Monthly Archives: May 2023

Fuji (Wisteria) The Fuji (藤), also known as Wisteria, is a strong, fast-growing deciduous vine with alternating compound leaves. In spring, it produces long drooping clusters of bluish-purple fragrant flowers. The genus Wisteria comprises less than 10 species, most of them native to China and Japan and two native to North America. In gardens, it is often used to grow over pergolas or facades. Several cultivars have different flower colors, like white, pink, and dark purple. The most common species for bonsai are the Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and…

President’s Letter for June 2023  It is almost Picnic Time! On Sunday, June 25th, we will hold our annual picnic at Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, IL.  This year we have reserved the pavilion immediately to the left after you pass through the booths collecting parking fees.  We have been in this location before and have typically drawn a lot of interest for our trees from other picnickers in the area.  As always, we encourage each of you to attend to enjoy the company of your fellow club…

Outdoor: Place trees in a maximum sunlight location. Make certain to water as often as needed. As the weather warms, the trees will need to be watered more frequently, often daily. Be sure to provide enough water at each watering to thoroughly saturate the soil. Fertilize regularly to keep the trees growing and to support the new growth. Pinch new growth as needed to increase the fullness of the foliage pads. Wire as needed, but be careful when working around the soft new growth as it is easily damaged.…

TAKE OUT YOUR TROPICALSTips and advice from senior members on moving your trees outsideSummer has arrived and your tropical trees are happy to get back outside and into the sun! This typically occurs once the low temperatures remain above 50 degrees. We suggest some of the following advice when taking out your trees. Weather should be above 55° consistently at night. Usually later in the second half of May or Memorial DayCheck your trees for any pests/infestations/fungus/etc and spray as needed Remove any wire that is biting inFertilize weekly with liquid…

Cut the Candles on Your Double-Flush PinesRed, black, and other pines need to have their energy balancedThe goal is to balance the energy of the tree to make it relatively the same across the tree. The removal of spring growth from red or black pines is to stimulate a second flush of growth in summer. This is accomplished by the process of candle cutting in June.Check the branch and decide where you want budding to occurCut the bottom of the candle with scissors, while leaving a small amount of green…