, removing thicker branches in summer and wiring young branches from the end of May.
Starting signal in a quick process – this is how it works
Growing a sycamore maple from seeds takes many years. The “quick bonsai” process gives you a specimen with which you can quickly begin the design work. It's that easy:
- Select young, 200 cm high sycamore maple with a beautiful trunk and well-grown roots
- Cut to 30 to 50 cm with a sharp, disinfected saw (€9.00 on Amazon)
- Potting in a bonsai pot with a mix of 2 parts Akadama and 1 part each of potting soil and perlite
If you come across the ideal specimen as a boulder in a garden or park, please ask the owner if you can dig up the young sycamore maple.
Care for sycamore maple properly as a bonsai - this is what you should pay attention to
A sycamore maple feels best in a sunny to semi-shady and airy location. Acer pseudoplatanus is suitable for almost all styles, although a height of 50 to 80 cm is recommended. The focus is on the following care measures:
- Watere regularly with normal tap water, several times a day in summer
- Fertilize liquidly every 2 weeks from spring to autumn
- Prune branches during the leafless period, but not in spring (sap flow)
- Ideally remove thicker branches in summer
- From the end of May, one- to two-year-old branches are wired into the desired shape
Although a sycamore maple is completely hardy, there is a risk of frost damage in the small-volume bonsai pot. Plant older trees in the garden for the winter, protected by large deciduous trees. It is best to overwinter a sycamore maple bonsai in the development phase in a bright, frost-free winter quarters. Alternatively, place your child in a large wooden box on a thick layer of bark mulch and place the improvised winter quarters in a garden niche protected from the wind.
Tip
While regular cutting of the sycamore bonsai is important for targeted growth control, this does not apply to its impressive counterparts in the garden. Only in exceptional cases should you cut a fully grown Acer pseudoplatanus according to the minimum principle. So that the valuable tree does not bleed to death, a day between October and December is recommended
