Monthly Archives: January 2022

Indoor:  The mid-winter time period can be a crucial time for your indoor bonsai. This is often a period when there are many more cloudy days than sunny ones and trees at windows are receiving very low light levels. These trees will be doing little, if any, growing. There also may be some yellowing or dropping of leaves due to the low light. Do not fertilize trees that are placed at windows. Also be aware that there can be cold drafts through the glass itself. You may need to move these trees back from the window…

The Desert Rose Adenium obesum is also known by the names Sabi Star, Kudu, Mock Azalea, Impala Lily and most notably the Desert Rose. It is a long-lived plant and in the right conditions it can live for centuries, five hundred years is not uncommon. It is native to Africa, the Middle East, Madagascar , Southeast Asia, and Thailand. It is not a rose. It is a drought-deciduous succulent shrub. Adeniums, as they are commonly known, are actually more related to Alamandas, Oleanders and Frangipanis.  Being a sub species…

Acting President’s Message Welcome to 2022. Hopefully, we will return to reasonably normal life this year. We will be having a ZOOM meeting in February. Then the plan is to be back to “in-person” meetings after that. We will be holding the Silhouette Show at Cantigny on February 12th. This is our first event in over a year.  We will be notifying you of any changes to the Covid Protocol that may be made in the coming weeks. This is a chance to show off the tree structure of…

Out of sight is not out of mind. Ask how many killed 1 st tree. Why? Tell of your own experience using potting soil. Loved tree to death by overwatering. Will discuss soil, substrate, what’s the difference; qualities of substrates; organics and inorganics in substrate mix; physical properties of substrates; watering and chemical properties.1) Soil (growing medium or substrate) is the most important part of growing healthy roots. (The secret sauce)2) Field Soil. Dead or alive? Both – beneficial living organisms in the field soil feed on dead roots…

ROOT PRUNING AND REPOTTING Purpose: Root pruning removes heavy, old, and excessively lengthy portions of the root system. The effect is to limit the growth of the tree by limiting the size and spread of the root system and revitalizing the tree by creating an increased energy level through the development of new and more numerous feeder roots. This results in developing a dense network of fine roots and branches. It also serves to allow a bonsai to be replanted back into the same container as it initially reduces…