Blog

Bonsai is celebrated across the Chicago metropolitan area during the month of August! Each year in August, we enjoy some of the most important and exciting weekends for Chicago area bonsai enthusiasts. Our event is held this year on August 5, 6, and 7 at Morton Arboretum, as the Prairie State Bonsai Society presents our bonsai show, workshops, and demonstrations as participants in the Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival. The second event is held at the Chicago Botanic Garden, with our friends at the Midwest Bonsai Society presenting the 44th…

by Jim Keith Sketch by Jim Keith I have begun to sketch some of my trees in order to develop a stronger vision of where I want to proceed with potential designs.  There are many bonsai masters who have taken to sketching their works, and I believe it helps them to better conceptualize their styling. If you have attended any of Ben Oki’s workshops with our club, you know that Ben sketches the trees he works on as a conceptualization of what he believes the tree should look like…

Outdoor: The most important thing is to water the trees. The second most important is water. Heat and drought can have a major effect on our bonsai. In the sun, a tree in a bonsai pot can dry out surprisingly fast. Check the trees as often as possible and water them thoroughly whenever you water them. Spraying water onto the foliage late in the afternoon can help cool the foliage and container and reduce water loss. Reduce or suspend fertilization. If you are not seeing new growth on your…

June was a great month!PSBS had a great June!  There was a fun workshop working on boxwoods from the club's former Grow Plot.  The one I purchased is looking good after some trimming and wiring, and I am looking forward to repotting it from its nursery pot next spring.  This past weekend we had our annual picnic at Cantigny.  The food was tasty due to the barbecue skills of Chef Nick.  Many people brought trees for display or to work on.  Phil gave a demonstration on a juniper.  We…

Indoor: If possible, these trees will benefit significantly from summer the outdoors. Ideally, they should have all been moved out by now, but there is still time if you have not already moved them out—water as needed. Watering will depend on the weather, the location of the trees (sunny or shady), the soil, the pot size, and other factors. In many cases, however, daily watering will be needed. Always check the moisture content of the soil before watering. Fertilization should continue. Check wires for tightness. Repotting may be done at…

In this article, I will discuss the carving of feather rock to create a bonsai rock planting. Feather rock is a type of volcanic stone created when lava is cooled before the air can escape it rendering it relatively light and suitable for carving. I chose a large boulder I purchased for the future demonstration and was big enough for future projects. It weighed in at a hefty 130 pounds! I use a variety of tools to get the stone workable. The main tools I use are a chain…

Normalcy  For two years, we have hoped to return to “normal,” and we are finally almost there, hoping it continues. For June, we are returning to one of our favorite types of PSBS meetings, the workshop. In the past, we have done crabapple and yew workshops. Here are the details: For many years the Society has maintained a Grow Plot with trees meant to be used for demonstrations and workshops. We have twelve boxwoods that were recovered from a hedge many years ago (urban yamadori) and are offered for…

ELEPHANT TREEThis month I have chosen the Elephant Tree. There are 4 species that are commonly referred to as the elephant tree because of their swollen stems/trunksBoswellia papyrifera, native to northeastern AfricaBursera microphylla, native to the southwestern United States and northern MexicoPachycormus discolor, native to Baja CaliforniaOperculicarya decaryi, are native to Madagascar. Specifically the Toliara Province of southwest Madagascar. This is the one we will be reviewing as it is used the most for bonsai. Also called Jabily, it is a succulent deciduous evergreen tree in the Sumac (Anacardiaceae)…

Outdoor: Place trees in a maximum sunlight location. Make sure to water as often as needed. The trees must be watered more frequently, often daily, as the weather warms. Be sure to provide enough water at each watering to saturate the soil thoroughly. Fertilize regularly to keep the trees growing and to support the new growth. Pinch new growth as needed to increase the fullness of the foliage pads. Wire the trees as required but be careful when working around the soft new growth as it is easily damaged.…

Outdoor: All outdoor trees should have been removed from winter protection and placed on their growing benches. The trees should be receiving as much sun as possible. Watering needs will be high, and all trees will need watering at least once a day. Be sure to saturate the soil at each watering thoroughly.  It is good to send a blast of water through the foliage now and then to help dislodge any insects lurking. Keep an eye out for possible insect infestations. The soft new growth on the trees…