Acer palmatum ap 1-24

Maple trees need a substrate that is always moist. Water it regularly while allowing the root ball to dry out slightly between waterings to avoid excess water. In spring/summer, watering will be done regularly, when it's hot, it's every day ! On the other hand, in winter, water according to the supervision of the soil. Thanks to the rain and cold, you won't necessarily need to water regularly since the substrate will remain moist. 

Important : Don't hesitate to water the entire root ball up to the roots, the water will drain away through the holes under the pot or bathe the bonsai in water (drenching) for a few minutes, to make sure you water it well. We do not recommend putting a cup/container under the pot as the water will stagnate and can cause root rot. (Too much water = asphyxiation).

Maple likes cool soils with a good share of organic matter. In the nursery, we use agricultural potting soil composed of black peat, blond peat, eco-aged, topsoil, horse manure, pozzolana.  During the next repotting, which is done about every 2/3 years at the beginning of March, you can mix more draining substrate such as: akadama, pumice, kiryu... Just be careful not to disturb the root bread, don't destroy the whole root ball 

Use a substrate that can both drain your soil to remove excess water and retain it in case of drought. However, avoid overly draining soils composed only of pumice or pozzolana, as they do not retain enough moisture.  

Many bonsai react noticeably when repotted at the wrong time or too drastically.

Pruning shoots and twigs can be done all year round. Strong branches should be harvested in autumn to avoid excessive sap loss, or in summer. 

In the nursery, we use blue tomato/flower fertilizer NPK 12 12 17. You can use some and put a handful (small or large depending on the size of the pot) on the substrate from May to October, every 2 months alternating chemical/organic.