San Jose Betsuin Bonsai Club

06/10/2025

June 10 meeting:

Board Meeting & Workshop
7–7:30 p.m: Board Meeting
All club members are welcome to attend.
7:30–9:30:Workshop
Bring any tree you wantto work on, and
help with cleanup before you leave.

Our next club meeting will be the start of our Beginner Bonsai Course, made possible by the 2024 GSBF Give Back program grant, (Golden State Bonsai Federation), to members who have registered for the course.

This course is designed for beginners and will focus on practical, hands-on learning.

Please note: There will be no workshop on June 24 and no meeting/workshops in July due to Church Betsuin’s preparation and
observance of Obon. For Buddhist temples, Obon is the busiest time of the year. Meetings/workshops will resume on Aug. 12.

12/24/2024

Dear Friends,
We are taking a break for the holidays and will return for our regularly scheduled meetings on January 14 and 28, 7:30 p.m. In the meantime, our club is working on the January newsletter, as well as building a new website to share information with you all.

Here are a few tips for the changing of the light and seasons:

🌲 Refrain from using fertilizer in the winter months. The plants are adapting to the temperature change and will utilize resources differently. Deciduous trees in their dormancy will have dropped their leaves by now.

🌲 Make sure to protect your bonsai if it is temperature or humidity-sensitive. Ficus, for example, needs to live in temps of 50° F or above, and may need the occasional "spritz" with water from a spray bottle.

🌲 Just like a tree in nature, bonsai needs full sunlight! A spot by the window may not provide enough light as it is considered "living in a cave."

Be safe, and have a blessed holiday!

11/27/2024

Good evening, friends! Two weeks ago we had a nice demonstration by one of our members on how to maintain bonsai tools, and keep our cutting implements sharp, with hand sharpening on the whetstone.

Tonight is a humble gathering. Please enjoy your week with loved ones, and keep our most vulnerable neighbors in your hearts.

Stay tuned for updates about the next workshop. We typically meet on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. For more information about local clubs, visit the GSBF:

Bay Area Bonsai Clubs

05/12/2020

How do I know when my tree is ready to be worked on (pruning or wiring)? 📐✂️🌳There are three signs to look for:

05/11/2020

BONSAI TIPS FOR SPRING: April calendar

Continue to rotate your trees twice monthly. This will make sure your tree is receiving sunlight on all areas of its foliage. Trees are now beginning a period of rapid growth.

Source: East Bay Bonsai Society Calendar for Bonsai Care

05/11/2020

Happy World Bonsai Day to all!

Did you know that you can practice bonsai with just about any kind of plant? With the right care, a plant in a pot can be transformed to show the tranquil beauty of its cousins in the wild.

This jade tree is in the care of San Jose Bonsai Club member, Minh. Three years ago, a friend handed him the jade in a pot, ready to give up. This little succulent is now 18 years young, living happily as bonsai in an unglazed clay pot.

05/10/2020

There are 7 necessary ingredients for a healthy tree! For a truly healthy tree we must keep a balance of all 7 points:

05/08/2020

Golden State Bonsai Federation is no longer publishing paper version of its official publication Golden Statements, however, the magazine is now being issued online

https://www.gsbfbonsai.org/Articles.asp?ID=291

It is issued 4 times a year. They are free and can be viewed online or downloaded as PDF copy.

The Golden State Bonsai Federation, GSBF, is a non profit organization which provides services and activities promoting the wonderful art of bonsai.

05/07/2020

GENERAL TIPS FOR MAY
East Bay Bonsai Society - San Francisco Bay Area Calendar for Bonsai Care (see comments below)

05/06/2020

This coming Saturday (May 9) is a special day for bonsai people. The world will be celebrating the World Bonsai Day.

The second Saturday of May of each year was designated as the World Bonsai Day by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation 10 years ago, and the bonsai organizations world wide is celebrating the day.

Because of the COVID-19, having special events are difficult. So, some organizations are using internet for this. One example is the National Bonsai Foundation, which is having a special virtual celebration at

https://www.bonsai-nbf.org/events-1/2020/5/11/world-bonsai-day

It’s not clear if it is on May 9 or May 11.

Every year, we celebrate World Bonsai Day, a global celebration of the art of bonsai. This year is no exception. Please visit our homepage on May 11 to explore the WORLD BONSAI DAY HOMEPAGE TAKEOVER - a special presentation of videos, blogs, interviews and more that we’ll be curating for you! Plus...

05/06/2020

As the weather begins to slowly warm up and we have a lot of time on our hands, what are you doing to pass the time?