Author: Rick Manning

President's Letter – March 2025 Prairie State Bonsai Society Dear Members, One of the major highlights of 2025 was the Silhouette Show, held on February 22-23 at the Morton Arboretum. The event was well attended, aided in part by favorable weather. The Arboretum also hosted a Train Show that weekend, bringing in model train enthusiasts—many of whom stopped by to admire our bonsai display. Our Special Events Chair, Craig Cronquist, may share more details about the show. Given its success, we anticipate hosting future Silhouette Shows at the Morton…

THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH Outdoor: The situation here is the same as it was last month. Leave trees in winter for protection and water as needed. Do not fertilize. Deciduous trees and pines may be wired. If your trees can be moved, you may bring them indoors for up to eight hours for work. Be aware of possible flooding in in-ground cold frames. Indoor: Sunlight has been scarce lately, so be sure to give indoor trees as much light as possible. Trees at windowsills could use some supplemental…

Cheap Bonsai Turntable Converting a broken office chair into a bonsai turntable is an easy, cheap project for the winter months. All you will need is an old office chair, a piece of old plywood, and some screws. The sample I am making here cost me nothing. If you want a slightly nicer turntable, you can go to a home store like Menards or Lowe's and buy a precut circle top for your chair that you could stain or make look sharp. I prefer to use old plywood, then…

THINGS TO DO THIS MONTH Outdoor: Protect trees from freezing winds that can dry buds and twigs. Water if the soil becomes dry. Trees wintered outdoors should be watered during snowless and sunny or windy periods. Do not fertilize. Trim off obvious dieback. Ventilate enclosures when the outdoor temperature is 40 F or higher. Prepare for repotting season by acquiring new pots and soil supplies. Take notice of trees in nature and note their shapes and branch structures. These observations can be used when shaping trees later in the…

President's Letter – February 2025Prairie State Bonsai SocietyDear Members,As we look back on 2024, we ended the year with a wonderful holiday celebration at Larry Magee's home in Wayne, IL, on Wednesday, December 4. We are incredibly grateful to Larry for graciously hosting this festive gathering for the second year in a row. It was such a delight to connect with fellow members over food and drinks. The White Elephant Gift Exchange was, as always, full of laughs and surprises! Additionally, Larry generously donated a beautiful bonsai tree as…

'Tsukumo' Japanese false-cypress is a slow-growing, dwarf, needled evergreen shrub in the cypress family (Cupressaceae) that can take up to 20 years to reach a height of 10 inches. Eventually it can grow up to 18 inches tall and wide. The genus name derives from the Greek words chamai, for dwarf or low to the ground, and kyparissos, for "cypress." The species epithet, pisifera, is Latin meaning “pea-bearing” and refers to the small rounded cones borne by this tree. The origin of the cultivar is not known with certainty, but it most likely…

Amur MapleAcer tataricum subsp. ginnala The amur maple is the Trident Maple of the north! It has strong root growth, is easy to prune, and forms many buds. Amur Maple is completely frost-resistant and can easily tolerate our winter. It is a native of central and northern China, Manchuria, and Japan and was introduced to North America in the 1860s. If you are looking for a good starter tree, that you can start from seed or just want to practice the skills needed to maintain a nicer Japanese Maple,…

Presentation by Jason at the November General Meeting

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. The wiring should be checked carefully, and tight wires should be removed. Many trees seem to have put on exceptional girth this season, so check the wires thoroughly. 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 from when the trees were outside in a completely different environment.…

Dear Members, Our general meeting on November 6, 2024, featuring a presentation and lecture by Jason Davids on overwintering bonsai trees, was very well received. I'm confident our members gained valuable insights into protecting our prized trees during Chicago's harsh winters. One of the trees styled during the DA Show was raffled off, along with other wonderful items donated by various members. Thank you to all who contributed to making this a fun and engaging event. Due to firing delays, the pots created during the workshop on September 11,…