Bonsai Notebook

Next SABS Meeting: May 13, 2023

SABS Auction
6 pm
LA Arboretum— Ayres Hall

We have a special event planned for the May 13 meeting.
Our SABS club will be hosting a bonsai auction to serve as a fundraiser for the club since we cannot have our annual show and sale.
Construction at the Arboretum continues…

In addition to our club members, the auction is also open to other bonsai clubs that would like to participate as both sellers and bidders.
Items for auction can include bonsai trees, pots, stands, tools, and any bonsai related items you wish to have auctioned.
This will be a “reserve” auction, so you can put a minimum price on the items you wish to auction.
If the bidding does not reach the reserve limit, the item will not be sold.
As with our annual sale, the club will retain 20% of all auction sales as our fundraiser, and the seller will get 80%.
If you choose to put a reserve price on your items, price them so your 80% share reflects your reserve.

The preferred payment method for winning auction bids is cash or check.
Please keep this in mind if you plan to be a bidder.

The Ayres Hall doors will be open at 6:00pm for auction sellers to bring in their items.
This will allow time for the club to prepare the items for auction and have them available for viewing prior to the auction start.
We will start the auction as close to 7:00pm as we can depending on the quantity of items brought in.

Refreshments will be served, so please help by bringing something you would enjoy as a refreshment.
We look forward to seeing you in May.

At-the-door registration is available but there is still time to RSVP.
Click here https://forms.gle/RBopaxMgT7ZZuTHq9 and let us know you are coming, and if you plan on selling so we have enough tables.

If you have questions or want to volunteer to help, make this fun evening happen, please contact Bryan Nicholson at either 213-709-4171 or [email protected]

President’s Corner

The construction at the Arboretum is still in progress, so we will meet in Ayres Hall until the classrooms are finally available.
Our meeting June 10 will be the last in Ayres Hall until October.
We will be meeting at alternative sites July, Aug. and Sept. because of summer concerts at the Arboretum on our meeting nights.
We have been making these adjustments for many years now, and we will continue to do so to provide club meetings that our members enjoy.
The July meeting will be at the home of Peter and Marissa Macasieb where we will complete the second part of our pyracantha air-layering project.

Our Aug. and Sept. meeting locations and demonstrations will be shared in upcoming newsletters.

I hope your annual Spring repotting projects have gone well, and your trees are thriving in their new soil and pots. I try to rotate my trees so I only have a small percentage that needs repotting every year. I keep track of the years on tags kept in each pot.
Some use colored tags or ribbons, but having a system and rotating keeps the workload manageable.

It looks like the summer heat is upon us.
We have had a great abundance of watering help this year with all the rain.
Now we have to adjust our watering to counter our warm summer and do the dance between too much water and just the right amount. ~Dave

Members Corner

Many thanks to all who have renewed for 2023.

Our membership drive for 2023 continues….Annual dues are $20 for Individuals and $25 for family memberships.
Dues may be paid by cash or check.
If you are unable to attend a meeting but would like to join SABS please contact Lorraine at [email protected] to receive a mail–in membership form.

2023 current members voted to approve the new SABS By-Laws at the April 8 meeting.

It is with much sadness that we share with you the passing of Marybel Balendonck at age 97.
Marybel was one of the founders of American Bonsai and will be missed by all

We would like to extend a special “thank you” to all of you who donated so generously to the April raffle table

Jerry Banuelos, Jim & Helen Barrett, Ray Blasingame, Kathy Benson, Sue Cook, Y.S. Farn, Ellen Keneshea, Peter Macasieb, Dave Miles, Bryan Nicholson, Steve Riley

And to all who so generously purchased raffle tickets

2023 Monthly Meeting Dates

May 13
Location: LA Arboretum—Ayres Hall
SABS Auction

June 10
Location: LA Arboretum —Ayres Hall
Demo: Bill Ward

July 8
Location: in West Covina
Demo: Peter Macasieb

Meeting Refreshment Schedule

May 13
J. Anthony, F. Saya, V. Shelton, D&D Mauzy-Melitz

Extra snacks & appetizers appreciated

June 10
P. Macasieb, S. Riley, Y.S. Farn

Sign ups for 2023 refreshments will be available at the May 13 meeting

Upcoming Events

May 6 & 7
Dai Ichi Bonsai Kai 36th Annual Bonsai Exhibit & Sale
Ken Nakaoka Community Center
1670 W 162nd St, Gardena.
For more info contact Doyle Saito 310-539-9265

May 13
SABS Auction: open to all clubs,
6pm Ayres Hall, LA Arboretum
for more info contact Bryan Nicholson at 213-709-4171, or [email protected]

July 11
Arcadia Bonsai Swap Meet
405 S. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia,
north end of parking lot, 10a-12p
For more info email: [email protected]

Oct 20-22
GSBF Bonsai Rendezvous
Hotel Mission De Oro, Santa Nella
209-826-4444 for reservations (rooms going quickly, other motels in town)
www.gsbfbonsai.org/2023-rendezvous for info.

April 2023 Meeting Highlights

The April meeting was the first of its kind for us.
It was the beginning of a two-part project to establish multiple shohin-size trees from three six-foot-tall nursery grown pyracanthas.
The project began with the efforts of Mike Kelly and Steve Riley who went on a road trip all over L.A. and Orange Counties. They scoured nurseries until they found the right pyracanthas for the project, based on Peter Macasieb’s specifications.
They also collected the soil and rooting pots for the project.

Peter demonstrated the air-layering process, and our members proceeded to make the girdling cuts as directed up and down the trees.
The cuts were followed by an application of root hormone then small plastic pots were split to fit around the cut, wired closed and filled with soil.
I did not get an exact count, but we finished approximately 25 air-layers on the three pyracanthas.
Everyone enjoyed the learning experience, and we look forward to part two at Peter’s home in July.

Mike Kelly obtained a U-Haul truck to transport the pyracanthas so they were secured upright with all the air-layers, and he took them to Peter’s home to await the next step.
Thanks Peter, Mike & Steve!