The Bonsai News H of ouston

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1 The Bonsai News H of ouston A Monthly Newsletter of the Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. Volume 44 Number 7 July 2015 IN THIS ISSUE Upcoming Events Pedro Morales Lecture/Demo On a Brazilian Rain Tree Showcase of the Month Exotic Tropical Bonsai 0July Bonsai Care John Miller President s Letter Tropical Trees For Houston Hurley Johnson Gede Merta s unique Pemphis Acidula Bali, Indonesia (Photo from his blog) The next meeting of the Houston Bonsai Society will be on Wednesday July 1 st at the Cherie Flores Gardens Pavilion in Hermann Park, off of Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX Refreshments at 7 PM, meeting starts at 7:30 PM. Wednesday, July 1 st, HBS Monthly Meeting: Lecture-demo by Pedro Morales on a large Brazilian Rain Tree which will be raffled off at the end of the evening. For Show & Tell with Ray, please display your most exotic tropical bonsai. Upcoming Events Thursday, July 2 nd Sunday July 5 th, Tropical School Year 1, with Pedro Morales, at Timeless Trees, 9AM 5 PM. Classroom in the morning, hands-on workshops in the afternoons. Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. See ad for more details. Saturday, July 4 th, TENTATIVE Saturday Study Group at Mercer Botanic Garden, 9AM 12 Noon - depending on number of people planning to attend. Free, refreshments provided. Friday, July 17 th, LSBF Texas Tour Speaker Owen Reich s lecture-demo 6-9 PM at Cherie Flores Gardens Pavilion in Hermann Park. Saturday, 18 th, LSBF Texas Tour Speaker Owen Reich s workshops 8-11AM and afternoon 12-3PM at Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, TX (713) , off Beltway 8, between Westpark Drive and Richmond. $40 per session. Please sign up with Pete Parker or Terry Dubois. Saturday, July 25 th, BYO Tree Workshop with Rodney Clemons at Timeless Trees, morning session 9 AM-1 PM. Afternoon: 1-5 PM, each session: $40 or $75 all day. Saturday, July 25 th, 2015: LABS 2015 will be hosted by the Louisiana Bonsai Society in Baton Rouge. Details TBA by Lowell Tilley, event chair at ltilley@cox.net.

2 Tropical Wonders (Photos from the artists websites and blogs) July Bonsai Care July and August are the two most stressful months for bonsai in our neck of the woods. Most healthy trees can take the full sun on their foliage, but the high ambient temperatures and the heating effect of the sun on the pots and soil create temperatures on the roots that they are not designed to cope with. Trees with thin leaves like the Japanese maple, Acer Palmatum, that are under-story trees, will probably scorch in full sun. They can also suffer from chemical burn from some fertilizers and insecticides which can be more damaging in the heat. I cannot give you a precise To-Do list since your backyard is different from mine, but you should be sure that the sun does not hit the pots directly. If you use a cover of any kind, be sure that the side of the pot is protected also. A loose weave cover that allows air flow is preferable to solid paper or foil. A solid cover or box over the pot would create an oven type enclosure. There should be room for air flow around the pot. A 30-40% shade cloth over pines, junipers, and elms and maybe 50% over maples would be ideal. And don t forget to provide protection on the west side, from the hottest afternoon sun. Check your water practices. Normally I prefer to water heavily in the evening. That gives the plant all night to renew itself without losing most of its water to evaporation. Then in the early morning, they get a quick foliage spray and wetting the surface of the soil which may have dried out overnight. This was what I did while working. Be sure to do the double watering bit - water thoroughly so that the dry soil particles will get moistened and after a few minutes water again so that they will soak up fully. Pots out in the sun can get pot pretty hot. Not only does this dry out the soil very fast but the tree roots cannot live in a hot soil. A temperature I have heard given is 120 degrees that will kill roots on most plants. An article by Dr. Bill Cody suggests that his experiments show that an afternoon watering at 2pm will go a long way to keep the soil temperature in a desirable range, while a box close around the pot does little to protect it. Therefore I now try to water at 2 pm to cool and refresh the roots and again after sundown to get the night started right. When the humidity is low, I mist my junipers in the evening. I believe the story that in the wild, junipers open their stomata in the cool of the evening to absorb any dew that may occur and close in the heat of the day to conserve moisture. The other species may get a foliage spray in the morning. Also watch for signs of insect problems. The spider mite will always be near. Others to look for are scales of various forms, aphids and mealy bugs. Preventative medicine is best, spray on a regular schedule. By the time you see signs, the damage is already done, especially from spider mites. I use the organic foliar feed (with 1 Tablespoon each of fish emulsion, liquid kelp, molasses and 5% apple cider vinegar per gallon of water) to control all these. You can use some of the other organic controls or a chemical according to label directions. Read the label directions carefully. Do not apply oil based chemicals to buttonwoods. A hose end sprayer does not work very well, its droplets are too large and you have little control over where it goes. Use a pump sprayer with a fine spray and cover both top and bottom of leaves. When checking the results on your plants after spraying, remember that the spray usually will not remove the evidence of problems. The webs will still be there after the mites are killed. The shells of the scale will be attached to the leaf or stem. These will have to be removed by hand, by a jet of water or some other

3 way. A soft toothbrush works well on the scale shells. There is no damage from this leftover evidence but it prevents you from seeing any new infestation that may occur. The humidity in summer varies quite a bit but when it sticks around for a few days, look for fungal problems to appear, mildew being the most prevalent. Black spot will show up if the foliage stays wet very long. Foliage watering in the morning usually is not a problem because the water drops dry pretty quickly. Treat with potassium carbonate which you can find at any nursery with a decent organic section. There are several chemical sprays available too. As a rule we do not feed our trees enough. Since the soil mix we use has very little nutrient value, we must make up with our fertilizer practice. Water soluble fertilizers will be quickly washed out. The best rule I have heard was given by Matt Ouwinga who primarily grows trident maples. Matt s rule: A. Apply organic fertilizer balls each 6 weeks. Discard old balls. B. Apply fish emulsion every two weeks. C. Apply liquid plant food on alternate weeks. You can fertilize with most organic type fertilizers without worrying about burning the roots in hot weather. Do not use hi-powered types such as bat guano or one made heavily with chicken manure unless you use them very lightly. If you use chemical types, follow the label. If they do not specify any temperature restrictions, try using a weaker solution than normal. Without a lot of organic material in your soil, you should use a weaker solution but more often to provide a more even feeding. Many spring flowering plants will be setting buds for next year s flowers. Azaleas will set theirs toward the end of July. If you prune tips after that time, you will remove the new buds. Now that night temperatures are staying above 60 degrees, you should think about repotting some of the tropicals. Most tropicals do well with an annual repotting. I would emphasize to check the wires on your trees and also see that the drains are not blocked in any way. Especially check them after a rain to be sure that your pots drain properly. Keep the tropicals trimmed as they will be growing like crazy. However, if you want flowers on those that produce on the end of the twigs like bougainvilleas, pomegranates and crepe myrtles, you will have to forgo the bonsai shape to let them flower. These species should be pruned more drastically before the growing season starts so they can still be in a pretty good shape. Your trees keep growing and they, too, need their periodic beauty treatment. Keep the ends trimmed and the stray shoots cut out. It s not that bad when you can sit in the shade with a big lemonade and really enjoy being with your bonsai. That way you will have your tree ready for the fall show or you will be ready to enjoy it when the change of seasons gives it pretty colors. John Miller John Miller, who writes a monthly column for the Bonsai Society of Dallas and Fort Worth Bonsai Society, has agreed to share his column with us. We need to make adjustments for our warmer and damper climate, with earlier springs, longer summers, late fall and erratic winters. President s Message Sorry to repeat some of this information, but I just want to make people aware. Donald Green, our HBS Past President, recently suffered a fall that resulted in a severe jolt to his spinal cord. He has had surgery and is doing well. He is expected to start Rehab soon and hope to recover well, but it will take some time. Please keep Donald, Diane, and the rest of his family in your prayers. Donald has always been one of my mentors of both the horticultural aspects of our hobby, and the leadership and guidance of a large volunteer organization. His gentle tone and patience, which made him a superior College Professor bled over to make him a great leader within our club. He worked at inclusion, instead of exclusion of the many individuals, nationalities, languages, and different skill levels that comprise our organization. The Texas Tour Speaker, sponsored by LSBF, will be Owen Reich. His demo will be on Friday July 17 th evening at the Hermann Park Garden Center (where we normally meet) from 6-9 PM. The demo is free, and the tree will be raffled off at the end of the demo. Raffle tickets are usually $1.00, but you have to be present to win. Workshops will be on Saturday July 18 th, at the Tracy Gee Community Center in Southwest Houston, 3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, TX 77042, near the intersection of Beltway 8 and Richmond ( ). Morning workshops will be from 8 11 AM, and the

4 afternoon workshops from 12 Noon 3 PM. The cost of each workshop is $40. Pete Parker and Terry Dubois will have the sign-up sheet at the July 1 st meeting. We still have spots open. Plans are coming together for the LSBF Texas Learning Seminar, slated for October 9 th and 10 th, at the Kingwood Community Center. The guest artist will be Matt Reel. His focus will be on Bunjin style and displaying Bonsai correctly. There will be lectures/ demonstrations, workshops, a bonsai show, and vendors. Since this is a slightly smaller, simpler event than the State Convention, it will start at about Noon on Friday. We will have program flyers at the July and August meetings. Make plans to attend. Pedro Morales will again be having his 4-day Tropical Bonsai School at Timeless Trees. It is a great way to learn and work on your stock here in the Houston area. See details in the advertisement this month. Tropical Bonsai for Houston Over the last several years, Pedro Morales with his Tropical Bonsai School has introduced several species into the Houston area. Some are Puerto Rico natives, and some grow throughout the Caribbean. Most are great candidates for our coastal Zone 9 B climate, with a minimal amount of winter care. So here are a few to consider adding to your collection. Don t forget our HBS Saturday Study Group will meet at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens on July 4 th, (if we have enough people interested.) It is free to all club members and family. It will begin at 9 AM and last until about Noon. Refreshments are provided. Hope to see you at the meeting, on July 1 st! Hurley A very exotic Pemphis collected tropical bonsai by Gede Merta, a self-taught Bonsai artist in Bali ( Photo from his website) One of the best and easiest species is Neea, commonly spelled "Nía" although the botanical name is "Neea" and its full Latin name is Neea buxifolia. Neea is a stiff, twiggy, yet wire-able shrub native to Puerto Rico.

5 It is in the same family as the Bougainvillea. Neea grows to fifteen feet with a trunk circumference of five to six inches in the wild. The leaves are about one quarter inch long, narrow, and oblong, with short petioles. It can be trained into many styles. I have been most successful with getting a new tree, wiring it hard once, and then using clip and grow method from then on. Like Chinese Elm, they send out long shoots, which need to be trimmed regularly. I prune them at least twice a year. The tree is especially attractive during the growing season due to the deep red color of its new shoots. The bark is gray and smooth. Neea bears small flowers in spring and summer followed by little, red fruit when mature in the summer. Neea grows similar to Yaupon Holly in that the new branches grow everywhere and in all directions. The growth is usually dense and undisciplined. This pattern is a challenge at first, but with attention the close growth of the twigs, it is great as bonsai, especially because it is also very hardy, and has very little problems with pests or diseases. Neea should be grown in filtered sun. They will tolerate a minimum winter temperature of 40 degrees, so you will have to put them inside, or in the garage a few nights when the temps drop too low. The soil should be well draining, and allow the soil to dry out in between watering.

6 Check out timeless-trees.com and get on the mailing list for weekly classes, workshops and Tropical Bonsai School offered by very knowledgeable artists and masters. Huge selection of tropicals, conifers, evergreen and deciduous prebonsai and bonsai as well as pots, tools, supplies and soils. Because of their very small leaf and dense foliage, they are also great for shohin. Welcome Quality Feed & Garden in downtown Houston. Ken Cousino is ready to help HBS with all bonsai supplies. Come stock up on bonsai soils, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. Don t forget to ask for a 10% HBS discount. The only problem with this tree is poor healing of large cuts. The cambium heals over just a small amount, then quits, resulting in large scars. So you need to plan for that and make sure the severe cuts are in the back, or part of the design. Hurley Johnson Timeless Trees Bonsai Nursery Rosenberg, Texas

7 JUL 1 Calendar of Events 2015 HBS Monthly Meeting: Lecture-demo by Pedro Morales on a large Brazilian Rain Tree, at Cherie Flores Pavilion in Hermann Park. Refreshments at 7pm, meeting starts at 7:30 pm. Demo tree will be raffled off. JUL 2 5 Tropical School Year 1, with Pedro Morales at Timeless Trees, 9AM 5 PM, $375 per person. Classroom learning in the morning, hands-on workshops in the afternoons. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pedro usually cooks Puerto Rican treats on Sunday. Classes provide: Refreshments, coffee, juice, lunch, and snacks as well as aluminum wire and bonsai soil. JUL 4 TENTATIVE Saturday Study Group at Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 9am 12 Noon - depending on number of people planning to attend. Free, refreshments provided. JUL 17 LSBF Texas Tour Speaker Owen Reich, Friday July 17 evening: Lecture/demo from 6-9 pm at Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion at Hermann Park. JUL 18 Saturday AM workshop from 8-11 and PM from 12-3 at Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive, Houston, TX (713) , off Beltway 8, between Westpark and Richmond Drive. Please register early for the workshops ($40 each - $80 all day) with Peter Parker and Terry Dubois. JUL Rodney Clemons Bring Your Own Tree Workshop (BYOT) at Timeless Trees, from 9 AM- 1 PM, $40 each session, $75 all day. JUL 25 LABS 2015 hosted by the Louisiana Bonsai Society in Baton Rouge! Details TBA by Lowell Tilley, event chair at ltilley@cox.net. SEP International Convention & Asia-Pacific Bonsai Conference in Guangzhou at the Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall and the Guangdong Science Hall, hosted by BCI and Guangzhou Government. For details, visit SEP 19 SSOT 2015 MEETING SCHEDULE Annual business meeting and select trees for the October 9 & 10 LSBF Seminar exhibit in Houston, plus a hands on/how-to workshop led by Steven Hendricks and Alisan Clarke with material acquired by Alisan. SEP 26 Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens Fall Show. Vendors are invited to sell their plants and goods. Cost: $50 (Vendors keep the rest of the proceeds.) Contact Carol Scraper: Kathy Shaner Seminar October 16 rd 18 h in Buda, Texas * Seminar * * Home-cooked Dinner * * Bring-your-own-tree Workshop * Registration starts in July. To register for the event, please ckmurphy2000@gmail.com. Gift giving for the bonsai lovers on your list or yourself is easy with Pineywoods Easy-Care artistic bonsai. Ask Larry and Judy to send you photos to choose from. Shipping is available. Summer is here at JRN Nursery II. Come enjoy the exotic flowers and tropical bonsai. Don t forget the 10% HBS member discount. Visit artist Andrew Sankowski at the Mossrock Studio & Fine Art Gallery for the finest gifts and custom bonsai pots in any shape, form and color. Andrew Sankowski Oak Ridge Drive Direct (281) The Woodlands, TX Fax (281) andy@mossrockstudio.com

8 Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. P. O. Box , Houston, Texas HBS Board Members President Hurley Johnson 1 st Vice President Scott Barboza in charge of Education 2 nd Vice President Dean Laumen drlaumen@bechtel.com Secretary Barbara Adams adams.barbara1@embarqmail.com in charge of Membership Publicity Eldon Branham elmo4635@aol.com Treasurer Anthony Cutola acutola@gmail.com Member at Large - O Nandita D Souza ndas27@gmail.com Member at Large - O Vern Maddox vmaddox1@comcast.net Member at Large - O Wayne Malone wayneamalone@gmail.com Member at Large - O Clyde Holt cmholt11@comcast.net Member at Large - E Brian Gurrola bgurrola@gurrolareprographics.com Member at Large - E Ron Ahles carolahles@sbcglobal.net Delegates Past President Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net LSBF Delegate Peter Parker peteparkerbonsai@yahoo.com LSBF Alternate Terry Dubois tdubois1@comcast.net BCI Ambassador Donald Green donald.green12@att.net TTSBE Representative Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net Refreshments C.J. Everson c.j.everson@comcast.net Website/ Gary Teeter houstonbonsai@gmail.com Newsletter editor Shawn Nguyen hbs.news@yahoo.com The Bonsai News of Houston is a monthly publication of the Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. Copyright The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the editor or a member of the Board of Directors. Exceptions exist, however, for certain not-for-profit and non-profit bonsai organizations or associated bonsai and bonsai nursery newsletters, including without limitation the American Bonsai Society. HBS participates fully with reciprocation of contents and material between other LSBF member organizations and others. Authors who submit articles for this newsletter thereby give permission to such organizations to reprint, unless they expressly state otherwise. Space for advertising in The Bonsai News of Houston can be requested by contacting the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board. The rates for a business-card-size ad (approximately 3 1/2" x 2") are $6 per month, $30 for 6 months and $50 per year (12 issues). A full-page ad is $25 per month. Rates are subject to change without notice. 3½" x 2" classified ads are run free of charge for one month once per 12-month period for non-commercial members. For special requests or questions related to The Bonsai News of Houston, contact the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board.

9 Tropical Bonsai School with Pedro Morales First Year Class (Year of the Saw) July 2 nd July 5 th Classroom portion Thursday, 9 AM 6 PM Hands On Work Friday, Sat. and Sunday 9 AM 5 PM held at Timeless Trees in Rosenberg, Texas. Four days of intensive instruction, lecture, videos, and hands-on work with world renowned Bonsai artist Pedro Morales. Just bring your tools and wire. Lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is included. Hotels and restaurants close by. We will assist you with arrangements. The best instructional value in the U.S. $ per class Contact Hurley Johnson to sign up, or hurley@all-tex.net.