Cleveland Bonsai Club

05/12/2026

Plant sale this Thursday through Saturday!

04/27/2026

Day 2 with Young Choe was a kokedama workshop held at Mulberry Creek Herb Farm in Huron.

04/25/2026

Packed house and a lot of fun with a return visit from Young Choe to minimize deeper into maintaining kusamono and how to pair them with bonsai for display.

04/19/2026

We've got a fun weekend planned for you so let's go through all the details!

This coming Saturday Young Choe will be with us for a kusamono workshop. Soil will be provided and plants will be available for purchase. Bring your own pots and tools (I'll have a handful of pots for sale). You are also encouraged to bring an existing kusamono planting or one you made at last years event to show its progress(good or bad) and get tips on annual maintenance. Her presentation will also go into more depth regarding matching kusamono to bonsai for display. The class is free to attend for dues paid members. Saturday 4/25 at 9:30am in the classroom at Rockefeller Park Greenhouse.

On Sunday, Young will lead a kokedama(moss ball) event hosted at Mulberry Creek Herb Farm in Huron. This planting technique wraps the root of the plants in a ball of muck that is then covered in moss and presented as a free standing planting or placed on a tile or shallow tray. While typically used with ornamental flowers, the technique can also be applied to some larger drought tolerant shurbs/trees to create a presentation more similar to bonsai. Young has expressed the desire to pursue this aspect more and hopes some of us will be willing to try it. She encourages those who might have some younger bonsai material that they're growing to bring it to the event to try out.

Mulberry Creek has a tremendous selection of small plant material available for this event and has offered a 20% discount on plant material for participants. The club will provide the muck material and will try our best to gather enough moss for the event (you're encouraged to hunt for some as well).

Cost will be $10 for the kokedama event. Location: 3312 Bogart Rd, Huron, OH 44839

The event will start at 10:00m, but you're encouraged to get there earlier if you want to shop for plants beforehand.

Send a message to learn more

04/15/2026

03/24/2026

Greetings Everyone!
We may not have said goodbye to the snow for good just yet, but it feels like Spring is right around the corner! I hope everyone is keeping an eye on their trees and getting excited for another season of bonsai!
We will be kicking things off this Saturday March 28th with a repotting workshop. Especially for those that are newer to bonsai, anyone who would like some help or guidance on repotting should bring their trees and supplies and get assistance from our more experienced members. Can't decide which pot to use? Lets assess the options together!
*We likely haven't seen the last of the cold weather so remember that any tree that you repot or that has broken dormancy will need to be protected from cold temps. Ideally, kept above 40degrees F.*

In other news, during our April meeting weekend we will be visited by Young Choe again! Currently our plan is to have a kusamono workshop at our Saturday meeting and then a Kokedama(moss ball) workshop on Sunday hosted at Mulberry Creek Herb Farm in Huron. More details to come once finalized.

And finally, if you just can't get enough bonsai, I've attached the flyer for the MidAtlantic Bonsai Societies Spring Festival which is in central PA April 17-19th.

That's all for now, hope to see you Saturday!
-Adam Shank

03/07/2026

Our 3rd Annual Silhouette Show is underway at Miller Nature Preserve in Avon. Come see the trees! One day only!

02/28/2026

Nearly 40 people showed up for today's bonsai club meeting to see Dale Harder's presentation about took care and sharpening.

02/22/2026

Greetings Everyone!

We made it through the deep freeze but winter is far from over. To prepare for the upcoming bonsai season we'll be talking about tool maintenance at our upcoming February meeting on Saturday the 28th. Dale Harder will offer instruction on how to sharpen and maintain your bonsai tools. We can also discuss questions you might have about repotting. We will also discuss final plans for our Winter Silhouette Show which is scheduled for Saturday March 7th at Miller Nature Preserve in Avon..

Regarding the Silhouette Show, if you plan to show a tree please email Dan White at [email protected] and let him know so he can start keeping count. The venue typically holds about 30 trees. Also, if you need a tag made for your tree, send the details(common name, latin name, time in training and your name) to Cindy at [email protected]
And if you plan to help with show set up or tear down, please send Dan an email to let him know. We'll send out more details about the show soon.

That's all for now, have a good weekend!
-Adam Shank

01/24/2026

Quick Reminder and Update:
Due to the weather Dale has rescheduled his sharpening presentation for our next meeting in February. We have confirmed that the facility will still be open so for those willing to brave the cold, we will still get together to talk bonsai and discuss our plans for the coming season.
Bundle up and whether you choose to join us tomorrow or not, I hope you stay warm!
-Adam Shank

01/19/2026

Greetings Everyone!

It's been a rough winter and it's only just beginning! I hope you and your trees have been staying safe and warm.

Before the repotting and bonsai seasons begin, this is a great time to evaluate and maintain your tools. At our meeting this month, Dale Harder will give us some lessons on tool sharpening and maintenance. If you'd like to bring your tools to work on, Dale recommends a small, fine grit sharpening stone. If you search for "pocket sharpening stone" on Amazon you'll find plenty of options under $10.

It's also time to pay membership dues for 2026. Still just $25. You can bring your dues to the meeting(cash/check) or pay them online through our website.

We'll be meeting this coming Saturday January 24th at 9:30am in the classroom at Rockefeller Park Greenhouse. 750 E. 88th St. in Cleveland.

See you there and stay warm!
-Adam Shank