Author: Rick Manning

Bonsai Security At one of the last board meetings we talked about an article for the newsletter pertaining to bonsai security.  Having had been a police officer and detective for thirty years I have had some rather unique insight into the “criminal mind” and how it works.  During my career part of my duties included conducting security analysis and evaluations of businesses and their physical structure.  When I went to burglary investigation school one of our homework assignments was to go out into the community as three-man teams and…

Outdoor: The cooler temperatures will help reduce the tree’s need for water, but we still need to monitor the soil moisture in each pot daily. All outdoor bonsai must remain outdoors at this time. Sometimes they are brought indoors on chilly nights because someone thinks they are protecting them from the chill. This is a wrong idea. The alternation of warm days and chilly nights is a part of what sets the tree into dormancy. The more times that this alternation takes place, the deeper the dormancy can become.…

Moving IndoorsBy Dan Kosta Many of us grow indoor (tropical) bonsai as well as the more traditional temperate type of trees. These trees will need to be brought indoors soon. Ideally the trees should be indoors two weeks before the heating system is turned on but this is a difficult thing to work out.By bringing the trees in early it reduces the “thermal shock” when they move from the outside to the inside. It is more of a shock if the tree is taken from a forty degree environment to a seventy degree one than it is…

Substitute President’s message Due to a string of coincidences, It is my honor to be writing this month’s President’s Message. I hope that you all enjoyed Rodney Clements’s presentation. I have seen him in action a few times, and I have always enjoyed it. He is very entertaining, and he gives you a lot of things to consider in designing your trees. September is going to be a very busy month. We are having the garden walk again this year. Last year’s walk was very successful. Just seeing how…

LOOKING BACK ON OUR PICNICWe held our annual picnic on August 1st and what a grand day it was. I was contemplating not going because of the Delta Covid thing but what a mistake that would have been.  Because I said I was going to set up an information table I figured I should go. So off I went. The weather was perfect, in the 70's, light breeze and almost no humidity, just perfect. Cantigny couldn't have treated us better, they were the perfect host and the only thing…

THINGS TO DO IN SEPTEMBER Outdoor: Once hot temperatures (above 85-90 degrees) have passed, plants should return to their normal growth activity; however, our season for pruning deciduous trees, broad leaf evergreens and junipers is at its close. Your trees will need to keep their branches since food reserves are stored in the branch and trunk tissues. Currently, we need to pay close attention to fertilization for the trees to strengthen themselves and replenish reserves for their dormant period. Start using a low-nitrogen fertilizer in mid-September to help reduce…

Best in Show Professional - Andrew SmithMid-America Bonsai ExhibitionAugust 20/21/22, 2021When I visited the Midwest Bonsai Society’s Mid-America Bonsai Exhibition on August 21st I had a powerful sense of déjà vu.  It was in the spring of 2012 when my wife and I happened to visit the Chicago Botanic Garden on the weekend of their May bonsai show.  While touring the trees on display in the Regenstein room that day, I asked a couple questions of a person in an apron.  He told me that the CBG offers classes…

Timely Tips Susan Daufeldt This is a great time in the bonsai garden. Well, it is and it isn’t. The trees should be really spiffy after all the early summer work. But this is also a time when environmental conditions can create a lot of stress. Watch your trees carefully for the signs. Proper/adequate watering and nutrition will help trees to resist disease. If you see signs of fungal disease and/or pests, address the problem as soon as possible. In my garden, too much sun is an issue and…

Greetings everyone, It’s August already as we leave this partially wet July behind. Remember to check your trees as the temps climb higher and higher in the month. Prairie State Bonsai society has exciting news to share. In-person meetings are once again not only a possibility but will begin again in October. How fun it will be to be able to once again meet in person. Please remember to start thinking about what to bring for our raffle table and get a ticket. Stay tuned for more information. As…

Bonsai and penjing masters like Saburo Kato and John Naka are recognized as icons who really advanced and expanded the ancient art of bonsai. Now, the next generation of artists is building on those legacies, putting down roots for many more decades of bonsai artistry. In The Future of Bonsai blog series, the National Bonsai Foundation is highlighting up-and-coming bonsai and penjing pioneers who are next in line to spread the spirit of bonsai. Chicago native and bonsai professional Jennifer Price is one such artist. Get to know her…