Best of all, Winter is OVER! Yay! No more winter protection …..? unless of course your Spring hasn’t sprung yet. Spring in Florida means Spring temps are heading northward soon. I know because most of the Snowbirds just left or will soon. If you are south of the Equator then all bets are off but your day will come. All four seasons have their moments of beauty and, well, a few not so good days.

In Florida, Spring is my favorite time of year. The excitement of seeing deciduous trees leaf out is always a thrill. If you haven’t experienced it, you might not fully appreciate it. Just like if you have never experienced throwing your own slab of clay on a potter’s wheel, you might not fully appreciate potters work. Speaking of that, it is a time of year to start getting your hands dirty (or your gloves). But first, just feel the joy of Bonsai as you see all the fresh beautiful shades of green as everything starts growing, especially after you begin your fertilizer regime again. That’s the BEST!

The birds are singing and all manner of creatures are out and about including bugs. BAD People-biting and Bonsai-eating BUGS are the WORST! I planted some flowers last week after dark (don’t ask) and had to grab the bug spray but too late as I had already been bitten numerous times. I like to use organic, natural things when possible but some things can’t be tolerated like ‘no-see-ums’ and mosquitoes. Inspect each bonsai for bugs and decide /ask / research how you want to treat whatever you find. There are natural ways of treating too, as well as other methods. Bugs like aphids, thrips, scale and mites are bad. Lady bugs are good (they eat aphids). Even spiders can be helpful; they eat other insects (i.e. ants, etc). Know your bugs. County extension centers are very helpful with insect and plant classification, soil analyzing and more. All for free! Consult your local bonsai experts if you have specific bonsai questions or just to chat bonsai.

Then get your hands dirty as it’s time for repotting many trees, or styling, pruning, wiring, defoliating, trunk cleaning, etc. Consider Orlando Bonsai for your new tools, wire, pots, and more. We love to help people find out how much tools help their Bonsai journey. Wire cutters from a box store just aren’t the same. My dad taught me to use the right tool for the right job and that definitely holds true in Bonsai. If you didn’t receive concave cutters at Christmas, do yourself a favor and buy yourself a birthday gift. Clean cuts are important but that’s a lesson for another day.

Do the right things now with the right tools during the BEST of Spring and your bonsai will be thanking you all year long. ENJOY BONSAI.

… a few words of encouragement from …

Sandy R

Orlando Bonsai

sandy@orlandobonsai.com

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Winter is almost over!  There was almost no winter here in Florida so our trees haven’t had much rest.  Even the citrus is confused, but bonsai enthusiasts, tourists and snowbirds are loving it. Yaay! Come on down (or up or over or whichever direction is appropriate) because Walt Disney World’s 20th annual Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, presented by HGTV, runs for 75 days from March 6–May 19, 2013. And members of the Central Florida Bonsai Club, are once again at the Festival Center, the Wonders of Life building (the one with the golden dome near the Test Track), displaying bonsai and answering the guests’ questions about bonsai.  I will be there on March 9 and several other times throughout the Festival. Check out Orlando Bonsai’s Facebook page frequently for upcoming pix that I will take this year. At Epcot, where people visit from around the world, it is easy to feel a connection with everyone through the shared love of plants and bonsai.

Last month, I had the privilege to attend a Deciduous tree workshop at D & L Nursery near Ocala where Owen Reich shared information and demonstrated skills learned as an apprentice at Fujikawa kouka-en in Osaka, Japan.  Owen stressed that it takes time to create the “perfect” tree.  He talked about how important it is to look for a good trunk as it is the hardest thing to change on a bonsai. Owen also encouraged us to make large cuts on trees over time so they will heal faster and not stress the tree.  Making a lot of major cuts on the tree in the same year is not good for the health of the tree.  He said you will have a better looking tree in the long run by using this method. The goal is to not even know that the branch was cut.  He also talked about wiring the roots which happens all the time in Japan but not so much in America. He demonstrated wiring branches using a ‘rhythmic wrap’ while introducing movement – up, down, left and right. There were many little tips and tricks that Owen shared along the way as he demonstrated using each participant’s trees.  I really encourage you to attend any event where Owen is teaching; he has a ‘laid back’ style and shares a lot of information as he goes. He plans to go back to Japan in a few years to continue his studies.

In February I went for a walk in nearby Fleet People’s park where old live oaks abound and dogs too. It’s a dog park so if you visit, be prepared for them to be running free. They are very social and love their park. It’s a fenced-in lakeside park and has a war memorial walk nearby and connects to a walking/bike path that goes for miles. If you want to see the pictures of the most amazing movement in the branches of these old oaks, look for the pictures on our Facebook page. I promise it will be worth clicking on the link! These pictures are my reminders as I try to emulate their aged look into my bonsai trees as I am wiring branches.

As you are looking for your spring bonsai supplies, if there is something you are looking for and don’t see it in Orlando Bonsai’s store, let us know as it is likely we can find it at one of our suppliers if we really don’t have it.  We always have trees and supplies that aren’t displayed on the site yet. As always, we welcome your feedback.

Speaking of Spring, remember to spring forward 1 hour as Daylight Saving Time starts in the USA & Canada this Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 2:00 am.

Enjoy bonsai!

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This year’s winter in Florida started very early and was very cold, but it didn’t seem to last that long. My trees started popping out new growth a few weeks ago and now they are well on their way to having full canopies of leaves. However this is no time to sit back and enjoy the trees because there is a lot of work to be done. In this video I talk about controlling the growth o fyour bonsai during the initial growth of the Spring season. You need to stay on top of your trees or you’ll lose a great opportunity to make the most of the fast growing period.

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Spring has finally arrived in Orlando, and the trees are coming to life! My Large Trident Maple has been pretty sluggish this year, but this weekend’s warm sun has it popping with new leaves all over.

I just love the new leaves that come in red. It will just be a few weeks before the turn a bright green, but these colors look so beautiful!

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