BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 Bonsai Society of Dallas Monthly Member Newsletter April 2014 Message from the President In This Issue Message from the President April Program Upcoming Events Club Dig in Review April Bonsai Tips and Advice LSBF Convention Update March Program in Review April s To-Do List Link of the Month Beginner s Bulletin Board Board of Directors Sylvia Smith, President slysmith@tx.rr.com Paul Muraida, Vice President, Program Chair anast1925@aol.com Diane Lowe, Secretary diane_lowe@live.com Jerry Riley, Treasurer and Membership Chair jafa625@gmail.com John Miller, President Emeritus bonsaimiller@aol.com Les Porter, Newsletter Editor lesliep@baylorhealth.edu Mary Polk, Member at Large doggiedigs2@att.net Howard Smith, LSBF Delegate bonsaismiths@tx.rr.com April can be a busy time for all of us. April showers remind us to watch out for fungal infections! We got hit pretty hard last month because of the hot/cold and the greenhouse staying too humid at times because if it. Now that the repotting frenzy has ended there is still plenty to do in our bonsai world. Some of you who picked up a few tips from the last meeting on how to set up benches and good placement of bonsai in your backyard may be busy getting it updated. Others might be adding just a few Japanese touches to your garden. Maybe you are cleaning benches or preparing a growing bed in anticipation of Part 2 of John Kirby s Field Growing Pre-Bonsai program this month. Howard and I will be preparing for the upcoming Houston Convention as we will be vendors there. And speaking of conventions, hope you all registered to go. If you're still on the fence, remember that you can always come out and do a one day registration. This will save you some money if you're on a budget. You can find a bonsai friend to share the drive and a room. Or if you registered early, you can cross your fingers and hope you win the raffle for a full refund of your registration cost! (Basic full registration, workshops and extras not included). The lucky winner will be picked at this month's meeting. The Board met last month and finalized the 2014 schedule of programs for our monthly meetings. Please give us your feedback and ideas throughout the year. Remember that we are here to help educate and enhance your bonsai experience so please let us know how we can help. At this meeting John Miller also announced he would assume the role of LSBF Alternate until a replacement is found. I need not tell you that John has been an integral part of the growth and expansion of Texas bonsai and continues to do so with his wonderful tips, articles, advice and heartwarming personality. I want to personally thank him for his MANY years as our LSBF Delegate. We are looking for someone to serve in that role so please let me or any board member know if you would like information on this post. We need a volunteer for this Board appointed position. And thanks to Howard Smith for agreeing to take over as our LSBF Delegate. We have also added a new section to this newsletter, especially for beginners. If you are new to bonsai we want you to feel free to ask any questions as that is the best way to learn. However some may be reluctant to speak up at meetings, so we created a way to ask a question and get a personal response. We ll post a question and answer each month so others can learn. Check it out on page 10! Hope to see many of you at the April meeting and the Convention! Sylvia Parking at North Haven Gardens This is the busiest time of year at North Haven Gardens so please be sure to park either in the Jewish Community Center parking lot next door or in the lot on the far right. The folks at NHG let us use their room each month at no charge, so thank them by shopping a bit too while you are there. Thanks!
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April Program Field Growing Pre-Bonsai Part 2 John Kirby Guest Artist 9:00 AM to Noon, April 5 th North Haven Gardens John Kirby is owner and operator of Von's Gardens, named after his wife Yvonne who is a professional landscape architect. John was first introduced to bonsai as a boy by his father who owned Sumigawa's nursery in Catati, CA. He was introduced to bonsai in the late 60's and continued doing bonsai in the 70's. Education and career soon came into play. Better known in other circles as Dr. John Kirby, he is an accomplished scientist and is currently the Dean of the University of Rhode Island's College of the Environment and Life Sciences. He returned to bonsai in the early 90's and self taught with books and by attending conventions. In the late 90's he became a bonsai retailer and a few years later began studying with Boon Manakitipart (also referred to as the Teacher's Teacher). Since then he has perfected his skills at cultivating excellent bonsai specimens. Last year at this time we invited John to Dallas to give us a lecture and hands on workshop on pre-bonsai development with seedlings as material. Many of you worked diligently putting good bends on your little trees and took them home to grow and thicken up a bit. By now, your wire should have come off and your trees should be ready for step 2. Please bring your trees back to this meeting so that you can learn what steps come next. For those of you whose trees had an unexpected demise, or if you are new to the club since then, we have some extra trees that have been cared for by Greg Brewer and the BonsaiSmiths. Those will be available for purchase at $10 each. Don't forget to bring your tools, maybe some wire, and a note pad to take notes. We will meet at our usual room so come prepared to learn hands on and have a fun time with us as we welcome back our friend John. Upcoming Events Saturday, April 5 th, 9 - Noon Field Growing Pre-Bonsai, Part 2 with John Kirby Saturday, May 3 rd, 9 - Noon Tool Sharpening Workshop Saturday, June 7 th, 9 Noon Study Group Bonsai Smiths Saturday, July 5 th, 9 Noon Member Tree Advice / Three Stoogies Events Elsewhere April 10 th 13 th LSBF State Convention Houston, TX April 25 th 27 th Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies Spring Festival Hanover, NJ May 2 nd 4 th Potomac Bonsai Association Spring Festival National Arboretum - Washington, D.C. June 7 th Shohin Society of Texas Austin, TX May 22 nd 26 th Bonsai Societies of Florida Convention Orlando, FL August 15 th 17 th 37 th Annual Mid-America Bonsai Exhibit Chicago, IL September 20 th Shohin Society of Texas Austin, TX September 26 th - 28 th, 2015 Artisans Cup of Portland Portland, Oregon
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 Bonus Club Dig 2014 Desoto, TX As you might recall from a recent email, we had an extra, unplanned dig this month thanks to Ray Hernandez. He made arrangements for us to dig along a creek bed in the back of a nearby church just south of Dallas. We had short notice but many came out to take advantage of the different dig conditions than we are typically used to on other club digs. It was down a ravine along the creek, which made for softer ground which meant easier digging, but a little extra effort to get them up to the parking lot. As usual, everyone pitched in and helped. The trees were varied as well. They have adapted to nature s inevitable force of water during heavy rains and less light due to the terrain. That made for some interesting gnarled trunks; perfect for future bonsai. The trees that were collected include Red Cedar, Cedar Elm, and Dogwood; all Texas natives that will evolve into beautiful bonsai. Thanks again to Ray for finding the spot and making the arrangements. Anyone else out there working to find future dig sites? Be sure to keep an eye out and ask friends, family, and acquaintances if they know of someone with land. Spring is a good time of year to walk the land and determine if it could be a good site for future digs. Upper Left: Greg Brewer and Phil Lozano after loading a tree Photos courtesy of Lance Williamson
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 April Bonsai Tips and Advice By John Miller Although the average last freeze in Dallas-Ft Worth is in the last part of March, you should remember that it is an average--half the time it will occur later. And a frost can occur at temperatures well above 32, especially on a calm clear pre-dawn. A light cover will usually protect from frost. Repotting of deciduous trees should be pretty much over. Some slower species like oaks may be slow in coming out and could be repotted. Broad leaved evergreens, such as the hollies, usually start growth a little later and may still be repotted when their buds swell. Conifers and other evergreens should be in active growth and therefore not repotted. Newly repotted trees should not be wired until they show they have recovered. Any trees that have wire on them should be watched very closely during the spring flush of growth. Branches and twigs can expand pretty rapidly and result in the wire cutting into the branch. Watch especially the junction of the branch with the trunk or a larger branch. Remove the wire if it is cutting into the branch and rewire if needed. General care for all species is pretty much the same at this time. Feed, prune, and look out for insects and other pathogens. What kind of fertilizer you use is not as important as that you use it right. Plants would like a small amount of nourishment to be available all the time. For bonsai, the best way to supply it is by using organic fertilizer cakes on the surface. They release nutrients each time you water and are held by the particles such as pumice to be used all day. Water soluble fertilizers are fairly good but the next watering will wash the remaining nutrients out. You would have to water with it daily using a very dilute solution. Some organic fertilizers like bat guano or chicken manure release too many nutrients at once (are too hot). Many lawn and garden fertilizers are the same. Whichever you use be sure to follow directions. Feeding needs to be done judicially. A lot of nitrogen will push the new flush of growth too much but with no fertilizer you will get foliage with poor color that lasts all year. The organic fertilizer balls are the best solution. You can add a few at the start and increase them as the foliage matures. If you use chemicals be sure to follow directions and use them lightly at first. Also be sure to get a brand with the minor elements listed. Commercial water soluble fertilizers wash out with the next watering and result in poorly fed pale bonsai. Most trees will do well in full sun at this time of year. However, if you have had them in partial shade be careful about giving them full sun. They probably should be acclimated gradually. Whether you use the organic or chemical spray, the trick is to be sure to thoroughly cover the plant including all the leaf axils. Use a hand or pump up sprayer to get a fine mist spray to cover all surfaces, a hose end sprayer does not cover well enough. Fungal diseases develop during warm humid weather. Too much foliage misting can do it also if the leaves stay damp very long. One of the most prevalent fungus is leaf spot which will hit several kinds of plants especially elms, hollies, and roses. Control consists of spraying with baking soda. A 1% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide can be used except on very young foliage which may be sensitive to it. Remember when pruning that there is no one-size-fits-all, even on the same species. First of all, formation pruning is when you are doing the initial styling of the tree. In most cases you are trying to grow new branches requiring you to have the branches grow long. After the tree has been styled, you then need to do ramification pruning to develop twiginess and a patina of old age. To properly prune you need to know how they grow and to remember that new twigs, even in the far future, break from the internodes, so work to keep them short. How do you keep internodes short? On elms and other trees with leaves appearing alternately down the shoot, the first leaves are smaller and internodes short. As the shoot grows, leaves get larger and the internodes get wider. For development you can let these branches grow long to thicken and then cut back, leaving a few short internodes to sprout future branches, and regrow. For ramification let grow to 4-5 leaves and trim the last two. Repeat on the new twigs. On maples and others with leaves coming in pairs on opposite sides of the twig, the bud sends out a stalk with two leaves on the end. The length of this stalk will be the first internode. As the leaves open a new growing tip emerges and this process continues. As the new tip elongates the first stalk keeps elongating also until the third new tip breaks. This creates long internodes on the developing branch. If the second tip is removed as soon as it emerges the first stalk stops growing and two new twigs will develop from the first set of leaves. Continued on next page
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 April Bonsai (Con d) For formation pruning on opposite leaved species, you must work to get short internodes near the trunk then later let the branch grow for thickening. After the first set of leaves emerges, pinch the tip of the next set of leaves before they actually become leaves. Pointed tweezers are the best tool for this job as you want to get the growth when it just starts to emerge. Use this same technique through three sets of leaves, after which you can let the newly created branches grow to thicken. Each pinch results in two new leaf sets, creating shorter nodes to generate future branches. When the desired primary and secondary branches have been grown, the ramification is achieved by pinching the tip from each set of leaves as it grows thereby doubling the number of twigs each time. This can be a big job on a large maple, but is necessary to get the desired result. Be sure to check your soils each day for proper water content. It is easy to assume that the soil has plenty of water when the days are cool or there has been some rain. It s too easy for a tree with full leaves to shed water outside of the pot or a good sun and low humidity after a front to dry the soil. I suggest that you remove most of the moss so that you can see and feel the soil in order to determine how dry it is. (Moss growing on the trunk or roots will cause the bark to rot also.) An automatic watering system will be an aid but you should not rely on it to replace hand watering. Hand watering allows you to adjust the watering for each tree individually. Tool Sharpening Workshop Shopping List We are already looking forward to our May program, which is a workshop offered at no charge to members. A club member took the tool sharpening workshop at the last LSBF convention and liked it so much that he suggested we bring it to Dallas. Thanks Bill, we love program suggestions from members! Keeping your tools sharpened and in good repair not only prolongs their usefulness, but is better for your trees. It speeds in the healing of a cut and minimizes scaring. You wouldn t want your surgeon using a dull scalpel would you? The same principle applies to your trees. In order to get ready to participate, there are some supplies/tools you might want to bring/purchase. Here is a suggested list: Wet Stones These are commonly found in woodworking shops like Woodcraft or Rockler (both have stores in DFW area) or online through multiple sites. They come in various grits, reflecting the degree of coarseness or abrasion. It is recommended to have a Course (600 900 grit) and a Fine (1200 1600 grit). If you are sharpening a grafting knife, a Very Fine (6000 grit) is recommended. A less expensive alternative is to glue various grits of sandpaper onto a stationary board. Distilled Water It is important to soak the wet stone in distilled water at least 24 hours before using. Distilled water is important so that no impurities seep into the stones. Putting some distilled water in a sprayer bottle and bringing that to the workshop would also be helpful. Rotary Tool A Dremel (or similar tool) would be helpful to have, although not required for the workshop. Safety glasses are also recommended if using any power tool. The following bits would also be helpful: o Flat grinding stone #85422 o Cone shaped grinding stone #83142 o Rubber polishing point #462 Magnifying Glass or Loop Helpful to assist in checking the edge Ball Peen Hammer A small one, if you have it, for correcting tool wobble or sticking Anvil - A small anvil if you have one. There will be a couple available if you don t have one. Bring your tools and be sure to join us for the May program - either to participate or just watch!
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 March Program in Review Backyard Bonsai /Japanese Landscaping Our March program was a great chance to look at pictures and discuss several members backyards. We also got to see pictures of some of the much more famous backyards among Japanese bonsai professionals. Sylvia Smith assembled the photographs and led the discussion which was informal, interactive, and fun. Thanks to clubs members Jerry Riley, Chuck Talley, and Alvaro and Jen Arciniegas for sharing pictures of their back yards. It is great to share ideas among club members. She then took us on a journey she and Howard made, along with their teacher Boon, to Japan to see some of the beautiful backyard gardens we have all heard about. Some of the items discussed included placement of the trees away from walls to maximize sun exposure and proper air flow, anchoring of the trees for the inevitable windy days, and the use of turntables to make rotation easier. Some of the gardens even featured formal areas for frequently changing displays. One of the most famous was at the nursery of Mr. Kimura. Sylvia received a few questions about her own backyard setup but she had not included pictures of their backyard. So as promised, here are pictures of the large bonsai table that she and Howard had made for their backyard. The table was fashioned after Mr. Takeyama's 20ft concrete humidity tray. This one is constructed with pressure treated wood and is 4"deep. It is filled with small lava which keeps the temperature 8-10 degrees below ambient temperature. The pot temperatures are up to 30 degrees cooler than those on concrete or wood podiums. The shade cover is made of expanded metal that has been customized to the width of the bonsai table. Note the other elements that were discussed at the meeting: turn tables under each bonsai, pottery set under the benches to encourage aging, summer shading and a nearby bench to contemplate your trees. Thanks Sylvia!
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 March Program in Review How High and How Fast? By Mary Polk The March meeting was not very long as we adjourned by 10:30! POOF and it was over. However, it was very interesting because our leader Sylvia had put together a great presentation showing members bonsai landscapes with ideas for benches, etc. Plus, those of you who missed the meeting missed seeing Jerry s delightful yard and Alvaro s bonsai garden he is working on. Shame on you for not coming but we will not hold that against you we hope to see you at the April meeting. And yes, Sylvia also had a presentation of beautiful landscapes in Japan the Smiths have encountered on their travels. We also spotted that nice fellow, George Straw in a couple of the travel photos. We even had coffee AND donuts that we would have had during our holiday party last December had it not been cancelled due to weather. The coffee and donuts still TASTED good (just kidding, I think they were fresh!) Thank you, Sylvia, for the treats and the presentation. You are the best. Also, if you missed the meeting, you missed the chance for some donated bonsai pots! As the meeting was breaking up, Sylvia suddenly announced the free pots were under a table and on that note our friend Ravi literally LEAPED straight up and over chairs as well as people to snaffoo an extra nice prize of a pot. Lucky Ravi! That happened so fast, I never even saw the pots that were graciously donated but I sure was tempted to assume possession of Ravi s prize when he loosened his grip on it and left it sitting beside the donut boxes er, I mean I was concerned Ravi might walk out and forget to take it home uh, so, I hovered nearby while munching the last donut (and I usually don t eat donuts) just in case he forgot about his prize or decided to relinquish it (and, I was not the ONLY one realizing the lovely container was just sort of sitting there there were other eyes following the whereabouts of the bonsai pot and then at Ravi and then back to the bonsai pot (YOU know who you are) ummm, but, alas, Ravi snatched up his bonsai pot again and rapidly left with it before he lost it! Humph well, at least the chocolate donut was a good snatch a person needs to eat a donut now and then. Sylvia made me eat it she said she did not want to take any donuts home. I always TRY (like everyone should) to pitch in and help, right? Oh, the answer is: Ravi can leap about 6 straight UP and fly over about 5 people horizontally and then DIVE below a table within no more than a blink of an eye... VERY HIGH and VERY FAST! Tip of the Month Thread Graft When to Separate Have you ever wanted a branch on your tree where there isn t one? A thread graft might be the answer. A hole is drilled through the center of the trunk and a branch from elsewhere on the tree is threaded through the hole and secured. As the wound heals over at least one growing season, it absorbs the tissue of the threaded branch at both the entry and exit of the graft. How do you know when it is time to cut away the branch at its entry? New Branch Original branch The safest way is to wait until the new branch is thicker. That tells you that it is no longer just growing from the original branch but it is also drawing energy from the tissue within the trunk. Be patient. Cutting it too soon will result in a dead branch. This one still needs a little more time, just to be sure.
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 8 2014 LSBF Convention East Meets West April 10 th 13th Convention Information and Registration Forms at www.houstonbonsai.com CONVENTION TIME IS NEAR!!! As you read this article, there are only a few days left before the start of the 2014 LSBF Convention. Let me give you some convention updates and mention a few events that you will want to attend. Thursday Evening Early Bird Reception. Come early and visit with friends, vendors and watch the Emerging Talent Competition. All food and drinks will be provided free. We hope vendors will be move-in and open by 6:00 PM. Make some early buys. Azalea workshop participants will want to make early selections of their azaleas for the workshop. You will also want to drop in and support the representatives from various LSBF Clubs as they work on trees in the Emerging Talent Competition. Workshops. Some workshops are nearly full. The Azalea workshop is full as of two weeks ago and a waiting list started. There are still spaces in some workshops. Do not forget the bring-your-own-tree workshops. These are excellent opportunities to get some expert input from the artists on trees already in your collection. More Raffle Item Donations. As you know, the raffles are the major fund raising events at conventions. Raffles are also the major way that LSBF raises money for its functions in the state. Five raffles are planned. Our Raffle Chair, Terry Dubois, says that we need more donations of raffle items. He will accept almost anything bonsai related items like pots, books, magazines, turntables, tools, tool bags, and tree/plants are great. (Lots of trees and plants!) We will raffle just about anything you will donate. Asian decoration, non-plant related book, alarm clocks, cars, boats, well..you get the idea. If you can, let Terry know in advance what you plan to bring. This way he will be able to better organize the various raffles. Tdubois1@comcast.net or 281-797- 0924. exhibit. Please make sure all material has a discreet label with your name. Send the completed Exhibit Display Form in the Registration Packet, in advance, to the Exhibit Chair Alan Raymond, amraymond@suddenlink.net or 832-866-9546. All items for the Exhibit should arrive at the Convention on Thursday evening, April 10 th by 7:00 PM. Exhibit Critiques by Featured Artist. All three featured artists will each conduct a critique of the entire exhibit. Convention attendee will follow each artist as he moves throughout the exhibit pointing out the good, the bad, and the ugly of materials on display. These are outstanding learning opportunities that will help improve our collections. Look at the program Schedule of Events and plan on participating in the Artists critiques. Saturday Night Auction. The auction following our Saturday evening dinner is a special fund event. Bonsai trees (in bonsai pots) and other related items worth at least $100 will be available for bidding. The Auction will be conducted by two professionals and experienced auctioneers, Vincent Montalbano and Howard Smith, VP of LSBF. Are you ready for the fun and entertainment? This is an excellent way to support LSBF and to sell some of your bonsai trees (and related items) that you are ready to pass alone to someone else. The proceeds from each auction item will be split 80% to the item owner and 20% to LSBF Convention. So, look in your bonsai collection, select some items that you are ready to sell, bring them to the convention, and put them up for auction. Registration of auction items will be take place on Saturday morning and be on display/inspection Saturday afternoon up to auction time Saturday evening. For addition information and questions contact the Convention Chair, Donald Green at donald.green12@att.net or 713-771-1442. The Convention Planning Committee looks forward to welcoming you to the 2014 LSBF/HBS convention in Houston. You will enjoy staying in and meeting at the recently renovated Marriott Westchase Hotel. The Convention Exhibit. The convention will feature an outstanding exhibit of bonsai. Please plan on bringing one or more of your bonsai, Suiseki and/or Shohin for display in the Exhibit. There will be an area See you in April! designated for the Shohin Society of Texas. You may also bring your own bonsai stands, accent plants or scrolls to show your items, or to loan for use by the
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 9 April 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 Fertilize 4 6 weeks after repotting Watch and treat for pests Apply wire (if not recently repotted) Remove wire if cutting into branches Link of the Month Do you know Andy Rutledge and the beautiful bonsai work he has done? He is local to our area and a former club member whose busy lifestyle keeps him from joining our meetings. However he his an excellent writer with thought provoking views to share on the various topics of bonsai. He also collaborates with others around the world and shares some beautiful photos that might inspire your future creations. Check it out. http://www.artofbonsai.org/index.php Deciduous Prune, wire, and style Evergreen/Conifer Prune, wire, and style Fertilize pines heavily Flowering/Fruit Prune sparingly so as not to reduce seasonal flowers Wire and style Tropical Move to spring/summer locations Replenish potting supplies for summer repotting Facebook Are you a Facebook user? Our club has a Facebook page and now so does our Lone Star Bonsai Federation organization. Please consider using them more often to post pictures, comments, and questions for our group. Let s get active and let more people know about our great organization. Beginner Bulletine Board 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 your questions 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: I really like the look of moss on the surface of my bonsai soil but it dies. How do I get it to grow there? Answer: If you think about the conditions in which typical moss thrives (damp, shady, somewhat cool environment) that is not the environment we have in Texas, unless perhaps if you have a greenhouse. It is also not the environment that most of our bonsai need to stay healthy. The health of our tree should be the top priority. We typically display bonsai in an exhibition with moss placed on the surface because it enhances the overall composition, however it is usually placed there a day before the show opens, and removed soon thereafter. Some of us who have a shady spot on the north side of our house have been able to keep some moss alive. We use it on our trees at certain times and return it to its favorite spot afterwards. I have also seen a variety of moss now being sold in a local nursery. Keep it happy in a moist shady spot and place it on your favorite trees at certain times for your enjoyment.
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 10 Learning Opportunities Bonsai Smiths Upcoming Classes January 25, 2014 - Japanese Black Pine Session I February 8, 2014 - Repotting and Root Refinement May 17, 2014 - Maple Tree Ramification and Refinement Session I 3 seats left June 28, 2014 - Japanese Black Pine Session II / Juniper Workshop 2 seats left July 12, 2014 - Maple Tree Ramification and Refinement Session II 5 seats left November 15, 2014 Japanese Black Pine Session III 4 seats left We also offer soil mixes. Our APL mix is now available! Soil Prices (tax not included) APL Mix - 5 gal. - $59, 1 gal. - $15 Akadama - $35 per 20 liter bag, Pumice - $4 per gal., Lava - $3 per gal. www.bonsaismiths.net
BSD NEWSLETTER PAGE 11 Howard and Sylvia Smith www.bonsaismiths.net Cultivators of fine trees bonsaismiths@earthlink.net Collection maintenance Tel# (972) 754-9883 Private instruction Fax# (972) 661-0694 Classes, lectures & demos www.timeless-trees.com www.bonsaismiths.net www.benttreebonsai.blogspot.com