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Although I am new to bonsai, having only practiced it during the past five years or so, my experience in urban forestry, large tree transplanting and arboriculture tells me to wait on re-potting the maple until after the leaves are completely out (hardened off).

The root system and the leaf canopy on your maple (or any tree for that matter) work in concert with one another. Simply put, the size of the root system and the amount of foliage on the tree are in equilibrium. The action of repotting the tree may disturb enough of the roots so that those that remain my not be enough to provide adequate nutrients to the tree canopy. This could result in the potential of leaf die-back (turning brown and drying up) and could even go so far as killing braches on the tree.

I'd be afraid that repotting the maple now would result in the death of some of the buds.

20-Mar-2003	#4
bcornell bonsaiTALK Neophyte Join Date: Mar-2003 Location: Montgomery County, MD Country: United States USDA Zone: 6 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 8	A little patience Although I am new to bonsai, having only practiced it during the past five years or so, my experience in urban forestry, large tree transplanting and arboriculture tells me to wait on re-potting the maple until after the leaves are completely out (hardened off). The root system and the leaf canopy on your maple (or any tree for that matter) work in concert with one another. Simply put, the size of the root system and the amount of foliage on the tree are in equilibrium. The action of repotting the tree may disturb enough of the roots so that those that remain my not be enough to provide adequate nutrients to the tree canopy. This could result in the potential of leaf die-back (turning brown and drying up) and could even go so far as killing braches on the tree. I'd be afraid that repotting the maple now would result in the death of some of the buds.