Bonsai by Fields, LLC    

Since 1983 - Located in Greenwood, IN - (317) 439-0678

Mark Fields’ School of Bonsai - 2017

NOT DOING THIS IN 2018

I am pleased to announce that I will be holding my third year of bonsai school in late January.  The six sessions will be held one Saturday a month at my nursery, Bonsai by Fields, LLC, from 9 AM to 3 PM.  I will cover everything from the material you would learn in a Bonsai 101 class to more advanced techniques such as grafting, propagation, basic botany, diseases, fertilizing, etc.  I will provide a binder full of printed information to all students and lunch will be provided for the first 3 sessions.  The cost for all 6 sessions is only $400.00.  You are sure to acquire an amazing amount of practice and knowledge.  Please feel free to talk to some of my graduates from the past 6 years for their opinion.

The dates for the 6 sessions will be:

January 21, February 25, March 25, May 20, July 22 and September 23

The first 2 Sessions are all lecture and discussion.  Session 3 will be half lecture and half hands on.  Also for Session 3 you will be required to buy a class tree which I will choose when I go to Brussel's Bonsai Nursery for their Spring Preview Sale the first weekend in March.  The trees will be sold to the students at my cost.  (That cost was $35 last year)  We will work on those trees for Sessions 3 and 4.  Sessions 5 and 6 are hands on where we will work on some of my trees and where you can work on your own trees during the classes as well.

 Please feel free to call me at 317-439-0678 or email me at maf71459@gmail.com and I can send you and application for the classes.

 

Mark Fields’ School of Bonsai

Class Syllabus

Session 1: January

  • Introductions
  • History of Bonsai
    • Styles
    • Sizes
  • Types
    • Conifer
    • Deciduous
    • Tropical
  • Positioning
  • Basic Plant Biology
  • Botany
  • Propagation
    • Seeds
    • Cutting
    • Layering
    • Grafting
  • Tools
  • Soils – Presentation by Paul Weishaar
  • Pests
    • Insects
    • Bacteria
    • Fungus
  • General care
    • Watering
    • Fertilizing
  • Tree Selection – Discuss potential?
  • Discussion time

 Session 2:  February

  • Styling/Wiring Part I
  • Japanese Bonsai Terms
  • Pruning Conifers
  • Soils mixing for season
    • Repotting
    • Root pruning
    • Pot selection
    • Positioning
    • Soil mixes
    • Anchoring
  • Watering and after care
  • Hands on wiring using stock trees

Session 3:  March

  • Styling/Wiring Part 2
  • Pruning Deciduous
  • Tree sitting and Watering
  • Grafting pines
  • Grove plantings
  • Multiple trunk plantings
  • Exhibition preparation
    • Overall appearance
    • Stand selection
    • Positioning
    • Accent plants
    • Suiseki
  • Watering and care during exhibition
  • Fertilizing
    • Types
    • Chemical vs Organic
    • When to begin
    • When not to fertilize
  • Hands on grafting of pines
  • Hands on styling/wiring – your tree

 Session 4:  May

  • Styling/Wiring Part 3
  • Pinching and pruning
  • Pines:  candle pruning
  • Azalea general care
    • Flower removal
    • Pruning
    • Wiring
    • Styling
    • Fertilizing
  • General care
    • Late spring care
    • Summer care
  • Defoliation
    • What species
    • How often
    • Techniques
  • Grafting
    • Why
    • Where
    • Techniques
  • Hands on pinching and pruning
  • Hands on grafting

Session 5:  July

  • Styling/Wiring Part 4 (Tropicals)
  • Pinching and pruning
  • Pines:  candle pruning
  • Repotting
    • Root pruning
    • Pot selection
    • Positioning
    • Soil mixes
    • Anchoring
  • Exhibition preparation
    • Overall appearance
    • Stand selection
    • Positioning
    • Accent plants
    • Suiseki
  • General care
    • Watering
    • Fertilizing
  • Defoliation
    • What species
    • How often
    • Techniques
  • Grafting
    • Branches
    • Roots
    • Techniques
  • Hands on tropical styling

 Session 6:  September

  • Late Summer and Fall Care:
    • Conifers
    • Deciduous
    • Tropicals
  • Cleaning:
    • Conifers
  • Fertilizing
    • Types
    • Chemical vs Organic
    • When to stop
  • Getting your trees ready for Winter
    • What to do and when to do it
  • Winterizing your trees:
    • Types of structures
    • Techniques
    • Light requirements
    • Winter care
      • Watering
      • Disease prevention
        • Insect
        • Fungus
  • Recap of all principles
  • Open session
  • Graduation:
    • Certificates issued

Fee for entire 6 sessions:  $400.00

 

* Limited to 6 participants



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