how to deal with sunburn Japanese Maple leaves by deleafing (defoliate)

Summer is here, this is a common problem for Japanese Maples's delicate leaves, and this can be easily dealt with by doing a deleafing. This technique can also be used to accelerate branching and reduce the leave size of your decidius bonsai.

[@jaymercha3859]

I did this deleafing on JULY 4th and the beautiful RED leaves returned in 2 weeks. Every leaf was burned on the tree. Thanks for the video. I would not have been brave enough to do this before seeing this. My tree is gorgeous now.

[@SeaMichelle1]

Your comment gives me hope! It’s July 5th and I have had my beautiful new maple tree for only a week and every leaf is burnt and shriveled. However long it takes me I’ll cut every leaf off to help it regrow. 🙏

[@charliecurilan4110]

The only straightforward answer I could find in all of the internet. THAT'S the kind of video that should be around because it does not waste people's time with all the jargon and flaunting of know-how. I just found this just in time, rescued a few acers from the garden center that were suspiciously cheap! Now we know why.

[@skyskysk9865]

What if all the leaves are burnt?

[@fdzgh6751]

i was watching a video by jgeanangel and remembered your video on sun burned leaves and i think this is very interesting the video was Hop Hornbeam Slab Planting watch 10 min 14 seconds into the video very useful the rest of it is good to and thank you for your knowledge and teachings as well i watch every one

[@josephgibbs4027]

wish i could show u the 2 week difference of my jordan full moon maple, i defoliated it completely and now beautiful leaves have emerged its only a 2 or 3 year old graft but by pruning the leaves its like forcing it into another spring in mid summer. LOVE MAPLES! i have 15 and still collecting

[@rumination608]

Do you recommend misting the leaves with water? I do this often to clean any dirt or bugs that might be on them. It seems to help the plant. I have my japanese maple in the shade but since i live in texas, it still gets some sunburn. Thank you for your tips. I love japanese maples!

[@simplyaliya3286]

in summer months for container plants, use the drip trays fill it with water and put plants on top of it. And then put some water in it and it helps your plants so they wont die and it keeps them hydrated during hot days.

[@jaymercha3859]

Warning! I tried doing this 2 years in a row and almost killed my tree the second time. The leaves took a year to grow back in SPRING.

[@tbalsillie]

Great video! Thanks for the wonderful information.

[@Selfmade345]

Continued: Do you think its still to early since collection to repot into a suitable bonsai pot? or should I wait another year? Also, when would it be best to do the repot and heavy root pruning? Thanks! I really enjoy your videos. :)

[@valeriacoffee2970]

It is Aug.23 in Ga. Is it to late to trim my Maple tree I’ve had it about 8yrs it has done very well, but this year not so much it’s really sun burned in the last to weeks am l to late?

[@lisademayo8589]

the long stem on each leaf is called the "petiole". so do you mean when you cut the leaf off, are you leaving petiole in place? the little stems you aren't cutting off, correct?

[@liquidxskin19]

Hello TheBonsaiStudent, If you tree is still getting scorched by the California sun you may want to consider getting some shade cloth and putting the more sensitive plants underneath it.

[@shaheensyed9882]

thank u so much. same happened with my mapple. was worried. thank u again

[@kaeobermoy4401]

This was a great video very good info that helped me alot

[@stevenzacharakis]

My young cherry blossom (prunus) recently experience severe leaf burn. I left the leaves fall naturally since the burnt leaves were still giving it some shade.. the tree let the leaves go when it was ready and had new buds within the week.... (after i moved it in a shadier spot)

[@FixItWithMe]

My Japanese maple had BLEACH damage from a house wash. What should I do?? The leaves also dried out and falling off. Thanks!!! Any fertilizer/plant food u recommend? Thanks!!

[@rugbyplayr11]

would tomorrow be too late to deleaf? i live in the bay area...peninsula to be exact

[@jaymercha3859]

It only took me twenty minutes to deleaf using my bare hands.

[@llrainll]

Is it possible to do it in August?

[@RaksSharki007]

Thank you so much for this wonderful lesson in caring for my tipping, established Japanese Maple.

[@Selfmade345]

Last year I collected a Japanese Maple from the ground around mid Fall. I planted it in a large pot and did minor pruning of dead wood. This spring, the tree came back pretty good. Although it took a bit long to leaf. So I did some heavy pruning on 6/22 of the longer growth and dead wood etc. The tree looks great! Its getting quite a bit of sun where I have it. Should I move it to a more partial sun area? I also watered and did miracle grow fert upon completion. I would also like to repot it.

[@rebeccayee9476]

Thanks for this, a week long heatwave has made my maple look so sad. Hope it's not too late in the summer for it.

[@adrianalfaro4828]

did you maple survive?

[@rajgill7576]

Mine is about half the size of this and about the same damage in just 2 days as well. Hot hot California sun man double days of 90s. I moved it under an awning we have in the backyard and I'm gonna prune the leaves away. I did water it, which hopefully isn't a big mistake. It is already pre bonsai and in a very small pot that was dry to the touch

[@ramkitty]

great info, I did not know you could stimulate a second full growth of leafs like that.

[@alisonarmstrong8421]

Hot wind scorched my lace-leaf maple that was very dense with leaves in the spring. I am trimming the dry leaves and dead stems, but am leaving stems and branches that are able to regenerate new leaves.

[@gabrielavazquezm7651]

Hi! My tree started to grow new leaves but all the little branches got brown and got dry! The new leaves and buttons got dry, the tree trunk is green but no leaves, should I bring it out?

[@kuljeetkaur5812]

Is it too late its September in Canada. But its still pretty warm. And if the leaves grow back in less than 2 wks. Will it have time to grow and then go dormant in my Canadian winter.

[@CookingwithAnneHugo]

Nice maple plant leaves tips ,tnx for the share 👍

[@adrianalfaro4828]

Can I do this to my American red maple and orange glory maple 🍁 during this month of September?

[@andrecardoso7011]

Thank you for this simple and yet very useful video. Got all the help I was looking for. I was offered a bonsai tree (Serissa tree) last Christmas and I'm giving it my best to keep it healthy. I'm a plant newbie and I don't believe this was the best choice for me. It got sunburned and I was very concerned about my next step, because it is very sensitive to any change. I will deleaf it in a few moments and control the watering and sunlight exposure. Hopefully, it will be back on its feet in no time :) Keep up the good work!

[@lynnetrathen4587]

Omg I kept watering 🤦🏻‍♀️ I hope I can save it

[@paulrock4816]

I bought something called Wilt Stop on Amazon, haven't used it yet. because it is Oct. I will try it next spring.

[@chamelor]

Gona deleaf mine tomo. Hope it grows back like yours!🤞

[@sammy706]

now i have hope i can save my maple thank you

[@DTOM59483]

Was it transported in a enclosed trailer or topper or not wrapped up with a wilt proof on it?

[@ddreuss]

OK, I think I have the same thing happening to mine. I have a small Maple in training as well. I found a path on one side that went from a brown to a black color as if the where being burnt. I brought it inside the house close to the window out of direct sunlight. I also sprayed a mixture of cooking oil/baking soda/and dawn dish soap with water (extremely small amount). I did not know if it was a fungus. So not sure if this is helping. Any ideas?

[@ddreuss]

The other half is healthy. I removed all the dead leaves.

[@eileenlocke7877]

Thank u my acer leaves are burning and curling

[@mralfredo5946]

What about black crispy leaves, What does it mean?

[@lisaburke7421]

My juniper was outside on a front porch, so got sun but not all day. All the needles turned brown while outside. It looks like someone took a blow torch to it and scorched it. Can the needles grow back like your bonsai with the leaves?

[@ericbrown4761]

If all the needles on the branch fell off, you've lost the branch, but if all the needles on the plant fell off, start making funeral arrangements, as the plant Will not recover. It's happened to me more than once. I'm a slow learner. Don't despair, get you another one. You've learned a heartbreaking but valuable lesson. On the opposite end of the spectrum, don't be too good to you're juniper and over water it. That can be just as fatal, and has probably killed more junipers than anything else.

[@borkokovacevic365]

Can you please explain to me ,do I have to defoliate all leaves or only sun burned leaves.

[@shaheensyed9882]

really liked ur way of guiding us.

[@mehtoutoo]

when you put a tree up against a wall, fence. the fence magnifies the sun and scorches the plant .

[@bonsai-r-usliveinharmony5691]

cool

[@EchoChick2009]

very informative,, this helps immensely. thanks for sharing. my f.benjamina too little (fig) are not deciduous, but i have read they respond favorably to deleafing? i have never actually had to do it but now i have a better idea whats up.

[@ericbrown4761]

Be careful defoliating a Benjamina entirely Amanda. Leave at least one set of leaves on the ends of the branch, otherwise you're likely to kill the plant. You can defoliate a retusa, and narifolia entirely without any worries, but a benjamina is a different story. Use caution, I learned the hard way based on some bad advice.

[@EchoChick2009]

Eric Brown aww,,, gotta B tough to lose a tree. I live in Minnesota and have had my benjamina “too little” for over 7 years (she is only 11 inches high.) EVERYBODY luvs her tiny little leaves! don’t think it would B necessary to defoliate B’cuz even the older, mature leaves r very small (VERY!) and although she lives outside on the deck until fall, i would never let her get sunburn (eek!) i made a little burlap shade screen that blocks 50% of the sun,, but now i kno to B carefull if i evr actually defoliate:)

[@ericbrown4761]

It's ingenuity like that that seperates the average artist, from the above average artists. Everyone's situation is different. What works where I live, doesn't mean it will work in Minnesota, and visa versa. I've killed more plants than I care to recall. Most of which I blame on bad advice, and not seeking a second opinion. I've learned that if it doesn't sound right, it probably isn't. It's amazing to me how two trees, even though they are in the same family can have such different pruning tolerances.

[@mariacarrasquillo5693]

how long for Japanese maple leaves come back?

[@bettybounce2593]

So helpful, thank you so much

[@48blueberries]

Thankyou so much, I was wondering what was wrong with my tree.

[@TheYinyangman1]

Good Info!!

[@cypress1337]

The sun moves a lot, i see it wobbling in the sky every day.

[@fdzgh6751]

what progress in the 3rd week from the first leaf cut your maple is doing well in that spot... excellent videos i learn a lot... and this just came to me from watching once more by fixing the tree in this manner at the right time will get the tree ready for winter ... im new to bonsai thank you so much for the help.

[@bluefox041]

hello, should I de leaf my tree, because all the leaves were sunburnt, any help would be great

[@yangchendolker4720]

Your show is not helpful ,repeated again and again same

[@chinookwind8535]

This guy actually died a few yrs back

[@booshaboo1]

Oh dear 😢

[@DICKTURPIN1976]

Could I do this on Sango kaku? My newly planted small tree which is around 5 ft got eaten by aphids and I stupidly panicked and sprayed it with a washing liquid and garlic solution when it was sunny. And the leaves look baaad, discolouration alot of crispy leaves too, and we've only just entered spring!😭 will the tree die if I leave it. Would it be better de-leafing it. Thanks.