Minutes of the February 5, 2023 meeting of the Michiana Bonsai Study
Present: Ruth Barry, Larry Benjamin, Rose Benjamin, John Cervowski, Lisa Chilik, Michael Ciesiolka, John DeMaegd,
Mary Hesser, Bruce Kennedy, Kevin Mann, Terry Mersich, Janie Minick, Steve Moore, Cat Nelson,
Location: Linton's Enchanted Gardens
Program:
The meeting began with a short business meeting where Larry Benjamin was re-elected as club president.
Larry announced that he and some other club members have discussed and will be working upon a club
charter revision to provide broader club goverence. Hopefully, this will be presented at the March meeting.
Larry then introduced our two guest speakers who had come to present us with information on tropical
bonsai. Cat Nelson, a former club member as well as a former member of both the Fort Wayne and Chicago clubs ,
and currently the editor of the American Bonsai Society Journal, had come all the way from Iowa. And, from
Indianapolis, where he has a business, Eagle Creek Bonsai specializing in tropical bonsai, was Scott Yelich.
Cat used a computer program that she had put together with slides that helped her explain the nature requirements
of tropical bonsai. Scott interacted with the presentation offering his perspective at various points. While many
aspects were covered (more than can be covered here), key topics included the fact that tropical bonsai are NOT
trees that are best kept indoors - they need to grow outdoors when the weather permits. So, when to bring them in
as the weather turns cold in the fall and when to place them outdoors again in the spring were discussed. Another
important topic covered was the type and duration of lighting needed while they are indoors. And, correct watering
was discussed as well. These topics were enhanced by addressing the specific needs of individual species, a number
of which were exhibited by specimens brought to the meeting as examples.
At the conclusion of the presentation we were given the chance to take advantage of two opportunities. First,
we had a chance to enjoy the delicious refreshments that Lisa Chilik had brought to the meeting. And, a number of
us were able to purchase starts of tropical bonsai species and / or buy bonsai pots from Scott Yelich (many of which
Scott had made).