This month we are having two workshop meetings, with our special one in the main hall on the first Tuesday and the normal workshop on the third Tuesday night in the activities room.

May continues to be a good time for tidying up the foliage of evergreens such as conifers and other non-flowering bonsai, although major pruning is best not done in late autumn. You may also want to do some wiring if you want to improve the styling or structure of any of your trees.

Trimming your bonsais’ foliage in autumn will open it up and allow more light and air to penetrate which is particularly important during the colder months of the year when the days are shorter.

Deciduous trees should be worked on (including repotting) during the winter months, so leave them at home for the present. If you are planning to do a group planting of deciduous trees at our July workshop, now is a good time to start organising the plants you will be using. Remember that an odd number of trees will work best in your design.

Don’t forget that our workshop meetings are a great opportunity to get ideas from others on how to develop your own trees, and also contribute your ideas to other members, as we share our passion for bonsai.