Rain Shadow Bonsai Club
🧘Haiku for the season
Snow melts on the ground—
A pine’s branches keep their green,
Unbending through cold.
🌳 Member Tree of the Month — Fukien Tea
Tracy Lutes has sent in this fantastic tropical tree for this winter newsletter
.
Fukien tea purchased in Oct 2025 from Home Depot for $10 as a bonsai. This is a tropical, evergreen shrub from soutern China. It’s white flowers, which bloom almost the entire year, turn into light red berries. It is great as an indoor bonsai and should be kept at 50 to 75 F in a bright room but not direct sunlight from a window. Find a partially shaded spot for it outdoors from late spring thru summer.
Currently letting it grow out before spring pruning.
✂️ February Bonsai Maintenance Tasks
- 💧 Check watering needs: Winter winds dry soil faster than expected.
- 🔍 Inspect for pests & fungal issues: Calm winter humidity can hide early problems.
- 🪢 Monitor wiring: Winter slows branch setting—check for wire bite.
- 🌳 Repot deciduous trees (late Feb): Begin once buds start to swell.
- 🪵 Prepare spring soil mixes: Sift and store akadama, pumice, and lava rock.
🌦️ February 2026 Weather Outlook
❄️ Carson City
- Highs: Generally 40–50°F [1](https://weathershogun.com/weather/usa/nv/carson-city/5475/february)
- Lows: Mid 20s to low 30s at night [1](https://weathershogun.com/weather/usa/nv/carson-city/5475/february)
- Conditions: Cold mix of light snow, occasional rain; February typically sees 7.56″ of snow accumulation. [2](https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/nevada-usa/carson-city-weather-february)
❄️ Reno
- Highs: Typically 41–55°F depending on the day [3](https://weathershogun.com/weather/usa/nv/reno/2886/february)
- Lows: Usually between 23–34°F at night [3](https://weathershogun.com/weather/usa/nv/reno/2886/february)
- Conditions: Reno’s snowiest month, with an average of 5.98″ snowfall—expect multiple snowy days. [4](https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/nevada-usa/reno-weather-february)
Pre-Bonsai available at Greenhouse Garden Center, Now
| Chirimen Hinoki Cypress | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Fernspray Gold Hinoki Cypress | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Compact Fernspray Hinoki Cypress | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| True Dwarf Hinoki Cypress | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Iseli Blue Moon Sawara Cypress | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Strieb’s Findling Cotoneaster | 3.5in Bonsai | $27.99 |
| Shimpaku Chinese Juniper | 3.5in Bonsai | $27.99 |
| Pancake Creeping Juniper | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Little Gem Norway Spruce | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Jean’s Dilly Alberta Spruce | 3.5in Bonsai | $27.99 |
| Twisty Mugo Pine | 3.5in Bonsai | $27.99 |
| Twisty Japanese Black Pine | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
| Jacqueline Hillier Hybrid Elm | 3.5in Bonsai | $22.99 |
Bonsai Pot Pottery Class
A pottery class will be held at Ogres-Holm Pottery where students will learn how to make bonsia pots. The class consists of two sessions. In the first session, students will learn how to to throw pots. The second session, students will glaze and fire their pots.
Where: Ogres-Holm Pottery
1215 South Carson St.
Carson City, NV
(Inside the Carson Mall)
What: Session 1 Hand building pots Session 2 Glaze and fire pots
When: Session 1 TBD. Session 2 TBD
Time: Each session is 3 hours in duration
Materials provided: clay, glaze, all tools, aprons
Cost: $85 (includes both sessions)
Class limited to 8 students
Registration and payment at OgresHolmPottery.com
Questions please call Tracy Lutes, Rain Shadow Bonsia Club, at 858-776-4754.
Books we like
Bonsia in Your Home
An Indoor Grower’s Guide by Paul Lesniewicz, published in 1994, is an excellent source of information on growing bonsai indoors. It identifies over 100 plants and their care for the bonsai enthusiast to consider. Not all are tropical plants!
💬 Closing Thought
With patience, the pine endures the winter.
📬 Stay Connected
Instagram: @rainshadowbonsaiclub
Next Meeting: Saturday, March 7 @ 11 AM
Location: Greenhouse Garden Center, 2450 S Curry St. Carson City, NV
Contact: rainshadowbonsaiclub@gmail.com or Tracy Lutes at 858-776-4754
Facebook: Rain Shadow Bonsai Club
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