Author: Rick Manning

Just how much better do plants grown in the ground than other methods? Initial plants were air layered maples purchased from the Midwest August show that were approximately 20 inches tall at the start with a trunk circumference of 4cm to 4.5cm . Sample one was grown in a wide plastic pot grown with a combination of compost and bonsai soil in partial shade. Tree had 4 new upright growths. Sample two was grown in a wide plastic seed tray with a combination of compost and bonsai soil in…

If you get caught off guard by a quick freeze and do not have enough time to get your plants to their winter quarters or only need protection for a day or two, simply lower bonsai under there summer stands and if needed drape plastic or a tarp over the stand.  ConifersI store my conifers in two different locations.  Trees that are in development are in my garden in a layer of mulch. A building blocks the wind from the north, and I planted asparagus to act as a…

President’s Letter for November 2023 Naperville Free Speech Event On Sunday, October 22nd, a group of us assembled at the pavilion across from the library on the Naperville Riverwalk.  We set up tables to display trees, while others set up on the picnic tables to work on trees they brought along.  This was the date of the Naperville half marathon in the downtown area, so we set up after the race around noon until about 5 PM. We had many people strolling by as the day was very pleasant. …

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…

President’s Letter for October 2023Winding down 2023We just passed the technically accurate first day of fall. A lot of the discussion now is centered around spraying trees to get them ready for winter quarters, buying new lighting for the tropicals,and setting up tables to hold them (wherever your spouse will agree). We still have some timeaccording to the forecasts, but it is clear that time is running out for this season.  I need to do a little work clearing out the window wells where many of my semi-hardy trees…

Colorado Blue Spruce Also known under its scientific name Picea pungens “glauca,” the Colorado Blue Spruce is a popular bonsai tree in the United States. This evergreen is native to cool weather forest regions in the Northern Hemisphere. The Colorado blue spruce has attractive silvery blue/green needles. This cone bearing evergreen (conifer) has thin, scratched looking bark with beautiful blue-hued evergreen needles. This bonsai has a traditional tree shape and a pointed peak making it one of the most popular Christmas trees around. The Blue Spruce bonsai is native to the Rocky Mountains…

HELPFUL IDEAS FOR PUTTING AWAY YOUR TREES FOR WINTER These are a couple of things that may help you when you start to put your trees into winter quarters. This is from our president, Craig. Craig says, “This is how I store my hardy trees for winter in my wife's garden. I wrap a piece of lawn fabric (after making a cut halfway through) around each tree and secure it with a lawn staple. Then, when I bury the pot, I put some dirt on top. All the dirt comes off…

Outdoor: This is a time to be preparing for the coming winter.  Decide where and how you will protect your trees; mulch bed, cold storage house, cold greenhouse, etc. 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 with a very…

Just a few short weeks ago we had our biggest event of the  year, the Prairie State Bonsai Society Exhibit at Destination Asia.The exhibit is a culmination of a year’s worth of work involving many people. In fact, we would never have been able to put the show together if it weren’t for the generosity of our volunteers. Thanks again to all the volunteers this year; you all helped us to have asuccessful and extremely busy show!

We had another great Destination Asia Festival Show By many measures, the Prairie State Bonsai Society’s show at the Destination Asia Festival at The Morton Arboretum was one of the best ever. One of the primary ways we measure our impact is by the number of people participating in the People’s Choice voting over the weekend.  Most people are willing to cast a vote, although there are always a few sourpusses who refuse to participate. On Friday, we had 320 votes this year versus 416 in 2022, but we…