About 15 years ago, I won a large Jade bonsai at a raffle during a visit to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens with my sons. Over time, caring for the bonsai became more of a duty than a passion, but recently, I joined the Midlands Bonsai Society (MBS) for guidance on how to properly look after it. With help from members, I learned about techniques such as back budding and successfully repotted the bonsai. My initial journey with bonsai care has been rewarding, and I look forward to continuing this process with the support of the MBS.

How I Won A Bonsai Tree At The Birmingham Botanical Gardens

About 15 years ago, on the weekends I had my boys, I always looked for interesting things to do with them. One of those days led us to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, where I’d seen a bonsai show advertised by the Midlands Bonsai Society (MBS). We were already keen visitors to the Botanical Gardens and often went a few times a year, so going along to the bonsai show was a bonus. As a family, we’ve always loved the Botanical Gardens, and it has a special place in many Brummies’ hearts, as well as ours.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens have a rich history dating back to 1832, founded with the support of influential figures, including members of the Lunar Society, a group of prominent intellectuals and industrialists such as Matthew Boulton, Erasmus Darwin, and James Watt. The gardens were designed by J.C. Loudon, a pioneering landscape designer, and are filled with interesting aspects. Over the years, the Botanical Gardens have become a significant cultural and horticultural site in Birmingham, embodying the spirit of curiosity and scientific discovery championed by the original Lunar Society.

The bonsai show put on by the MBS was a great way to spend the day, it was also their AGM too. As well as enjoying the Botanical Gardens, we admired the intricate, miniature trees on display, and to our surprise, we won the top prize in the tombola: a large Jade bonsai, or “money plant,” mounted on a striking base with a water feature. I was told that the base had been made by one of the Chairmen of the MBS. Along with that, we took home smaller prizes like a teapot set, biscuits, and chocolates, which made the day even more memorable for the la’s.

Me And My Bonsai Tree “Ted”

At first, I was quite enthusiastic about this new addition to our home. I got a few books and some tools, eager to take on the challenge of maintaining a bonsai. I even realised my bonsai tree needed a name and decided to call it “Ted”. Sadly as the years passed, I realised I wasn’t particularly skilled at trimming it, and my enthusiasm started to wane. Back home in Ireland, we’d had farms, and Grandad Peter was particularly gifted with plants, but I hadn’t picked up any of his skills rearing flowers, fruits, or veg. For the first five years or so, it was a hobby that slowly shifted into more of a responsibility, a duty to keep the tree alive, as I was determined not to let it die “on my watch”. It also became a nice way to remind my kids of the day we won it.

In recent years, though, the bonsai began to look a bit worse for wear. It got stragly, plus its fecund greenery became paler and yellower year by year. I googled the “Midlands Bonsai Society” and found they are still going strong, and I reached out to their chairperson, Judith Davison. Judith, the chairperson of both the MBS and the Redditch Bonsai Society (RBS), was very welcoming. She encouraged me to bring my bonsai to their next event to get feedback from other members.

MBS First Visit: Advice On My Bonsai Tree and Learning About Back Budding

I carefully bundled my bonsai into the truck, tied it in with the seat belt to limit its movement, and set off. At that first meeting, I met a member called David and received guidance from the other assembled members. They examined my bonsai and explained that it was root-bound, which was causing the issues. However, they advised against repotting it immediately unless I was confident I could do it myself. I was told that if I came back next month, they would be doing a hands-on workshop, and David would help me re-pot it then. Everyone at the MBS was lovely and they were very welcoming. One of the members even gave me a lovely badge that said, thoughtfully, “Bonsai As A Therapy”.

While there, I was introduced to the concept of “back budding“. This technique allows bonsai trees to develop new growth closer to the trunk or main branches. The idea is to encourage the tree to create new shoots in places where there hasn’t been much activity. It’s a way of ensuring the tree remains compact and balanced, rather than growing long, leggy branches. This technique should be particularly useful for my bonsai, helping me understand how to maintain its shape and encourage healthy growth.

MBS Second Visit: A Conversation About Archimedes and Repotting My Bonsai Tree

A month later, I returned with the bonsai for the second meeting. This time, with the roots still in poor shape, and armed with some expert guidance from David Cheshire of David Cheshire Nurseries, a well-known figure in the bonsai community, David, from the previous meeting, helped me with the repotting process.

During my second visit, aside from the bonsai care discussions and the workshop, we veered into an unexpected but fascinating topic: Archimedes. I found myself explaining the Archimedes screw, the discovery of the displacement of water leading to his famous “Eureka!” moment. We also spoke about the defence of Syracuse against the invading Romans (213-212 BC), where Archimedes was said to have devised a series of defensive mechanisms, including the legendary Claw of Archimedes. An enormous crane-like device supposedly lifted attacking ships out of the water, dropping them to their destruction. There was also talk of his use of mirrors to focus sunlight onto enemy ships, setting them alight, a brilliant, if not likely mythical, part of military history. These stories were a great aside to the main event of the day, as I waited to repot my bonsai.

Repotting My Bonsai: The Process

The real task for the day, however, was the repotting of my Jade bonsai. I learned quite a bit about the meticulous process involved, with David’s guidance and help. Here’s a step-by-step outline of what we did:

1. Loosening the Roots: We gently loosened the roots with a fork-like instrument, carefully working out any mesh embedded in the roots and soil. The mesh is used to cover the drainage holes and prevent dirt from escaping.
2. Creating V-Shapes: We cut out small V-shaped sections around the edges of the root ball to allow new roots to grow into the soil.
3. Trimming Large Roots: Using something that looked like Draper pincers, we snipped out some of the larger, gnarled roots to encourage healthier growth.
4. New Mesh and Wire: New mesh was placed over the drainage holes and secured with malleable metal wire. We also threaded wire through the drainage holes to “tie down” the bonsai.
5. Securing the Bonsai: Once the bonsai was in place, we twisted the wire three times to secure it firmly, tight enough to hold but without damaging the roots or the plant.
6. Filling with Japanese River Clay: To fill the gaps, we used pieces of Japanese river clay, with a granularity of around 3mm. A chopstick was used to gently rotate and remove any air bubbles, ensuring the clay settled in around the roots.
7. Watering (or Not): There was some debate about whether to water the bonsai immediately after repotting. For a Jade bonsai, which is a succulent, the consensus was to wait at least three days to give the roots time to seal, preventing rot from setting in.

With my bonsai freshly repotted, and Teanah, the membership secretary, having signed me up as a new member, I left the meeting feeling optimistic about my bonsai’s recovery. While I’m still not what you’d call a seasoned bonsai expert, I’ve learned a lot from the Midlands Bonsai Society, and I’m doing my best to ensure this tree survives. The journey continues, and I look forward to what the future holds as a “budding” bonsai enthusiast.