FOUR SEASONS BONSAI CLUB

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1 FOUR SEASONS BONSAI CLUB of MICHIGAN MARCH 25th BONSAI CIRCUS IS BACK MARCH 25TH AT BORDINES NURSERY 12:30 MEETING SET UP ( PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY ) 1:00 EVENT DISCUSSION AND BONSAI UPDATES 1:15 CIRCUS BEGINS 3:30 CIRCUS ENDS. 3:40 TREE REVIEW Q & A. The Bonsai Circus is one of our club s most popular events. The Circus has something for everyone at every level of bonsai experience. Beginners will find plenty of information on the basics of bonsai, from how to choose a bonsai at a greenhouse to finding a pot that compliments your tree. Long-time members can find unique subjects like heavy wiring and styling techniques presented by experienced bonsai artists. Several presenters will be giving demonstrations on a variety of topics all simultaneously! Subjects this year include: advanced styling, guy wiring, repotting, soil development, watering, grafting and Bonsai for Beginners. Members and guests can jump from one presentation to the next. Each demonstration will be completely interactive, and these presentations move quickly to allow everyone to enjoy at least 4-6 unique demonstrations. The presenter will allow time for questions during or after their presentation. You will not believe how much content will be shared in just a few hours. We are truly aiming to tackle as many subjects without rushing our presenters. If you are looking for a subject to be covered, or would like to be a presenter. Please or call us immediately CLUB RAFFLE WILL NOT BE HELD THIS MEETING. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: 8 Every meeting we are honored to have a handful of new members joining our club. We are all doing an excptional job sharing our newsletters and social posts with our friends and family. This year we have a more aggressive calendar and will need everyone to contribute. Please be sure to connect with Beth R with your annual dues. Our club raffle continues to help new members procure books and materials that are imperative to their development in bonsai. Experienced members will find custom items and prints that are truly invaluable to their collection. Please be generous and creative with your donations. The raffle money has helped us procure an adjustable work stand, club stamp and two sets of tools that will be used at our meetings and annual show. We are always looking for presenters at our monthly meetings. If you have information you'd like to share, please step forward. It can be an article you found online to a story of how you discovered an all new fertilizer or online store that has benefited your collection. Thanks for reading. Michael Corbeille / President 4seasonsbonsai@gmail.com

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3 TIME TO PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE SPRING! It is common sense to work on a tree at a time when it is possible to obtain the best result, while interfering as little as possible with the plant s natural activity. Causing stress to a plant will slow down its process of development instead of speeding it up, so timing your work is important! It is very important to work on vigorous plants. Weak plants respond badly, and their survival may be put at risk. To boost the strength of a plant that you want to work on, you need to apply fertilizer in the previous year: nearly all species absorb and store up nutrients in order to use them during the following growth season. Within a given year, plants go through various phases: 1. Winter dormancy 2. Revival and flowering 3. Producing new growth and fruit 4. A short period of summer dormancy 5. Consolidation of the new growth Preparation for the winter dormancy. The start points and lengths of the phases are very much dependent on variations in the photoperiod (the relationship between the length of the daytime and of night) and climate, which can alter the periods of rest or activity. For example, if there are very high temperatures, above C, that last for more than a very brief spell, this will slow down or inhibit photosynthesis: the plant will then go into a period of dormancy that will not end until normal conditions have been reestablished. These are only rough guidelines, however. Geographical position and local microclimate are highly variable factors, so it is necessary to check the plant s ability to adapt to the chosen location. Paying close attention to the biological cycle of plants to glean useful pointers and to choose the time and method of intervention is much more pertinent, and gives more accurate information than following tables of prescribed data. Phase 1. During winter dormancy Broadleaves are inactive during this period. The absence of leaves does not allow photosynthesis, and there is no activity in the organs. The part above ground has no need for either light or fertilizer. Stick only to routine maintenance, to avoid the possibility of infestation by parasites or fungus. The roots, on the other hand, need a certain amount of moisture in the soil to stay alive and not dry out. But take care not to over-water; otherwise you risk asphyxiating them. During this period, because of the low temperatures, water evaporates slowly and is not absorbed at all by the leaves. The soil dries so slowly that it is easy to forget to check it. This is a good period for a number of types of work on bonsai. Repotting Most bonsai can be repotted during the winter, but the best period for this is the weeks immediately prior to the early spring revival, when you judge that there is no longer a danger of intense cold that could damage the roots. If repotting a tree in the middle of winter, you need to remember to put it in a place where is safe from frost although not in a heated room, because you do not want to stimulate premature growth. Broadleaves are generally repotted after hosing down the root ball to clean it and leave the roots bare. This provides an opportunity to have a good look at all of the roots every two to three years. You therefore need to take advantage of it to improve them, by removing thicker ones so as to stimulate growth of finer ones which absorb nutrients dissolved in water. The improvements must concern either the buried roots, or those on the surface, and the nebari which should be attended to at each repotting. Repotting conifers is more complicated and carries a slightly higher level of risk than that of broadleaves. It should never be done with bare roots; instead, part of the root ball must be kept intact. The fine roots of conifers generally have more trouble forming. To absorb food, they need mycorrhizas, which therefore need to be retained.old needles to allow more light to penetrate, to activate the dormant buds inside the tree and to sort through the terminal buds at the ends of the branches to leave just two of them.

4 The time available in late winter for repotting broadleaves is rather limited. Repotting must be suspended as soon as the first buds start to open. A second possibility for repotting arises in June, when the leaves from the first budding are mature. The period for repotting conifers is much longer and can extend right up to the point when the candles open for pines, or to the growth of new foliage for junipers: in practice, it can last from the first half of February until mid-june, depending on the microclimate of the location concerned. Cutting back the roots during repotting stimulates the plant to quickly produce new roots, new growth, and to repair its wounds: healing is very speedy in this period. Other tasks for the dormant period The winter dormancy is a good time for: 6 working on jin and shari (dead parts of branches or trunks 7 major work on deadwood on junipers, pines and Prunus 8 bending trunks and branches, small or large 9 treating deadwood with jin seal to prevent it from rotting 10 using jin seal as a preventative measure (dilute 1 part jin seal with 30 parts water) on trunks and major branches of broadleaves. On pines, just before maintenance pruning and wire training, if it has not been done already, it is possible to remove the old needles to allow more light to penetrate, to activate the dormant buds inside the tree and to sort through the terminal buds at the ends of the branches to leave just two of them. It is common sense to work on a tree at a time when it is possible to obtain the best result, while interfering as little as possible with the plant s natural activity. Causing stress to a plant will slow down its process of development instead of speeding it up, so timing your work is important! This article is written by Bruno Mazza BONSAI INSPIRATION -

5 2018 OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS President...Michael Corbeille Vice-President...Lynn Secretary...Rick Treasurers...Beth Rubinstein (248) Newsletter...Michael Corbeille Website...Cate Horn (248) Social Director...Postition is Open Director, 2-Yr. Term...John Stevens Director, 2-Yr. Term...Chris Kehrig Director, 2-Yr. Term... Tom Director, 1-Yr. Term...Rick Bieniek Catering, 1-Yr. Term..Judy Muensch POSITIONS ARE OPEN. PLEASE US IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN THE BOARD. EXPERIENCE ISN'T NECESSARY. JUST PASSION FOR BONSAI.

6 FOUR SEASONS BONSAI CLUB OF MICHIGAN Calendar of Events All events are open to the public Sunday, FEBRUARY 25TH FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR Introduction to the years events and schedule. Welcome to bonsai for new members & beginners. Michael Corbeille update on club status and plans for Calendar confirmation. BYOB (bring in your own bonsai) hands on advice and styling. Sunday, MARCH 25th BONSAI CIRCUS New to bonsai or just looking to hone your skills, donʼt miss this meeting! Multiple members will hold simultaneous workshops and demos on a variety bonsai related topics geared toward beginners through expert level bonsai artists. A must attend! Sunday, APRIL 29th BEGINNER WORKSHOP & DAN BENNETT STANDS. Club member and master craftsman, Dan Bennett, will discuss building and displaying stands. He will have stands for sale. We are also holding a private workshop area for new members to bring in a tree and learn how to start their first tree. Experienced members will share wiring and styling techniques. Sunday, MAY 20th JOHN WALL - SHOW PREPARATIONS 12-4pm* Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills John Wall, our show judge from last year, is back by popular demand. John will share his experience in preparing bonsai for shows. Popular subjects of stands, wiring, moss and properly displaying your bonsai will all be addressed. Bring in your trees. Sunday, JUNE 24th JENNIFER PRICE CARVING TECHNIQUES 12-4pm* Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills Jennifer Price will conduct a live demo on advanced carving techniques and share stories on her time spent studying and working with bonsai legend, Walter Pall. She is coming in from Chicago just for our meeting. We are starting an hour early. Sunday, JULY 22nd Kurt Smith & Large tree styling demo. Kurt Smith, the owner of the Flower Market, is back with another presentation. Plus, experienced club members will be styling a large tree in front of the entire club. Wiring, carving and proper techniques in large branch bending. This tree will be entered in our annual show raffle. BYOB is encouraged. SATURDAY & SUNDAY AUGUST 11th -12th 45th ANNUAL BONSAI SHOW!!! 9am -7:00 Saturday. 9am - 4pm Sunday Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills Come see incredible bonsai trees on display, live demos, workshops and bonsai trees for sale. We are excited to have the former curator of the National Bonsai Museum, Jack Sustic, as our judge. Live demos and beginner workshops, raffles and more Jack Sustic will be conducting a special workshop and critique of all the trees. Sunday, September 23rd BONSAI AUCTION 11-4pm* Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills A massive collection of bonsai trees and bonsai related items will be auctioned to club members. A must attend for all levels of bonsai artists. Members are asked to come early and register their items. We will be sending entry forms and sales information prior to the auction. This event will start earlier than previous meetings and will be a catered event. Monday - Tuesday October 8-9th WALTER PALL SPECIAL EVENT (times tbd) Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills We have bonsai legend Walter Pall for two days!! Monday will be paid workshops and Tuesday Walter will deliver his bonsai inspiration open to club members. Be sure to sign up early, bring in a tree to have evaluated. Spots will fill immediately. Sunday, OCTOBER 21st BONSAI FOR KIDS and BEGINNERS A new idea we are going to try. Bring your kids to the club day. Our chance to get new faces and the opportunity to develop new bonsai artists. Sunday, NOVEMBER 18th WINTER PREPARATIONS We will discuss how to prepare your trees for the brutal Michigan winters. Building cold frames to setting up grow lights indoors for tropical trees. Saturday, December 9th Holiday Dinner 6-8pm Cafe Sushi, Troy MI All club members and family are invited! We celebrate our 48th year in bonsai. *meeting starts earlier than 1:00 4seasonsbonsai@gmail.com FSB MEETINGS ARE HELD AT BORDINES NURSERY 1835 ROCHESTER ROAD SOUTH ROCHESTER HILLS MI 48307

7 THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLUB MEETINGS WILL BE HELD AT BORDINES NURSERY IN ROCHESTER HILLS. PLEASE CHECK THE NEWSLETTER AND FACEBOOK PAGE FOR ANY LOCATION CHANGES AND TO CONFIRM OUR MEETING TIMES.

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