📰 Club News

Beginner Bonsai Class Recap

Our spring beginner class was a full house, and what a joyful morning it was! New members learned foundational skills—soil composition, watering technique, early styling, and how to choose healthy nursery stock. The hands‑on potting session was a hit, and several promising little trees went home with proud new caretakers. We’re excited to see these trees again at future show‑and‑tell tables.

We have reviewed the first class and we have made some adjustments to match the syllabus, closely instruct to the student skill levels and follow along with the included book. A big win for all.

A makeup class was held on March 28 for a couple of students not able to make the first or second classes.

Advanced Workshops with Ken Jones

Advanced Wiring & Structural Design
Ken demonstrated how to create movement and taper with intentional wiring, emphasizing long‑term planning over quick styling. Members practiced on junipers and deciduous material, focusing on branch selection and flow.

Refinement & Pad Development
This session centered on detail work—cleaning growth, defining foliage pads, and understanding how light penetration affects ramification. Ken’s critiques were thoughtful and encouraging, and many trees left looking dramatically improved.

Slab Demonstration outcome

Slab Planting demonstration was conducted by Rain Shadow Bonsai Club founder Ken Jones on 3/15/26 at Green House Gardens Center.  Ken used a flat slab of decomposed granite as his base.  JB Weld was used to secure copper wire to the slab to hold the five amur maples to it.  Clay was used to secure rocks to the slab and build a a dam between those rocks to form a bowl to hold the soil and trees.  The three larger trees are 13 years old and had been growing in Ken’s yard.  Three large trees planted in front with two small trees in back to provide depth.

Extreme pruning of the Amur roots was necessary to make the roots fit in the limited space. The slab planting will be kept in the shade to help the Planting get established. 

Pottery Class Announcement: Ogres-Holmes Pottery

May 16 & 30 (both Saturdays) are the dates for the sessions which go from 9 am to 12 pm each session. Cost is $85 total.  The couple that co own Ogres-Holmes Pottery, Jo and Merrill Moore,  will take a credit card over the phone  1 775 461 3616 at the time you call them to signup.  Or you can stop by their shop at 1217 S Carson St in Carson City (inside the Carson Mall).  The class size is 10 students so decide fast. They will start a wait list and may hold a second class if their is enough interest.