Bonsai Society of Dallas

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1 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 Bonsai Society of Dallas Monthly Member Newsletter January 2015 Message from the President In This Issue Message from the President January Program Upcoming Events January Bonsai Tips and Advice Club Dig How to Dig December Program in Review January To-Do List Link of the Month Beginner s Bulletin Board Board of Directors Sylvia Smith, President slysmith@tx.rr.com Greg Brewer, Vice President, Program Chair brewer1959@yahoo.com Diane Lowe, Secretary diane_lowe@live.com Jerry Riley, Treasurer jafa625@gmail.com John Miller, President Emeritus bonsaimiller@aol.com Kyle Downing, Membership Chair flattrack75081@yahoo.com Todd Hang, Newsletter Editor tqhang@gmail.com Mary Polk, Member at Large doggiedigs2@att.net Bill Muto, Member at Large bmuto@aol.com Howard Smith, LSBF Delegate bonsaismiths@tx.rr.com Happy 2015! Here we are at the start of a fresh new year. For our household it has been a very busy non-stop turn of events from December 12th to January 4th. We will miss out on the January meeting as we will just be settling back home after a long drive from Disney World; a little tired but a much needed family break! That doesn't mean we've forgotten about you! This month we will have an interesting grafting program with Se Sihongheune. Our annual buying trip to Dallas Bonsai was to happen right after our program, but now it will be an online event. Please see details further in the newsletter. Later in the month on the 24th, we have our club dig. It is the only one scheduled this year so you won t want to miss it. It is a busy January and a great way to start off the New Year with lots more to come; so don't forget to renew your membership to participate. I m also happy to share that we have our dates for our upcoming bonsai show. We will have it the weekend of March 14 th & 15 th at North Haven Gardens. Please mark your calendar as we will need a team effort for set-up, staffing throughout the two days, and tear down on Sunday late afternoon. So, what's my New Year's Bonsai Resolution? Education and Refinement! Howard and I have been busy updating our personal workshops and club study groups. As a board member, I can report that our Board has been busy making sure we have a full year of excellent programs. I hope you'll be happy with the results and educational opportunities that your Board has put together for Keep reading your newsletters for the latest! So, what's your New Year's Bonsai Resolution? How will you improve your bonsai in 2015? Food for thought my bonsai friends. See you in February! Sylvia

2 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 January Program Grafting Techniques January 3 rd, 9:00 Noon Improving bonsai takes time, but what if you could speed up the development of your tree or improve its quality and value? That's exactly what this month's meeting will cover. The techniques for grafting can be used to introduce new branches to your trees, improve the look and girth of the nebari, grow weaker trees on stronger root stock and improve the growth and life of your tree. It can also be used to propagate bonsai via air layering or veneer grafts. Upcoming Events Saturday, January, 3 rd, 9 Noon Grafting Techniques Saturday, January, 3 rd, - 24 hour online sale Saturday, January 24 th Club Dig Campbell, TX Saturday, February 7 th, 9 Noon Study Group with Bonsai Smiths Saturday, March 7 th, 9 Noon Forest Planting Demo March 14 th Weekend BSD Exhibition Events Elsewhere Our guest artist Se (pronounced "Say") Sihonghuene has been grafting well over ten years, so don't let his young age fool you, he really is an expert! Se has worked for many years with our local maple nursery, Metro Maples, grafting hundreds of maple varieties. He grafts Arakawa pine yearly in his back yard and can often be seen working with Ray Hernandez at his bonsai nursery. He was last in Dallas in 2009 and we're glad he's back to teach us more about grafting. Members are encouraged to bring trees to add grafts or they can buy a seedling to graft at the meeting. Bring your own tools or just come in and learn about grafting. Experienced members are encouraged to stick around and help our newer members. February 1 st 18 th Kokufu-ten Tokyo, Japan February 14 th 15 th Noelander s Trophy Brussels, Belgium May 9 th 10 thh Michigan All State Bonsai Show Grand Rapids, MI May 16 th 17 th Midwest Bonsai Society Show Chicago, IL May 21 st 24 th Brussels Rendezvous Olive Branch, MS June 11 th 15 th ABS Symposium Washington, DC July 18 th 19 th Columbus Bonsai Society Show Columbus, OH September 26 th - 28 th Artisans Cup of Portland Portland, Oregon

3 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 Club Buying Trip January 3 rd Online 24 Hour Discount We are sorry to say that our friend and long time club member Fred Meyer is under the weather with the flu. Our group is a bit too large for his able assistant Brandon to handle all by himself, so instead they will accommodate us by using their very successful online business model. They are extending to us a one-time 24 hour discount code to get 20% off your order. This only applies to January 3 rd and only to current BSD club members; yet another reason to get your 2015 club dues in by the first of the year. If you would like to pick up your purchase, they can have it ready on the following Monday or they can ship your items to you under their normal shipping terms, which are $5.95 for purchases up to $75.00 and no charge for orders above that. The Coupon Code is BONSAICLUB2015. So sit back and relax while you shop for all your bonsai tools supplies. The code will only be active 24 hours on January 3 rd. As always, thanks Fred and Brandon! Hope you feel better soon Fred. Club Dig 2015 Saturday, January 24 th at 8:30 a.m. (weather delay Feb 21 st ) Campbell, TX Our 2015 dig is fast approaching and hopefully the weather will cooperate. What you will find are some nice deciduous trees, especially cedar elm and a few other species. Many are growing in small groups that will make excellent forest material. The address is 2412 State Hwy 50, Campbell, TX (it is also called State Hwy 24 sometimes). While that is the physical property address, access to the property is from the back, so follow these directions. Go east on I-30 Take exit 101 towards Commerce Drive approximately 4 ½ miles, then turn left onto 2736 Go a little over 1 ½ miles, and turn left of 4205 Continue on this gravel road for.6 miles - turn left just past the large yellow farm house Go.8 miles and the gate will be in front of you at the bend in the road Drive through the gate and go up the dirt road until you reach the house/barn. We will have a warm spot for a midday break so be sure to pack a lunch and water. If you plan to attend please RSVP to Diane at diane_lowe@live.com by January 22 nd. In case of bad weather or any last minute details or change of plans an update will be sent.

4 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 January Bonsai Tips and Advice By John Miller You should be looking at the blog of Jonas Dupuich at bonsaitonight.com. Starting in November Jonas has been doing articles on pest control with some great pictures. Be sure to click on the major references he gives. The latest (Dec 16) is on the spider mite and his cousins. The next 5 weeks should be good for dormant oil and lime sulphur dormant sprays, especially so if you had any problem last year. Kill the over-wintering eggs, pupae, or adults. Be sure what you use is labeled for your species of tree and to follow label instructions carefully. It would be nice to be able to put your trees into 2 or 3 groups--outdoor trees, indoor trees, flowering trees. But nature has not done anything so simple. Some outdoor trees survive a lot of cold and others want to go dormant but can t have their roots frozen at all. Your job is to learn their foibles and work around them. In general, you start by knowing that deciduous trees will go dormant and stay that way until something awakens them. Some are temperature sensitive, they go dormant when the temperature drops in the fall and awaken when they get warm. These should be kept in a shady area to keep them cool. Others are sensitive in the change in day length: they go dormant when daylight gets short and will break buds when they sense the days getting longer. These are not so hard to care for. Evergreens do not go fully dormant. They slow their processes but still use sunlight and some nutrients. However they still need their roots protected to prevent alternate freezing and thawing. All outdoor trees, both deciduous and evergreen, need to have their soil moisture maintained and their roots protected from deep freezes. Since their sap flow is diminished, they cannot replace moisture lost to winds so they should be protected from a lot of wind. The plants can be protected by using ground heat to minimize the low and high temps. Set the pots on the ground and cover with mulch. For those with tropicals care at this time depends on your facilities for giving them heat and light, the two things usually in short supply in January. I merely try to keep mine alive with the greenhouse at 50 degrees. Be sure to monitor them for aphids and other problems. They do not get enough light to actively grow anyway. When the mame size shohin elms have had a month of dormancy I bring them into the greenhouse before the temperatures get to the lower twenties. They respond by starting growth so I have them for soul food through January. Styling can be done at this time but no repotting unless you are going to keep the tree from freezing after that. Repotting initiates new root development which is usually not very hardy. A better approach would be to study one or two thoroughly each day making notes on what needs to be done. January is an excellent time to start any remodeling projects that may be necessary. While the trees are dormant you have a better view of the branch structure. Do any need to be moved or removed? Do any coarse branches need to be cut back to a smaller side branch for refinement? Do any long straight branches need wiring to give them motion? Does the tree really need a drastic redesign? You can also trim the twigs back while you have them there. You can also decide if that tree will need to be repotted this spring, is the present pot good or should you find a more appropriate pot for it. Tender or tropical trees that are kept indoors will be using more water to offset the lower humidity. Soil will also be losing water faster through its surface. Be sure to watch the indoor trees for insect problems. Most plant insects love a controlled atmosphere like the indoors. Spider mites seem to get the most attention here because they do great in a low humidity and the lack of foliage spraying. Scale can be an easily overlooked source of trouble. The flat green kind can be hard to spot on the underside of leaves or tight against the stem. Indoor trees need to be fertilized regularly and will require periodic trimming as they continue to grow through the winter. Again bonsaitonight.com will help you understand what to do. Jonas prefers the organic approach but covers other methods as well.

5 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 5. December Program in Review Bonsai Exhibitions and Display There was a loud round of applause after Sylvia finished her program. It was with good reason, because we were treated to an excellent presentation on this topic. However we left with so much more. By teaching us how to evaluate and judge trees for a bonsai show, she inspired us to develop our eye to evaluate our own trees, and more importantly potential trees we might add to our collection. In her own words, let s gain a new perspective about bonsai shows. Sylvia says I often have people ask me why we make such a fuss about putting on a show. Sure, it's pretty and it's a good social gathering time but it's a lot of work! I often hear comments like: I don't have anything worthy of being in a show, so I guess this doesn't really pertain to me. Why all the fuss about doing this the Japanese way. Seems a little bit haughty-taughty to have stands and companions and perfect moss. Well, I'll help but it's not for me, I like my trees the way they are. She goes on to say, If you look at a show for its bottom line purpose, it's just a means to an end. Perhaps your perspective is you have been growing trees for X amount of years and now you want to share one of your trees to show it off. But even beyond that, how about inspiring others with species ideas or a new found love for growing bonsai because of the beauty of your trees? Or further, what if it inspires you to improve your tree(s) or collection because you were inspired by someone else's tree or ideas about your tree? Here is how I see bonsai shows: As a format to inspire ideas to others, to share those ideas and improve your trees and art form year after year. Just like all things in life, if you stop learning you stop growing and even old dogs can learn new tricks if we're open minded! So why not make Todd assists Sylvia set up the presentation it a goal to have at least one show ready tree? Why not learn the aesthetics of putting on a good semi formal show inspired by Japanese culture? Why not have an artistic venue for display that creates that peaceful feeling that we all enjoy when working on our trees? I've been in bonsai for 20 years now and if I still did trees they way I did them when I started, I wouldn't have much of a collection or many live trees. We all start via trial and error but we don't have to perpetuate that kind of bonsai care. Here is what I think of when putting on a show: Trees are set up in a show to create a feeling and inspire others. Judging trees is not meant to inspire competition but to improve our eyes to see structure and not just silhouette or flowers. In turn this helps us choose better trees when we buy or collect them. This also requires us to learn more about our tree species so that we are able to achieve better taper and development. In turn this inspires us to learn more about development techniques and then by default our new found knowledge helps our trees look better. Then suddenly we ALL

6 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 own at least one show ready tree. Now imagine your collection just after 5 years of that kind of thinking and learning.all inspired by putting on a bonsai show! Food for thought. Speaking of food, the board members came together and treated us to an abundant spread of coffee, tea, and all kinds of goodies. Thanks to everyone who pitched in and help bring us our annual holiday cheer. We all left with a satisfied sweet tooth, a better appreciation for bonsai shows, and an eagerness to come together to create a great one. L to R Howard, Diane, Kyle, John, and Jerry share a little holiday cheer And now we have the date: March 14 th and 15 th. Mark your calendars, spread the word, and think about how you will participate. Photos Courtesy of Lance Williamson Tip of the Month Securing a Tree in a Grow Pot Terracotta pots are a great choice for a grow pot. It is much better than plastic or mica because it naturally allows the passage of air so that moisture can penetrate and evaporate. However most only come with a single hole at the bottom so it can be difficult to secure a tree properly. A masonry drill bit may allow you to create extra holes without it breaking, but another way is to use a dead-man. Copper wire is your best choice as it is strong without being too thick. Form a similar shape to the picture then secure multiple #2 aluminum wire to it to tie your tree in securely.

7 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 Club Dig January 24th How to Dig / Keeping it Alive In last month s newsletter you can read all about the tools and supplies to bring on a dig. This month we will review the best way to dig a tree as well as the aftercare to give it the best chance to survive. One of the best ways to begin is to pair up with a fellow club member and help each other. Teamwork makes it easier for both of you. We start by looking patiently for just the right tree. As our friend John Miller always tells us, try to only look at the bottom six inches of the tree as you consider if it will make a good bonsai. For the most part, the rest will go away and be replaced with new branches as you develop it. Resist the urge to rush to dig early and dig often. That will result in a lot of work and very little to show for your effort in the coming years. Perhaps as you look you may find one of interest. Look down below the soil line and evaluate the root flare. Does it still hold your interest? Tag it and keep looking until you have several to consider and pick from. It is better to go home with one good tree (or none at all) than several mediocre options dug hastily. While you search for your tree, also look at the ground for nice companion plants. This is the perfect time to collect them, especially with our show coming up in March. Digging Once you have decided on your tree, start by clearing the area around the root base as well as your work area. You will be bringing a lot of soil up and out of the ground so you need plenty of room. Prune back the long branches to get the tree into a manageable size and loosely secure remaining branches to protect them. Visualize it as a balled and burlaped tree you would find at a nursery as that is the end goal. The most important thing is to get it dug and secured for transport without breaking the root ball. This will ensure the greatest chance of its survival. Determine the radius of the root ball and begin to dig straight down and outward, never getting any closer to the trunk from that radius line as you dig. Keep going down and create a wide trench all the way around. It needs to be wide so that when you reach the right depth, you have enough room to begin to excavate under the root ball. During the time you are digging down never dig toward the trunk or in any way try to lift the root ball. This will cause the root ball to fall apart and you might as well fill the hole and start somewhere else. Once you have it at the right depth, turn your shovel backwards and begin to round out the base of your ball toward the trunk. Work all the way around until you have the shape of a ball, never trying to lift the tree. At a certain point you will want to shift to hand tools to figure out what stands in your way of freeing the ball. It most likely will be a large root or two in which case you will reach for your loppers or hand saw to make the cut. But first, secure the ball with cellophane wrap or duct tape to hold it together. Have burlap, tarp, or a strong plastic bag handy to use as a sling to roll the root ball onto to get at the root still holding it to the ground. Once severed, roll it back further, wrap more tape around it to incorporate the bottom of the ball, then spread the burlap fully underneath and lay back into

8 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 8 the hole. This will allow you and a buddy to grab each end of the burlap and lift the root ball out of the hole. Now that you have it up and out of the ground secure the root ball for transport by wrapping it as tightly as possible so it does not break apart. Twine over the burlap is the way the pros do it. Backfill the hole with all the loosened soil and tamp down to restore the area close to its original condition. We want to make sure we don t create a hazard for something or someone who comes walking along after we are gone. After Care / Keeping it Alive Once home it is important to get your new tree settled into a container or box and surrounding it with good bonsai soil. Be sure the container has good drainage holes. Line the bottom with several inches of bonsai soil and lay the root ball inside to be sure it is deep enough for the root ball. Unwrap and expose the root ball. If any of the exposed roots have jagged cuts from your shovel or mattock, a clean sharp cut with a bonsai tool would be good. Any exposed roots need to get settled into soil and insulated from the cold. Fill in around the root ball well, tamping down gently as you fill. Be sure that plenty of branches have been cut back to off-set the loss of roots. Think in terms of balance; you removed a lot of roots when you dug the tree, so be sure to remove the above ground growth with equal proportion so the remaining roots can sustain the tree s future growth. If necessary secure the tree with guy wires to keep it from moving. Once planted find a shady spot near ground level, preferably out of the wind, and water well. Be sure the pot is elevated sufficiently to allow for drainage. After that, keep it watered but leave it alone and let the tree recover throughout the next growing season, only moving it in the spring to a suitable location into appropriate light for that species. In the following year s repotting season you can begin to work the root ball down in size and incorporate good bonsai soil; half in the first year and the other half in the second year. Patience is a virtue to ensure its long term success! Diagrams and content provided by Mark Bynum LSBF Updates For the first time, states outside of the LSBF have joined our federation. Lake Charles and Baton Rouge Bonsai Societies are now members of the LSBF. Owen Reich will be our traveling artist in Exact dates should be available in the next 1-2 months. LSBF is moving forward to have a symposium in the fall of 2015 in Houston, since this is now the new approximate geographic center of the LSBF. We will have one special headliner giving lectures and demos on the topics of bunjin and bonsai display.

9 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 9 January s To-Do List This is a simple monthly checklist for those enthusiasts who have the knowledge and skill required to perform the tasks listed. It is intended to tell you what to do, not how and why to do it. Want to know more? Send in any questions you might have or come to any monthly program to discuss further. All Species Water as needed and keep from freezing Deciduous Only repot trees whose leaf buds are beginning to swell; protect from freezing thereafter Light pruning can be done now (use sealant); delay heavy pruning until spring Link of the Month Jonas Dupuich is a Northern California bonsai enthusiast. He studies and writes about bonsai with guidance from Boon Manakitivipart, and is a founding member of Bay Island Bonsai. His blog called Bonsai Tonight is an alternative to mainstream bonsai media and he typically posts twice a week with interesting information. Check out his recent post on pests which John Miller cites in his article above. Evergreen/Conifer Repotting can begin now, but protect from freezing thereafter Delay fertilization until 4 6 weeks after repotting Flowering/Fruit Repotting can be done now while trees are still slightly dormant; avoid if currently in flower Trimming should be done after flowering (use sealant); buds can be sacrificed every other year to achieve better ramification Tropical Winter precautions still in effect no repotting Boost humidity if kept indoors Facebook Could it be aphids???? Are you a Facebook user? Our club has a Facebook page. Let s get active and let more people know about our great organization. Beginner s Bulletin Board There are no dumb questions when you are a beginner at any new endeavor. However sometimes beginners are reluctant to ask a question in a monthly meeting. Got a question? Send it to Diane at diane_lowe@live.com for an individual response. Your question may also appear anonymously here in a future issue so that others can learn. Question: What is raffia and when do I need to use it? Answer: Raffia is a grass-like plant material commonly found in most craft and garden centers. It is often used in bonsai to assist with the bending of large branches. It is wrapped tightly around the branch before the wire is applied and it helps to minimize the possibility of breaking the branch. It also helps to prevent the tearing of the bark tissue during the bending process. The raffia is typically soaked in water for about 30 minutes to soften it. This creates some elasticity to the raffia. Several strands are then grouped together and carefully wound tightly in a single flat layer around the length of the branch. As the raffia dries, it will also shrink and tighten slightly, giving the branch more support. Wire is then applied, typically multiple lengths, to ensure a strong bend is possible. The dampness of the raffia also helps to heal any small fissures created in the bark as a result of a drastic bend.

10 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 10 Howard and Sylvia Smith Cultivators of fine trees Collection maintenance Tel# (972) Private instruction Fax# (972) Classes, lectures & demos

11 BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 11 Bonsai Society of Dallas Membership Form Please mail to: Bonsai Society of Dallas P.O. Box Richardson, TX Or bring to any club meeting Bonsai Society of Dallas meets on the first (1 st ) Saturday of each month. Time: 9:00 AM Place: North Haven Garden Center 7700 Northaven Road Dallas, TX Name(s): Address: City: State: Zip: Telephone: Date: New Membership Individual Membership: $25.00 Renewal Membership Joint Membership: $30.00 For the convenience of our membership a roster is published for members only in March of each year. Please check the appropriate box if you do not wish to be included Include me in the membership roster Exclude me from the membership roster Do Not Cut: For Treasurer Use Member Receipt Name: Membership Year Amount Paid: Date: Received By: