Yearly Archives: 2025

Outdoor: All trees should now be tucked away in their winter housing.  Be sure to water as needed while in winter storage.  Do not fertilize.  Wiring should be checked carefully, and any loose or tight wires should be removed if not already done.  Many trees seem to have put on an exceptional amount of girth this season, so be sure to thoroughly check the wires. Do not repot at this time. Indoor:  All indoor trees should now be indoors. Be sure to water as needed.  The watering needs may differ…

Taken from October 1, 2025 ABS Newsletter Powered By EmbedPress

Hello,I hope everyone is doing well and had a wonderful growing season. For the first time, I am opening up the tree sales from the Chicago Botanic Garden bonsai collection to the local clubs. Historically, the sale has only been for volunteers, and they do a great job buying stuff up, so there was not much left. This year, we have 16 trees up for sale with a wide range of refinement and costs. The list includes both hardy and tropical trees. Most are med to small trees. There…

Dear Members,I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the beauty of the season with your trees.On Saturday, September 6, 2025, we were invited by the Village of Downers Grove to participate in their first-ever Tapestry Multicultural Festival at Fishel Park. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to introduce the art of bonsai and our club to the general public and share our passion with new audiences. We were able to attract five (5) trial members. At our September 10, 2025 general meeting, members brought in their challenging trees…

Outdoor: Be ready to put your trees into winter protection as soon as the weather dictates. A night temperature of 25°F is a good reference point for when the trees need protection. Remove the remaining foliage on deciduous trees and any weeds or debris on the soil before placing the trees into winter protection. Spraying with a general fungicide can be beneficial. Keep your trees well watered. The trees will use less water in the current cooler temperatures. Fertilization may be stopped at this point. Do not repot except in…

Siberian Elm UlmusPumila Style: are usually grown as informal upright trees. They are also grown in groves or group plantings, root on or over rock, and slanting Placement: Full sun Watering:  Elms like a lot of water through the growing season, but don’t like wet feet. Use a well-draining soil. Most Elms don’t lose all of their leaves in the winter, although they are dormant. Be cautious not to overwater during dormancy. Wiring: Young Elm branches can be wired, but you need to check daily for wire biting in.…

Outdoor: This is a time to be preparing for the coming winter.  Decide where and how you will protect your trees, such as a mulch bed, cold storage house, or cold greenhouse. Acquire any needed materials now so that you are not caught without needed supplies when it is time to store the trees. Keep trees outdoors on cool fall nights.  Do not bring winter-hardy trees indoors. Adjust watering to the changing temperatures. The soil is likely to stay damp longer on cool, and in particular cloudy, days. Fertilization…

Dear Members, I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the beauty of summer with your trees. At our August 6 general meeting, we were treated to a wonderful presentation on Kusamono by Young Choe. She shared the art of using tropical plants to create Kusamono, both as stand-alone displays and as accents to bonsai. To close, she created three elegant arrangements in record time, which were raffled off to delighted members. It was an inspiring and memorable program. Our annual bonsai show, held in partnership with the Destination Asia Festival…

THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH Outdoor & Indoor:Watering is still a critical job at this time of year. Trees can dry very quickly on hot days. The roots can be damaged or even killed when the soil stays dry for too long, which can have devastating effects on your tree. Now is the time to switch to a low nitrogen fertilizer. The soil should be moist before the fertilizer is applied. Now is the time when trees prepare themselves for winter. Trunks and branches will thicken as materials are…

Dear Members,I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying the beauty of summer alongside your trees.At our recent general meeting, on June 4, 2025, members had the opportunity to buy and sell bonsai-related items. It was a great success—an excellent way to find unique tools and pots, clear out your shelves, and connect with fellow enthusiasts. Thanks to the strong turnout and positive feedback, we plan to make the Bonsai Garage Sale an annual tradition.We also held our Annual Picnic on Sunday, June 29, at Blackwell Forest Preserve—our first…