White Birch Bonsai - Update

Established 2005

When will the bark turn white?

I think I need to re-pot it next year. It did not get much T.L.C. this year.

Here is an album of all the pictures of this tree click here. It has looked better. It will be back in all it's glory next year, I will have more time for the tree.

The leaves are becoming stunted so it will really look more of a bonsai then too.

I have blogged about this tree before want to read more, more, more, more, more. one more

Earth Day Timmins

2012 EARTHDAY TIMMINS

Karl Habla organized an Earth Day walk at Gillies lake this year.
It was a wonderful day and the great ball of fire in the sky provided heat!

While the walk was not well attended it is the thougsht that counts. My kids laying in their beds said they were thinking of me.

more info from the Daily Press

Half of my Earth Day was spent at the 65th annual Sportsman Show. Again more info.

I really love to chat with the people that come to the Wintergreen display to talk about sightings and trails and being outdoors.

Plenty of people bought the Bird poster, only a townie!

For the first 2 hours my wonderful daughter joined me. She really only came for the candy floss.

I enjoy talking to people about the trails, the Timmins Honour Roll of Trees, Observations Naturally and interesting sightings around the area.

Nice!

Seeds of Diversity

Timmins Horticultural Society

This year I was asked if I could again talk about trees.
Well I guess so - that is all I really talk about anyway.
Trees and turtles and birds and orchid and trees.

Read about the event here

Kees and I discuss the importance of leaves on trees. It is the leaves that produce oxygen.

The bonsai white birch that travels with me every where is a great example of the importance of trees.

Oxygen Grows On Trees

Early Earth Day 2012. Success!!

New Friends

together standing on an 

Old Friend

Roll'n and I met some new people this year at Timmins Honda, as we celebrate Earth Day a little early. Too cold to plant a tree today, the the hardy seedlings will tough it out until the soil is a constant 4C.

When I arrived the CTV gang and Forester Moe. had everything looking great and the public were already coming for a free tree seedling. There were also pens, pencils, and a Honda window thermometer.

Again this year the White birch bonsai was a great hit, and no you still can not have it. I will make some more so that they are available in a couple of years. You can read more about the tree here.

A new friend enjoyed meeting my best friend. Jill Coltan ( @CTVJillColton ) with CTV out of Sudbury really enjoyed meeting Roll'n, but then everyone does. I think she may have noticed I was there, but maybe not.

Everyone who came by got a free tree seedling provided by Millson Forestry Service. Timmins was the first stop, next up Sudbury and  North Bay. This year the tree seedlings are white spruce and white pine.

We need to continue to help our old friend, the earth. Plant a tree today, ok well not today, but when it is warmer, and the tickling roots will make it smile!

White Birch Bonsai - Update

Healthy and Happy

Spring has come to the greenhouse.

I had not been in the greenhouse for some time. I missed the birth of the first buds bursting on the branches.

I missed all the leaves growing big and strong. Hey wait, you are suppose to be a bonsai.

Next for the tree is to have at least 50% of the leaves removed and trim the branches back to keep the shape. I started to do it but I did not have a shape enough knife or my good secateurs.

This tree went into this pot May 2009, it was 2 or 3 years old at the time. So now the tree is 6 years old. I wonder when it will get the white bark of a White birch. That is really what I am waiting for. I want to see the paper birch that makes this tree famous!

Hopefully this year.

In the bush it looks like trees get the white bark before they are 5 years old, but they are not stunted. I will leave the tree in this pot for one more year and remove it in the fall. It will go back in the same pot, but 1/3 of the roots will be removed.

 The photo history of the tree can be seen here

Past blog entries :  Jan 23, 2010      Nov 01, 2009     May 10, 2009

Birch Bonsai start of Winter

We now have snow in Timmins. I think it will stay this time.

My little tree has been outside waiting for the cold. The buds look healthy and the stem is green.

The plan is to leave it outside until it is below -20C then bring it into the house and store in a cool dark place for a little while before bringing it into the heat to start the growth cycle over again.

Day 01 entry

Month 05 entry

You can buy your own tree to make your own bonsai at Millson Forestry Service. If you do not see the species you want let them know and maybe they can start what you want.