Author: Rick Manning

President's Letter – April 2025Prairie State Bonsai SocietyDear Members,We had an engaging and hands-on mini-workshop led by Linda Camp, where members had the opportunity to review and rearrange existing forest plantings created by various members over the years. Under Linda’s expert guidance, a couple of members even took on the challenge of creating new forest compositions, making it a rewarding experience for all involved.Looking ahead, we’re excited about our upcoming program, which will focus on the art of wiring. This session will include both a tutorial and hands-on practice,…

.2025 Silhouette ShowCraig CronquistThe Prairie State Bonsai Society presented its fifth annual Silhouette Show on Saturday, February 22nd, and Sunday, February 23rd, at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL.The show included thirty-three trees and forests, primarily deciduous, in their leaf-free winter splendor, but also a handful of coniferous trees, displaying their internal structure in the spirit of a bonsai silhouette show.  As usual, the Society included trees categorized as “Trees in Training” so the viewers could understand the effort and interim steps needed to prepare a bonsai.  The show…

photo by Larry Magee Arakawa Rough Bark Maple 粗皮 Katlin Mulligan The Rough bark Japanese maple, Acer palmatum‘Arakawa,’ is a beautiful cultivar that exhibits rough bark, which adds impact to a bonsai. The rough bark is interesting and creates a focal point to the total aesthetic impact the bonsai presents. But, this cultivar does not present a quiet refined image characteristic of Japanese maples with beautiful bark which becomes gray when mature. Fine twigs are difficult to develop and a coarse feeling is usually presented. True Rough bark Japanese maples, Acer palmatum ‘Arakawa,’ must be…

Outdoor:           This is the busiest month in bonsai.Once the danger of temperatures in the low twenties or less has passed, it is time to bring your trees out of winter protection and into their summer homes. For trees in mulch beds, be sure that the mulch has thawed below the pots before lifting the trees out of it. Do not force trees from a frozen mulch bed, as significant damage can result.Watering requirements will increase, so be prepared to water more frequently. Fertilization can begin…

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…