Hello, First time reader/poster! I've just acquired a kiyohime bonsai tree and I'm having a hard time finding the proper caring instructions. I've never had a maple bonsai before as my experience is limited to hardy pine trees. All I know about it was that it was kept in a greenhouse. I received it 2 1/2 weeks ago and was told to leave it outside. The Temperature here has been close to 2 to 4 C with highs in the 12 C range and lows below 0 C. I water it once a day and don't know what type of food/fertilizer to give it. After a while, it started to wither and some of the leaves where turning yellow/brown. Had I seen that on a tree in the park, I would have thought of the natural process of autumn but we're in winter and the tree was in a greenhouse...did I trigger something? Could someone give me a basic outline of the "caring" instructions? Where to keep it? indoor / outdoor Sunlight? Direct? Watering frequency? Food? I've enclosed some pictures. Any advice will be much appreciated! Thanks, Bonsailess
Being a deciduous tree it needs a winter dormancy. Being a bonsai (presumably planted in a small, shallow container) it can't be left out to freeze up like a brick. Cold greenhouse or coldframe is the answer, unless you live in a mild climate. Frosting of the foliage might sometimes kill off leaves without there being autumn color, I think this is not unknown with Japanese maples. These are also prone to various fungal/bacterial blights, perhaps the more so under greenhouse conditions (see discussion in the book JAPANESE MAPLES (Vertrees/Gregory, Timber Press).
