Bonsai Notebook
Meeting Time And Place: Feb 12, 2022 at 7pm
LAC Arboretum, Palm Room
The February meeting will feature club member Debra Mauzy-Melitz as our guest presenter. She will be talking about and demonstrating the art of Kusamono, the potted arrangements of wild grasses and flowers. They are often used as accent displays with bonsai.
Debra is a retired UCI Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and an avid lover and practitioner of many arts and crafts. She developed an interest in bonsai after seeing a 2012 demonstration of saikei by bonsai master Al Nelson, who has presented many programs for us over the years. Debra has since studied bonsai with Al Nelson and demonstrated saikei and related art forms at the Cherry Blossom Festival, LA, Fullerton Arboretum and several local bonsai meetings and shows. She learned kusamono from Young Choe, the artist-in-residence at the U.S. National Arboretum. Debra is an active member of many Southern California bonsai clubs.
Join us for our return to the Arboretum and an interesting and very useful presentation by Debra.
President’s Corner
In January, the Board discussed our annual show and decided to keep it simple by not having a specific theme. Instead, we invite members to pick out their favorite tree (or trees) and bring it to the show in May. The show is about our club and its history, and we want all our members to consider participating.
Now is the time to renew your membership for the new year: $20 for and individual, $25 per family. Our club is a non-profit organization and and membership dues help keep us solvent Many members renewed at the January meeting. Please take time at the February meeting to see our treasurers Steve & Judy Anthony and continue your support of our great club.
We are still adjusting as covid-19 restrictions continue to affect bonsai events. The Shohin Seminar scheduled for February has been cancelled, and the Bonsai-A-Thon has been rescheduled for April 1-2. We will do our best to keep up with any other changes that occur.
Mike Kelly has an exciting plan for our programs this year that we know you will enjoy. We will always endeavor to make our meetings interesting, informative and interactive for our members.
~Dave
January 2022 Meeting Highlights
The January meeting at Longo Toyota was fun and interactive. Lou Camerota was our guest demonstrator and provided an entertaining program on his specialty, Satsuki azaleas. Lou went to Nuccio’s Nursery in Altadena and picked up enough azalea plants for everyone attending to get one of their own. There was a wide variety of Satsuki trees to choose from.
Lou talked about the process of “cleaning or plucking “ the plants of dead and ugly leaves to open them up to the sun. This work helps to encourage abundant flowering. All our members worked on their own trees following tutelage, and the leaves were flying.
Lou explained the importance of maintaining an appropriate water Ph level of 6.2 – 6.8 for the health of the azaleas. He suggested storing water in a container for a week before using to allow the Ph level to stabilize from its level out of the tap. You can use Ph test kits for an accurate reading and use additives to adjust the level.
He recommended keeping the potted azaleas on the ground in full sun for the evaporative benefits. Once outside temperatures reach 80 degrees or more, Lou said the azaleas should be moved under shade cloth or kept in partial shade. He said repotting could be done when new growth begins to appear. We will all be watching for our red, pink, and white flowers.
There were extra azaleas after each member picked a plant. The extras were purchased by those who wanted more, and some were on the raffle table. Everyone enjoyed working on the azaleas and socializing with each other and listening to Lou’s excellent lessons for good azalea care.
In addition to the program, we had a full raffle table and lots of satisfied members, which is why we get together each month. It was a nice start to 2022.
Thank You To our January Raffle Table Donors
Mike Kelly, Dave Miles, Wendy Tsai, Victor Shelton & Lou Camerota
And to all who so generously purchase tickets.
Members Corner
Reminder: For our 2023 follow-up Azalea Workshop with Lou, tag all of the solid color flower branches on your tree when it blooms in the coming months. The tagged branches will be the guide for future trimming. The small colored twist tie tags are available at Michaels & Hobby Lobby.
Annual Membership for 2022 will continue to be available at the February 12 meeting
Dues remain the same: $20 per person and $25 for family For those of you who joined in 2021 your membership will extend until Dec 2022.
For those of you still receiving the US mail version of this newsletter, better quality photos, club updates and resources are always available on our website. Check us out at www.sabonsai.org
Anytime you have any questions please contact Dave & Lorraine at LMiles6455@gmail.com
Upcoming Events
Feb 4,5 & 6, 2022
California Shohin Society Seminar 2022, Santa Nella, CA
This show was CANCELLED. Look for it again in 2023
April 1-2
GSBF Bonsai-A-Thon
Huntington Botanical Garden, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino
8a-5p, vendors, demonstrations, auctions, raffles, exhibits
Please note this date change.
Come Join Us
Next Meeting:
Date: February 12, 2022
Time: 7 pm
Location:
LAC Arboretum, Palm Room
301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007
Everyone Welcome
2022 Monthly Meeting Dates
Feb 12 — Debra Mauzy-Melitz – LAC Arboretum
Mar 12 — Tom Vuong – LAC Arboretum
April 9 — Cheryl Manning – LAC Arboretum
Refreshment Schedule
Feb 12 — Julio Martinez, Wendy Tsai, Mike Kelly, Judy Anthony
Mar 12 — Julio Martinez, Daniel Deephouse, Judy Anthony, Vic Shelton
April 9 — Peter Macasieb, Judy Anthony
Refreshment Sign ups will be available at the January meeting
A yummy thanks to all who brought snacks in January – they were amazing!!!