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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Faster is better when it comes to internet speed but TIME is flying by too and since we cannot capture it in a bottle yet, we should manage our use of time if we want to accomplish anything. And since resolutions can fade away quickly, instead I am setting goals in hopes of reaping more results in 2013. Here are 13 Bonsai Goals for 2013 that any Bonsai enthusiast can adapt to meet their needs. Do them by month, mix them up, modify them to suit your needs, create your own, add sub-tasks, or jump to # 13.  Just have fun with it!

1. Prepare (plan/organize): mind, garden area, display stands/benches, soil, pots, tools etc.  Use the winter idle time to plan for the busy, beautiful springtime.

2.Try something new or different (step out of your box or comfort zone): Examples: really big tree, really small tree, penjing, suiseki, daiza, graft a branch, carve jin or shari, start from seed, air layer, create a forest, make your own bonsai pot, new style (windswept?), go collecting, take a class, create companion plants.

3. Photograph your trees/collection (or video): to record progress, before, after, styling changes, for insurance, in case of loss or theft, bugs or disaster, educational or personal reasons (i.e. bragging rights).

4. Journal the journey (record/document): in your own creative way, record the progress via journal, logs, calendar, blog, facebook, twitter, audio, drawings, whatever…  Use beloved, old-fashioned media or new and trendy social media but just don’t dodge it, journal it!

5. Focus on your best trees (exhibit): help them be all they can be. Take a new look at them. Ask yourself questions about them. Pretend someone else owns them; what advice would you give? Treat them as if you plan to display or exhibit them. Be ready.

6. Expand or reduce your trees/collection: What is your preference? Ready to try new species? Focus on higher quality? Have lots of space or not much? Count your trees and pre-bonsai; it may surprise you. Pay it forward or ask a friend for cuttings. Trade species with your friends or club members.

7. Increase Knowledge (strain your brain): read a good bonsai book, search the internet, learn horticulture, take a workshop or intensive training, join a club, forum or attend a bonsai conference, experiment, learn from others, learn Japanese bonsai terms or scientific plant names of all of your trees.

8. Visit bonsai (travel): visit a friend with a backyard collection, a local or national bonsai exhibit, garden or arboretum, find a forest near you for natural examples, travel to Japan or China (for real or on the world wide web), find resources wherever you are or wherever you are going.

9. Exhibit your prize tree(s) (see #5):  ask someone’s opinion, learn the art of display including companion plants, time the trimming, fertilizing and blooming to coincide with the display.

10. Focus on pots (composition): take a new look at your tree/pot combinations. Is it the right pot for the tree – quality/finish/color/shape/gender/size including depth? Is the tree located correctly within the pot? Would a slab or rock work better? What could or should be different? What do you like? Does it have enough negative space (like white space on a printed page)? What story does it tell?

11. Share your accomplishments (communicate) your goals, rewards and newfound knowledge with others. Hold yourself accountable. Find a mentor or be a mentor. Talk about bonsai.

12. Take a break (refresh/renew/rejuvenate): take a hike, find a quiet spot, relax, think about your bonsai, accomplishments of 2013 and goals for 2014! Yes, I said it — 2014 will be here before we know it. Time just will not stand still.

13. As always, ENJOY BONSAI every day, every year.

Think Bonsai, Think OrlandoBonsai.com

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