LAST MONTH'S MEETING: The February meeting was a "bonsai by committee" workshop with new club trees. Some of them looked pretty challenging at the beginning of the meeting, but by the time we left, they were really starting to look good. Be with us in November when we take another hack, er, crack at them!
THIS MONTH'S MEETING: The March meeting of the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society will be held on Wednesday, March 19 at 7:00 at the Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center. Kevin Heavner will give us the low down on those low down bugs that we have to deal with. Kevin's got some important information that we all need, especially with the growing season coming soon. Come and support Kevin's first (hopefully of many) presentation for the club.
SPOTLIGHT TREES: Anything that's blooming would be nice!
NEXT MONTH'S MEETING: The April meeting will be a Friday lecture, Saturday workshop combination. Kelly Adkins will be presenting the program. Sign-up sheets for the workshop will be available at the March meeting. The material and price will be announced at the meeting.
BEGINNING BONSAI CLASSES: Once again, Keith Scott is offering beginner classes in Bonsai open to anyone interested in learning the basics. The classes are held at the Swissvale Senior Citizens' Center in the basement of the Swissvale Public Library on the corner of McClure and Monongehela Streets, Swissvale. The classes begin on March 18, and continue through June 17. They are free to the public. You must provide your own materials. For more information, contact Keith Scott or Evelyn Christie.
SPRING CHORES
Spring's almost here (I think!) Now the real fun begins. I usually start taking my trees out of winter storage about April 1st (no joke.) This can be the most critical part of winter storage. The tricky part is to prevent wilting. Two main considerations: First, don't leave trees out in the wind and sun if the soil is frozen, and second, don't freeze those tender new deciduous leaves. Otherwise the trees can come out on your growing benches and enjoy the spring. If it looks like it's going to be a hard freeze, put them back in a protected area. A light frost won't hurt most trees, but it can damage those tender new leaves that have emerged to soon. So carry the budding maples back in or cover them if it looks like frost.
You will probably start repotting in April. Most deciduous trees should be repotted when the buds are swelling, but before the young leaves emerge. Evergreens can wait longer because they tend to bud later. Don't repot when the trees are in soft growth. They need their energy to grow at that point, and they can't do without water. When you repot, especially if you cut a lot of roots, the tree will not get enough water for a while. After repotting, therefore, protect the tree from losing water (wind and direct sun) until it starts transporting water. After the initial soaking, don't water the tree and you will be able to tell the roots are working when the pot starts to dry out. At that point you can move the tree gradually into the sun and start watering. This can take a few days to a few weeks. For more information about potting, see the potting section of the beginners booklet.