NEXT CLUB MEETING: JANUARY 22, 2014

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1 The Ann Arbor Bonsai Society meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the UM- Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor. Please join us at 6:30 PM to meet friends and members. Programing starts at 7:00 PM. January 2014 Volume 11 Issue 1 NEXT CLUB MEETING: JANUARY 22, 2014 This is the first program of the New Year. Cat Nelson returns to Ann Arbor to discuss bonsai containers. Cat has developed a PowerPoint presentation on bonsai container variety, design, style, size and issues to consider when choosing a container. TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP Your annual membership expires at the end of March. Annual membership dues are $25. You can talk with the Treasurer at the next meeting or renew by mail. Information below. IN THIS ISSUE November Annual Banquet pg. 1 Should An Alternative to TURFACE Be Found pg. 1 Local Responses To Turface pg. 1 Membership Information pg Calendar of Events pg. 3 Club Information pg. 4 NOVEMBER MEETING Annual Banquet And Critique Of Bonsai This was a quit evening with 23 members attending. The food brought to share was quite good and varied. This was a quiet event and a fine way to bring the temperate bonsai season to a close. There were several trees brought in by members and several bonsai from the MBG collection displayed and appreciated. There are two obvious faults of Turface. The first is that it produces some of the most anaemic, thready root systems that can be had for any money, and secondly it has a deadly hydrophobic property when dry. How many of you have just watered a tree planted in Turface, scratched the surface of the soil and found it to be bone dry underneath? For the No answerers, I hope you never have the pleasure. This dangerous property will result in dead zones in your soil, creating a situation where the majority of the roots will grow in the worst places in the pot, which are along the sides and the bottom. The main problems of Turface may be summed up this way: Hydrophobic properties lead to unpredictability in water penetration Turface either stays too dry or too wet, and so it is not able to create a middle moisture level that enhances root growth These problems are severe, with this conclusion: (For those who have not read this piece on- line) LIFE WITHOUT TURFACE November 24, 2013 by crataegus (Michael Hagedorn) I feel the need to comment on Turface, which is still, unfortunately, a common bonsai soil component. I say unfortunate as this is one of the worst soil components you could ever use. Turface, which ranks as one of our worst soil components I will not go into the soil science of ion exchange or things of that nature. Given the evidence from the trenches, it hardly matters. My experience witnessing root develop- ment in many types of soils has confirmed that Turface ranks dead last. (Oil- Dri and Profile are equally bad.) Root growth in Turface is erratic at best, without the benefits of predictability seen in volcanic soils Given that the foundation of the tree is the roots, and that bonsai training is by nature stressful to the tree, having a marginalized root system is to be avoided at all costs. You don t have to use akadama. But at least don t use Turface, and you won t experience random, poorly ramified root structures that cannot support bonsai training. There are many things that can work, but I will say that pumice is a near- perfect particle for fine root growth. I know many of us use Turface out of habit or availability, and can understand skepticism of this post. Maybe you ve not seen what I ve seen. I do get around and see a lot of Volume 10 Issue 11 1

2 soils. But at the end of the day, roots are not something to be taken lightly, for having an excellent root system is so much more important than owning fancy, expensive bonsai tools, expensive fertilizer, expensive pots, or even expensive trees. Buying cheap or easily available soils simply because they are cheap and easily available will make all of that magnificence entirely moot. In bonsai, a finely ramified, healthy root system is everything. Pumice, one of our best soil components If you have some Turface, don t use it up by adding a small proportion to your mix. Give it away. Pay someone to find a use for it. Or put it in a box, label it with an unknown address, and offer it to the post office. It s safer there, wherever it ends up, than in your bonsai pots. PS Not long ago I resisted teaching or writing in an emphatic manner, to avoid upsetting people or to avoid arguments. But much like the concerns offered in my post Never Pinch Junipers!, I see so many weakened bonsai as a result of using Turface, Oil- Dri, and Profile that I have to speak. My main loyalty is to the trees. This is one area where cutting corners is really not the best way to go. Spend money on soil. If things like pumice are not readily available, get it shipped and split the cost with friends. It s not the lightest thing on the planet, but then thankfully it s not lead, either. LIFE WITHOUT TURFACE - A FOLLOW- UP November 26, 2013 crataegus (Michael Hagedorn) I can totally understand skepticism. Healthy even, I d say. As for Jack, we have to remember that Jack is a wizard who could grow a broomstick in pea gravel and make it sprout. I m not surprised he could use Turface successfully. But this is really to the point I think we can USE just about anything, but I m trying to make some other observations that are very broadband in nature. For one, we have a lot of communication and travel these days which has changed our notion of what is available out there, and we re able to see how different soils work. Much of this information is relatively new. Pumice was not a common bonsai soil medium even on the west coast until relatively recently. I don t think In fact I know most of us do not have the horticultural skills of Jack Wikle and the question is not is it possible but what is best for the widest range of people, lifestyles, and backyards and from what I ve seen in different soils in different circumstances, which is given the volume of trees I ve worked on and root masses I ve poked around in, Turface produces the least roots of anything but beach sand. I HAVE seen some good root systems in it. But not nearly enough of them to convince me that most people could grow a good root system in it. Please consider me a reporter. I m reporting what I see. I do hope that after reading this Turface will be a little less stable on its pedestal than it s been, and I hope that people should do their own investigations. LOCAL RESPONSE TO TURACE BROUHAHA Michael Hagedorn's Warning about Turface By Jack Wikle I have had great respect for Michael Hagedorn since I first met him in the late 1990's. If Michael tells us he has been seeing a pattern of failing bonsai with anemic, thready root systems when grown in Turface, I have no doubt this has been happening. This is reason for concern, something we need to be aware of. At the same time, Michael's observations (Google "Life without Turface") have been quite a surprise to me. In 47 years of experience using Turface as a soil mix ingredient includes trials using a variety of ingredients in many combinations I have never had the experience Michael describes, and have always recommended its use without hesitation. (Attached are a couple of my photos of roots, grown in mixes containing more than half Turface; trident maple single trunk and cotoneaster multi- trunk.) Furthermore many successful bonsai growers, people I know personally, have used Turface for years without seeing it as a cause of problems. Outside of the bonsai world, thousands of other container plant growers are including Turface as an ingredient in their soil mixes (Google "Al's Gritty Mix" for a fascinating perspective on the evolution of soil mix insight in container gardening circles). Clearly something is going on here which defies easy explanation. For now, my advice is to stay alert and open to new insight. And, keep experimenting, comparing other mixes with the combinations you are presently using. But, don't feel you need to stop using a soil mix ingredient which has been completely satisfactory for you just because others have experienced problems with it. I've been told the first law of [airplane] wing walking is, "Don't let go of what you've got hold of until you've got hold of something else." Volume 10 Issue 11 2

3 Reply by Jerry Meislik 12/6/13... Turface, the real stuff, has stood the test of time by many excellent growers. As always experiment with different materials but do it in tiny steps and small test samples with your expendable plants and compare the new to your standard. Reply by Kurt Smith 12/7/13... I always say you can grow bonsai in most any soil condition you just have to adjust your watering to what you re using. Meaning if it holds more water, water it less, if it dries out fast water it more. I use straight Turface with root cuttings and get great root results... I will continue to use Turface in my mix. Our club has lots of proof in the way of beautifully grown trees some who have spent their whole life in some Turface... FOR SALE OR WANTED All members can offer for sale any bonsai and bonsai related materials in the newsletter or at the monthly meeting with no sales fee. AABS Society Members ads are free to publish in the Newsletter. Deadline for submissions to the Newsletter is the 5th of the month. If you have a tree, bonsai pot, tool or anything else bonsai related that you do not need anymore and that is still in good condition, consider donating it to the Society. Donations to the Society are always accepted. In most cases, many donated trees or other materials have been raffled among the attending members during our monthly meetings. MEMBERSHIP ISSUES CONTACT THE TREASURER Joan Wheeler Treasure AABS Fountain Blvd Westland, Michigan treasurer@annarborbonsaisociety.org CALENDAR OF EVENTS January 22 - Monthly Meeting Bonsai Containers "Cat" Nelson February 26 - Monthly Meeting Grafting Techniques with Andy Duvall March 26 - Monthly Meeting Julian Adams discusses pine care March 27 Workshop with Julian Adams April 5 - Saturday Morning Workshop Repotting & Root Pruning - Members can repot their bonsai with the help of an experienced hand. April 23 - Monthly Meeting May 28 - Monthly Meeting Michael Feduccia of Florida visits AABS May 29 Workshop with Michael Feduccia June 25 - Monthly Meeting Jerry Meislik returns to discuss the current state of Bonsai in the country. June 26 Workshop With Jerry Meislik July 23 - Monthly Meeting A Three Member Panel will offer advice and discuss design options for members who bring their bonsai to the meeting August 22 - Annual Show Setup August Annual Show August 27 - Monthly Meeting September 25 - Monthly Meeting Annual Auction October 23 Monthly Meeting Vance Hanna discusses Tool care and cutting- edge sharpening techniques The annual dues are $25. You may pay your dues, mailing a check to the treasurer or talking with Joan at the next meeting. Please pay by check. Volume 10 Issue 11 3

4 2014 EXECUTIVE BOARD President.. Jay Sinclair Immediate Past President. Alfonso Tercero VP/Program Planner Paul Kulesa Recording Secretary. Bryan and Claudia Byrd Corresponding Secretary.. Claudia and Bryan Byrd Treasurer Joan Wheeler Librarian. Fouzaan Zafar Show Chair Kurt Smith Publicity Chair Carlos Diaz Director Tom McCue Director Aaron Binns AABS AD- HOC COMMITTEES The AABS President is an ex- officio member of all committees with the exception of the Nomination Committee. Fund Raising: William Struhar Web Administration: Ray Domzalski & Don Wenzel Nomination Committee: Show Committee: The Ann Arbor Bonsai Society is affiliated with the American Bonsai Society: and the Mid- American Bonsai Alliance: Volume 10 Issue 11 4

5 Ann Arbor Bonsai Society 1800 North Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI Visit us on the Web: Support Local Bonsai Vendors Please Call First Bonsai House Bonsai Plant & Gift (734) lnkster Road - Westland, Michigan On lnkster Between Joy Road & Ann Arbor Trail Volume 10 Issue 11 5