Mid-Michigan Bonsai Message Corner

July 17th, 2025 - BYOT (Bring Your Own Tree) - Foster Community Center Room 109

This is an opportunity to further work on your bonsai, kusamono and accent plants in preparation for the MMBC August Show at Van Attas.  Get advice and recommendations on how to further develop your bonsai.

Committing to an approach graft – separating the roots

I recently acquired a California juniper with two approach grafts. The grafts were struck to change the foliage from California juniper to shimpaku juniper.

Initial cutback on a coast live oak – and Tree Sale!

One of my favorite oaks in the garden has been growing freely for the past few years. Now that it’s showing signs of vigor, it’s time for pruning!

Save Your Pennies… & Dollars Too!

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SALES AREA

A visit to John Thompson’s garden

If you’re a fan of oak bonsai, you’ve likely heard of John “JT” Thompson. For those who don’t know JT, he’s one of the most generous bonsai teachers in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Searching for the front of a broom-style zelkova

Earlier this year, I picked up a zelkova in need of repotting. I cleared out the old soil and let the tree grow freely. Now that it’s showing signs of great health, I thought I’d start working on the branches.

Decandling season wrap-up

Towards the end of decandling season (mid-July where I live), I make a point of checking every pine in the garden to see if it’s a candidate for decandling.

2021 7th US National Bonsai Exhibition Update

“The Show Is On”
These past couple of years have been difficult for everyone, many had to adjust and make changes to continue. Fortunately people had an extra year to prepare their bonsai, and looking at the photo submissions they look superb!

Rehabilitating a coast live oak – part 2

It took a while to get to this point, but my semi-cascade coast live oak put on enough new growth to warrant pruning this year.

Refining a slender Korean hornbeam

A year-and-a-half ago, I started working on a Korean hornbeam by removing a few branches and repotting the tree (see “Defining the branch structure” for details).

Bonsai Development Series #25: Pruning exposed root pines

Some of my exposed root pines are close to seven years old. They have long sacrifice branches to help thicken the roots.