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.

Live Q&A Thursday with John Paton bonsai collection

The live Q&A Zoom meeting on Thursday has different subjects planned including the John Paton bonsai collection which I visited last week in Australia. Send in your questions now for better preparation and adding pictures. You can of course also pop your questions during the meeting.

MidAtlantic Bonsai Societies 2024 Spring Festival

The MidAtlantic Bonsai Societies held their annual spring festival on April 19-21, 2024, at the Holiday Inn in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The group is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the art of bonsai through its annual regional spring festival, which moves locations close to its members societies. It is comprised by the Bergen Bonsai Society, Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford, Bonsai Society of the Lehigh Valley, Pioneer Valley Bonsai Society, Brandywine Bonsai Society, Deep Cut Bonsai Society, Great Swamp Bonsai Society, Mohawk-Hudson Bonsai Society, Pennsylvania Bonsai Society, Susquehanna Bonsai Club and the Yama Ki Bonsai Society.

Video and photo gallery from the Australian bonsai collection

Just landed after a magnificent Australia visit as part of the Bonsai Reshaped event titled “Big & Small”.  The video and photo gallery from the Australian bonsai collection is now ready. The photo gallery can be watched at the photo gallery, and the video is part of the member’s content.

Shrubs and the Three Bears

Trees grow big roots that spread wide and deep. Shrubs—no surprise—have smaller root systems, but they differ in other ways as well.

Container Selection For A Shohin Japanese Larch

I’ve been training this Japanese larch, Larix kaempferi, from a two- year bare root seedling for about six years. It has been trained in the two-line cascade style in a small square white glazed container. This preferred front is shown here but the back view of this bonsai is acceptable and might be used in a shohin bonsai composition if a different direction is required for eve movement Generally, I do not prefer tall cascade containers, primarily because I can’t figure out how to effectively display them…

Shohin redwood creation

I follow a similar approach when I acquire coast redwood pre-bonsai. First I repot, then I let the tree grow for a year, then I can get to work.

The bonsai collection and events in Canberra these days

The days in Canberra at the Bonsai Reshaped 2024 are busy. Next week a members video from the Arboretum will be posted, but until then a few more posts from the event.

Bonsai Reshaped in Australia

Stunning location in Canberra where the event Bonsai reshaped takes place these days.

Bonsai In The Dark- Celebrating The Total Solar Eclipse

My Monday Senior Crew and I organized a special celebration to commemorate the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024. Rochester, New York, was in the direct path of totality for the solar eclipse as it stretched across 15 states. Schools closed as well as many businesses, including Wegmans for about an hour.

A Schedule For Repotting

Our bonsai break bud at different times. When is best to repot? Do we repot them all at once?