Sam Tan – Native Juniper Styling
July 19 @ 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Sam is the previous president of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco. He is a passionate enthusiast who enjoys creating bonsai from native North American species.
Sam studied bonsai under Ryan Neil at Bonsai Mirai in 2019. He exhibited multiple trees at the 2022 Pacific Bonsai Expo and you can see him again as one of the presenters at the October 2024 Pacific Expo in Oakland.
He regularly posts his work on Instagram @samtanbonsai.
Monthly Tasks
Each month there are a number of tasks you need to do to your bonsai – from repotting, to fertilizing to spraying for pests. We have put together a checklist, customized for the San Francisco Bay Area to help you. This checklist is adapted from earlier work by Mitsuo Umehara.
This month: July Tasks
Intermediate Workshop – Saturday, July 27
There are several tree species you might work on in July. For example, you might clean up, pinch and wire junipers. You might also remove excess growth on maples and other deciduous trees. And now is the time to remove unneeded pine buds and cut back.
Location, Time and Cost
We will be meeting in the rear parking lot of St Mark’s Episcopal Church – our usual location for monthly meetings.
Please be there at 12:45PM ready to setup tables and get to work soon afterwards. We will start cleaning up at 3:45PM.
To help offset the cost of renting this facility we are asking everyone who attends to donate by using the on the event page.
Jun 21 Meeting – Gordon Deeg – Coast Redwoods
Gordon was in fine form as he led us through various attributes of redwoods and opportunities they present to develop as bonsais. He covered quite a bit of territory, as he talked about his main sample tree and then considered the trees of members. He is a careful and direct when he provides information and recommendations. He is both honest and kind.
The redwood is a tall skinny tree. Heavy woody branches are not attractive or natural, so they must be kept in check. Usually there is just one top, though there are exceptions. The trees are not perfectly vertical. A redwood will grow more on the leaning side to balance the tree out. They will do anything to remain vertical. They should not be styled like junipers.
About Gordan’s Demonstration Tree
- A bonsai tree will always look better with nebari/ root flare showing.
- Don’t be afraid to cut down the top; it will regrow a shorter top.
- Does not need wiring, better to directionally prune.
- Time was allowed for us to examine the demo tree before Gordon began trimming.
- Gordon proceeded to cut off all the long branches and the larger and thicker.
- Water and mist are important since they live off fog. They grow like weeds.
- Don’t burn the hollow; use Minwax ebony stain instead.
Gordon waxed eloquent about how Yasuo Mitsuya would secure the bonsai and then sit back and rotate it 360° very slowly but surely to make certain it was absolutely perfectly straight. Gordon then said that Mitsuya would move his chair farther away and do the same thing—he didn’t want to leave any room for error in any aspect of the tree’s verticality.
“I do recall that Gordon seems to really enjoy recounting this memory. And I will do it from now on to large degree so I don’t get caught slanting a tree to 5°-10° off the vertical like I did with that redwood.” –Christine Weigen
Member Trees brought to Gordon for comment and advice
Several members brought in redwoods that Gordon commented on.
Christine’s tree was recently repotted into this beautiful pot she purchased from the Plantings garden and has been saving for a redwood. Gordon explained how the shape needs to be narrower and then demonstrated trimming the top to select a new leader. When you have too many things coming from the same spot the problem is finding a new leader. He cut out thick branches at the apex and kept one small branch pointing in anice direction..
Jenn’s redwoods are intended for shohin but she had allowed many long, gangly branches on both trees. Gordon cut long branches way back to force budback and to allow development of a new leader and branches.
Idris brought a triple trunk redwood. Gordon said it needs some trimming back to vary the heights of the three trunks.
Hal’s redwood was carved and stained with Minwax to simulate burnt wood. Gordon appreciated the treatment and how he made the top look natural. Hal said “It is what it is” and noted two branches coming from the same spot. Gordon observed that all the branches are heavy and everything needs thinning out. He recommended letting new growth replace these branches and bring the canopy into proportion.
Highlights from the New Members Garden Tour
Many new Kusamura members were excited to visit Michael Greenstein’s garden and get an up-close look at a mature bonsai collection. Chilled drinks and refreshments were greatly appreciated in the Fourth of July week heatwave and provided first hand experience with the effectiveness of shadecloth.
The afternoon started with a “bonsai 101” tour of containers, the basic tools and supplies that you need to start off and the more specialized (and expensive) tools needed as you progress in your practice.
We then took a tour of the collection where Michael explained the different stages of development and special care needs of each species.
At the end of the day attendees were able to take home their own prebonsai generously gathered and donated by Michael, and were able to choose between deodar cedar seedlings, Chinese elm root cuttings, cork bark jade cuttings, and sweetgum seedling forests.
It was an excellent learning opportunity and even better way to get to know fellow club members and make valuable connections. We hope to continue offering this kind of event in the years ahead and make sure our newest members are set up for success.
New Officers Installed
Recommended Videos – Exhibitions
If you are stoked to work on a redwood after Gordon Deeg’s presentation at our meeting in June, then these videos and blogs are for you. We are fortunate to live in Coastal Redwood Country where they can be collected practically (sometimes actually) in our backyards. The rest of the bonsai world is envious. Unfortunately, because they are native only to our locale, few bonsai artists outside of our region have worked on them, much less made videos or blogs on how to care for or style these great trees. Fortunately Eric Schrader from San Francisco and Jonas Dupich from the East Bay have come through for us yet once again. Eric has produced a series of videos on redwoods and Jonas has several blogs on redwoods. Here they are.
Repotting a Collected Coastal Redwood Bonsai
Eric Schrader | Bonsaify
12 minutes 27 seconds | January 22, 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5a_kgPckGU
Let’s begin at the beginning with rootwork and repotting of a newly collected redwood. This video shows all the fine details
Coastal Redwood Bonsai—First Styling
Eric Schrader | Bonsaify
4 minutes 42 seconds | June 26, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU2E3GPk9g8
Crucial steps taken here in the first styling
This IS the KEY to Redwood Bonsai!
Eric Schrader | Bonsaify
8 minutes 37 seconds | April 2, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlx876TePSM
Everyone talks about the importance of pinching redwood foliage. Here Eric demonstrates the technique
Jay’s Towering Redwood Bonsai
Eric Schrader | Bonsaify
12 minutes 43 seconds | May 16, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNxPYumdguc
Special treat here as Eric helps the seasoned expert Jay McDonald with his tall classic formal upright redwood bonsai, overgrown, needing cutback, and full wiring.
Creating Redwood Bonsai Steps 1 and 2
Jonas Dupuich | Bonsai Tonight
April 29, 2022 and August 5, 2022
https://bonsaitonight.com/2022/04/29/creating-redwood-bonsai-step-1/
https://bonsaitonight.com/2022/08/05/creating-redwood-bonsai-step-2/
Jonas keeps it straightforward and deceptively simple.
Creating Redwood Bonsai Steps 1 and 2
Jonas Dupuich | Bonsai Tonight
Jul 14, 2023
https://bonsaitonight.com/2023/07/14/coast-redwood-development-update/
Progress!