Newsletter – May 2016

2016-05-Img01Bonsai Notebook

Frank Goya is returning as our May 14, 2016 demonstrator.  Frank is known as the “dean” of saikei. He is famous for his talent at designing saikei, or living landscapes.

Frank was born in California and served in the U. S. Army during World War II after first being interred.  He later worked as a professional gardener and began learning about bonsai and saikei.  One of his saikei plantings is on display at the National Arboretum in Washington D.C.

2016-05-Img01Frank has been involved with bonsai and saikei for over 50 years.  Come to the May meeting and watch him design a masterpiece.

Meeting Time And Place:
May 14, 2016 at 7pm
LAC Arboretum/ Palm Room

President’s Corner 

Our 52nd annual Memorial Day weekend show is upon us.  You will find an entry form included in the newsletter, and forms will also be available at the May meeting.  The form includes time slots to volunteer for show set-up, as a docent, and show take-down.  Help is always needed and appreciated.

We will not meet in June so that we can support and attend the Descanso Bonsai Society show reception on June 11.  I will remind everyone in the June newsletter.

The summer concert schedule at the Arboretum will once again interfere with our meetings in July and September.  Peter and Marissa Macasieb have offered to host our July meeting at their home in West Covina.  We will meet as usual at the Arboretum in August, and then Steve and Judy Anthony will host the September meeting at their home in Covina.  This has become a summer tradition, and we appreciate the hospitality of both the Macasiebs and Anthonys.  Details will be provided in the newsletter as each meeting date approaches.

~Dave

April Highlights

John Nielson joined us again and demonstrated his artistic talents on two small-leaf olive trees.  One tree had multiple trunks and one a single trunk.  Both trees grew in John’s yard for seven years.  He started by recommending not to put a tree in a bonsai pot until the tree trunk had the diameter desired.  A tree grows much slower in a bonsai pot than in a larger nursery pot or the ground.

John said you can control the direction of growth in an olive by cutting to a horizontal pair of leaves for canopy width, or to a vertical leaf pair for height.  He prefers using directional pruning rather than wiring except where wiring a branch will fill a void area in the tree.  John talked briefly about leaf size in deciduous trees.  He said you can defoliate a tree to generate smaller leaf size, but the stress on the tree necessitates the tree be healthy.  He cited maple, liquid amber, elm, and cork oaks as examples of trees that can be defoliated successfully.

John repotted the single trunk olive into a bonsai pot.  He suggested using aluminum wire to tie a tree into a pot because copper wire corrodes in the soil and can kill roots.  John completed the styling of both trees during the meeting.  Gonzalo Rodriguez was the raffle winner of the single trunk olive, and new member Robert Pachorek won the multi-trunk olive.

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John working on a small leaf olive tree

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Raffle winners Gonzalo Rodriguez & Robert Pachorek with John Nielson

Members Corner

continuing from “The First Years” article by J.L. McNey;
During the second Santa Anita Bonsai Society show in 1965, Melba Tucker dominated the first place awards with seven.  During the early years of the club, participants were able to enter up to ten trees with one tree in each class of judging.  By the third year, the show featured approximately 200 trees, and the judged categories increased to 20.  The bonsai shows were a major L.A. County Arboretum event.
Look for more next month…

Newsletter Update

  • Our membership dues are vital to SABS remaining financially viable. The  dues for each year are due in January.  Past members who have not yet renewed are encouraged to do so at this time.  If you joined SABS during Oct-Dec 2015 then your membership is current until Dec 2016.
  • The SABS newsletter is one of the “perks” of  belonging to our club.  When your membership is not renewed by the end of March the membership lapses and you will no longer  be illegible to receive this newsletter directly via email and/or US mail.  The newsletter will always be available on our website: www.sabonsai.org
  • If you have a knack for writing, a story to tell, a photo or something you would like to share in our newsletter please submit it to Dave and Lorraine prior to the 20th of any month at: [email protected]

Upcoming Events

May28, 29, 30 – 52nd Annual Santa Anita Bonsai Society Show
L.A. County Arboretum
9:00am – 4:00pm each day
Demonstrations 1:00pm
Bonsai trees and supplies on sale

June 11-12 – 46th Annual Descanso Bonsai Society  Show
Descanso Gardens
trees,pots and related bonsai items on sale
reception Saturday night, 6:00pm-7:00pm, raffle  8:00pm

Come Join Us

Next Meeting

Date: May 14, 2016
Time: 7pm
Location:
LAC Arboretum, Palm Room
301 N. Baldwin Ave
Arcadia, Ca  91007

No Board Meeting this month

2016 Monthly Meeting Dates

May 14 — Frank Goya
June 11 – No meeting. Please attend the Descanso Show Reception.

2016 Refreshment Schedule

May — G. Gonzalez, E. Janza, J. Rodriguez, W. Tsai
June — No meeting