Official Newsletter of the Rain Shadow Bonsai Club

🌱The Big Reawakening

March is arguably the most critical month for bonsai enthusiasts in Northern Nevada. As the snow on the Sierras begins to settle and our valley temperatures fluctuate, our trees are stirring. This month is a race against the buds: once they swell and pop, the window for certain major works begins to close.

📰News

📅 March Meeting Details

• 🎉Beginner Class, When Saturday March 7th at 9:00 – 10:30 @ the Carson City Senior Center 911 Beverly Dr, Carson City, NV 89706
  ** see notice below
• ✨Club Meeting, When: Saturday, March 7th | 11:00 AM – Noon@ the Greenhouse Garden Center 2450 S Curry Street, Carson City, NV.
• 🧩Focus: The Spring Kickoff. We’ll be discussing repotting timing, soil mixes for our arid climate, and the first structural prunings of the year.
• 🪴BYOT: Bring a tree you’re considering repotting this month for a “root-check” and advice!📌
• 📣New web site URL https://rainshadowbonsai.club/ the old one still works

💬From the Bench of Ken Jones

Ken said he would conduct two advance classes. They both are contingent upon weather. Both classes are at 11 am at Green House Garden Center. Call Green House (1-775-882-8600) the day of class to see if they will be held.

•  📆 March 14th. The first class is on the second weekend of March, Ken will build a pinnacle/cliff 🪨rock planting using Rocky Mountain juniper and Amur maples.
• 📆 March 21st. The second class will be held on the third weekend, Ken will do a group planting of up to seven 🍁Amur maples.

🛠️ March To-Do List: High Desert Edition

1. The Repotting Window

In Carson City and Reno, the window to repot is often short.

• Deciduous: Watch your Maples, Elms, and Larches. The ideal time to repot is just as the buds are swelling but before they open.
• Conifers: Junipers and Pines can wait a bit longer, but if you have a Juniper that has been in the same pot for 3+ years, start prepping your pumice and lava rock mixes.
• Tip: Remember that our “False Spring” is real. If you repot early, be prepared to move those trees back into a garage or protected area if a late-March freeze hits.

2. Watering Rhythms

As the wind picks up (as it always does in March!), your pots will dry out faster than you expect.

• Don’t trust the rain: A light Nevada shower rarely penetrates the dense canopy of a bonsai.
• Check daily: Use the “finger test”—if the top half-inch feels dry, it’s time to water.

3. Structural Pruning

Before the leaves emerge and hide the “bones” of your tree, do your final structural pruning. Remove crossing branches, “heavy” tops, and any growth that detracts from the silhouette.

🧩Additional Tips

March is a month of transition in the high desert: cold nights, warming days, freeze–thaw cycles, and the first signs of swelling buds. It’s the bridge between winter protection and spring activity.

🌱 1. Monitor Bud Swell Closely

• Deciduous trees begin swelling buds late in the month.
• Repot only when buds are swollen but not yet open.
• Conifers remain dormant — repotting waits until April or May.

🪴 2. Repotting Window Opens (Late March)

Good candidates for late‑March repotting:

• Japanese maples
• Elms
• Crabapple
• Cotoneaster
• Willow
• Privet

Avoid early‑March repotting — nights are still too cold for root recovery.

❄️ 3. Continue Freeze Protection

• Nights regularly drop below freezing in all three cities.
• Use cold frames, garages, or sheltered patios at night.
• Protect freshly repotted trees from frost.

💧 4. Adjust Watering Gradually

• Soils dry faster in sun but remain cold.
• Water only when the soil surface begins to dry.
• Flush pots on warm days to reduce winter salt buildup.

🧹 5. Clean and Prepare Tools & Pots

• Sharpen shears and cutters.
• Wash pots and prepare soil mixes.
• Check wire supplies and replace old stock.

🌤️ 6. Increase Sun Exposure

• Give trees more direct sun as days lengthen.
• Reacclimate evergreens slowly to avoid sunburn.
• Rotate trees to prevent uneven budding.

🪵 7. Structural Work (Dormant Trees Only)

• Perform structural pruning early in the month if the tree is still dormant.
• Once buds swell, switch to light shaping only.

🪢 8. Wiring Touch‑Ups

• Check for wire bite as branches thicken.
• Remove or adjust wire before April growth accelerates.

🪲 9. Begin Pest Checks

• Look for scale, aphids, spider mites, and fungal spots.
• Use horticultural oil on warm days (above 45°F).

🌸 10. Early Flowering Species

• Quince, forsythia, and early cherries may bloom in March.
• Protect blossoms from frost and wind.

🌦️ March 2026 Weather Outlook

🌧️🌳 Carson City

• Highs: Typically 46–59°F, with a steady warming trend through the month.
• Lows: Commonly 30–41°F, with freezing nights still frequent.
• Precipitation & Snow:
  • March still brings notable snowfall, with long‑term patterns showing around 8 inches of snow for the month.
  • Lows: Commonly 30–41°F, with freezing nights still frequent.

🌧️🌳 Reno

• Highs: Generally 46–61°F, with early‑month highs near the upper 40s and late‑month highs reaching the low 60s.
• Lows: Typically 28–43°F, with freezing nights still common.
• Average: Around 46.9°F high and 29.8°F low for the month.
• Precipitation & Snow:
  • March still brings notable snowfall, with long‑term patterns showing around 8 inches of snow for the month.
  • Rain and mixed precipitation appear periodically as temperatures rise.

🌿 What This Means for Bonsai

• Freeze–thaw cycles remain active in both cities—keep pots insulated or grouped.
• Watering increases slightly as temperatures rise, but soils still dry slowly.
• Repotting season approaches late in the month for many species as buds begin to swell.
• Watch for late frosts, especially in exposed areas.

🎯Bonsai Pot Pottery Class

2nd Notice

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

Here is a nice used one for under $10 hard cover.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/japanese-maples_peter-h-gregory_jd-vertrees/416796/#isbn=0881925012

Japanese Maples
by J.D. Vertrees

“Japanese Maples” is a Timber Press classic. Japanese maples are unlike any other tree. They boast a remarkable diversity of color, form, and texture. As a result of hundreds of years of careful breeding, they take the center stage in any garden they are found. In the last decade, the number of Japanese maple cultivars available to gardeners has doubled and there is a pressing need for an up-to-date reference. This new fourth edition offers detailed descriptions of over 150 new introductions, updates to plant nomenclature, and new insights into established favorites. Gardeners will relish the practical advice that puts successful cultivation within everyone’s grasp. Accurate identification is made simple with over 600 easy-to-follow descriptions and 500 color photographs.
0881925012

📬 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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