Club News - November 2018
Meeting - November 16 @ 7PM
Jonas Dupuich - Choosing And Preparing Your Show Tree
When is the best time to choose and start preparing your bonsai for The Kusamura annual show? The answer is "sooner rather than later" which is why our November meeting will feature a presentation and critique by bonsai professional Jonas Dupuich on how to get your tree into shape for the show. Jonas will discuss how to evaluate the “show ability” of a tree you already own or are thinking of buying and the actions needed to ensure the tree is in peak condition by show time. After these general observations, Jonas will conduct critiques of the trees members are considering for the show. This is a great opportunity to get advice on your tree from one of our favorite presenters whose input comes from a deep knowledge of, and commitment to the art of bonsai. So look at your collection of trees and select one or more that might be candidates for display in our 68th annual show in April. If you are new to bonsai and haven't yet acquired a “show able” tree, this meeting will give you a head start on selecting that perfect tree when the time comes. NOTE: This presentation will be strictly about the tree you want to show. Our March meeting will focus on how to create the total display for the tree.
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: November Tasks
Club Potting Party on Saturday, December 9
Our first potting party for the 2019 show will be Sunday, December 9 from 10AM – 4PM at the home of Mark O’Brien, 661 Coleman Ave, Menlo Park. When arriving, Mark asks that you walk down the long 679 Coleman Ave driveway and go thru the gate on the left to enter his back yard. Heavy items can be driven to the gate and carted from there. We will work on material that can be repotted in the fall. That includes fruiting and flowering trees, junipers, pines if protected afterwards, and boxwood and olive if you live in the South Bay.
Club potting parties are held to work on trees that will be sold at our annual show in order to raise funds to support the clubs’ on-going monthly activities and pay for future show expenses. Each club member is kindly asked to donate trees or bonsai related items for sale at our 2019 annual show. First year members are asked to donate at least one tree while we ask longer-term members to donate three trees. By bringing trees you’ll donate to the potting party you can get assistance with styling as well as use club-provided pots, soil and wire.
If you are new to bonsai or a newer member of the club, the potting parties are a great way to meet other members of the club and kick start your learning curve of the techniques for styling, pruning, wiring, and potting/repotting a bonsai. Newer members will have the option to pair up with a more experienced member to learn the process.
Also, bring in any club owned trees you are babysitting that need to be worked on during the fall. Note that if you are donating cash or other items vs. trees, the club still needs your help with the club owned trees.
For those of you who can come early and help with setup or stay late and help with breakdown, your assistance with those tasks will be greatly appreciated too. Remember you don’t have to stay for the entire day.
Doughnuts will be provided but also consider bringing a bag lunch.
The club thanks Mark O’Brien and his wife Carol for volunteering and making their home available for this event.
December Holiday Party
Our December 21st program will be a holiday party to socialize with fellow club members and their families. Each year the club provides a ham for carving, a turkey breast, wine and tables decorated in holiday cheer. Club members are asked to bring a potluck dish for sharing.
As usual, members and guests will have the option to participate in a gift exchange. And members can participate in the club sponsored holiday “drawing”. More details will be provided in our December newsletter.
Time to Make Some Fertilizer Changes
As the November Timely Work Schedule article points out, you should switch to 0-10-10 this time of year. For more details about fertilizer, refer to Fertilizer Basics.
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ Foilage: Juvenile to Mature
Most of us are familiar with Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper. It’s often used in landscaping and also as starter bonsai because it is very hardy. That makes it ideal for beginners who are learning how to take care of a bonsai.
Most junipers when young have different foliage than when they’re older. Unfortunately most of us don’t keep procumbens junipers long enough to see this transformation.
Rita and I have several of these in our landscaping. A few years ago the oldest ones (thirty plus years) started converting the juvenile foliage into mature foliage. Most branches now have only mature foliage. As you can see in the photos below the difference is striking. I think the mature foliage is beautiful!
When you cut back mature foliage it will often revert to juvenile for a while. But after a year or two it will be replaced by mature foliage.