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A Field Trip
A field trip to Maruyama’s
Nursery is planned for January 2008. The nursery is located
in Sacramento and also has a large selection of pots and
supplies. The date of the trip is Saturday, January 19,
2008. We will carpool to Maruyama’s and be departing from
the Planting’s residence at 8AM.
We need a list of people
willing to drive and a list of those who will be
passengers.
The Next Potting Parties
These potting
parties are lots of fun and help to create good looking
plants for sale at the show in April. Planting parties are
held at the home of John and Sandy Planting in Palo Alto.
Pots and Soil, and other items needed for potting are
provided by the club. Just bring some tools and have some
fun.
January 13, 2008
February 10, 2008
We will be
working on donated plants that can be repotted in the fall.
This includes trees you may be taking care of from the
previous shows, Sumigawa nursery donated trees from the bus
trip, and club trees.
Jim Ransohoff’s Secret Fall Color
Recipe Correction
Sadly, I made a mistake in printing the instructions so I am
reissuing them with this newsletter. Thank Jim for letting
us know.
Basic solution:
1 Cup of Sugar to 1 Gal
of Water
Feed ½ cup of mix per
Gal of water
Feed to the soil of
those wonderful Acer Palmadem and Tridents
Feed early Sept and
early Oct for best results. |
Kusamura Club Calendar
December 2007
• December 21— Christmas Party and Northern Collection Video
by Andrea Burhoe.
We need a chair for the party. Please contact John Planting
January 2008
Pine workshop with focus on needle pruning.
February 2008
Gordon Deeg
demonstration of drastic repotting of trident maples. This
will fill both the 7:00 and 8:00 programs.
March 2008
Air layering and grafting techniques. Lonnie to oversee a
demo of these techniques with work performed by Stephanie
(air layering) and Bang (grafting).
April 2008
• April 26-27 —
Prepare for show with Tokonoma setup.
Kusamura Bonsai Show
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Other Events
February 1-3 - Santa Nella, California,
CALIFORNIA SHOHIN SOCIETY SEMINAR 2008,
Ramada Inn, Mission de Oro Conference Center,
Santa Nella, California.
More Events
(from Golden State Bonsai
Federation)
December –
Seasonal Suggestions
Adapted from Golden Statements articles by Mitsuo Umehara
(Translated by Hideko Metaxas)
Early Month
Deciduous Trees:
1.
To enjoy the fine silhouette of deciduous
trees, cut just enough back to restore the shape. The
corrective shaping can be done in the spring.
2.
Now is the time to scrutinize group
plantings. Is the group shape as it was originally
designed--the height; the flow; the direction? Do corrective
work now while the branches are bare. If the group is wired,
the wire should be removed in the spring.
Conifers
Trees such as
black pines, five-needle pines, and yew trees are cold
weather tolerant and can be wired through the winter until
the buds start to develop in the spring. However, they
should be protected from severe weather after they have been
wired.
Mid-Month
Ume:
To ensure
ume (flowering apricot) blossoms for the new year, after
the tree has been exposed to the first frost, bring it into
a warm place and mist spray daily. The flower buds should
start to develop within two weeks.
Winter
Watering:
Dryness should
be checked closely, but once every third day is the rule of
thumb. When the winter rain continues:
-
For plants
transplanted in autumn, tilt the pot to provide better
drainage.
-
For those
planted in November, cover the pot with plastic. Remove
the cover as soon as the rain stops.
Clean Up
On a clear
day, clean shelves, pull weeds, and rotate the pots. Inspect
each tree carefully and made notes to record progress for
future reference
Christmas and
New Year Display
Not only
Sho-Chiku-Bai--pine-bamboo-ume--which are the symbolic plant
combination that all Japanese use for New Year, any bonsai
can be displayed for the holiday season. It is a real treat
for visitors to see live trees and plants in the middle of
winter. So put your creativity to work and have fun with
bonsai during the holiday season!
With this last
issue of the year, I would like to share my bonsai
philosophy with you as my last comment and thank you.
1.
Be content within one's limitation; avoid
ostentatiousness
2.
Bonsai pleasure is subtle and deep. Do not
envy others; enjoy the bonsai within one's limit. Even young
and small trees reward you with as much if not more pleasure
and love as old and expensive trees bring
3.
Elevate one's taste. Refined and polish taste
will reflect on one's bonsai.
4.
Creating a bonsai is not merely an expression
of form; it is the expression of feeling, the symbol of
one's concept
5.
Do not force someone to understand the beauty
of bonsai. It should be spontaneous
6.
Never let the hobby take over the life;
remember family and other obligations
7.
It is fine to revere excellent bonsai, but do
not forget to notice the subtle beauty of mere grasses.
Something New for Club Members!
Do you have a problem tree, a bug, a styling or species
question? Please send your questions to
jcsf1090@earthlink.net and we will research your
question for a new column in the newsletter. Pictures of the
problem always support it better. We look forward to your
challenges.
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December 21, 2007 Holiday Party and Presentation
7– 10 PM
Rita Curbow is
chairing the event and will be creating the festive event
with your help. Kusamura provides a turkey, a ham, plates
and utensils. You bring a covered dish of your preference,
enough to share with 10 people.
Kusamura will
also have prizes for some lucky winners. We are also asking
that if you would like to participate in a gifts exchange
please bring a gift valued under $20 wrapped for the
occasion. If you bring a gift you will receive a ticket that
will allow you to select a gift. Gifts are always
appreciated that have something to do with Bonsai.
There will
also be a wonderful presentation by Andrea Burhoe of the
Northern Collection at the party.
Show and Tell
will feature your winter trees if you would like to share
their great design.
News
From the
Kusamura Bonsai Show Chair
I am now soliciting
volunteers to help with the show. My first request is to see
how many people are going to show trees this year. Stephanie
North will be doing publicity this year and I appreciate her
assistance. Please see me, Jerry Carpenter, if you would
like a particular role. I will be starting signup sheets in
January.
This year the show will return to Mitchell
Park, located at 3800 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA
94303. The show date will be April 26-27 with a setup day
on April 25.
Newsletter and Web Pictures
This year I would like to solicit pictures of
trees in your collections. Each month I would like to post a
picture of a member’s tree with a brief tag line under it
speaking about the tree. You can submit your pictures to me
via email at
jcsf1090@earthlink.net or
bring me a photo I can scan. Submit your name and tree
information at
that time. Let’s show our talent to each other.
Tree of the Month
Last Updated
December 14, 2007.
Copyright © 2007 by Kusamura Bonsai Club. All Rights Reserved. Articles
reprinted here with permission granted to the Corresponding Secretary.
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