Bonsai Notebook
Bring a tree to the March meeting and take advantage of a free workshop with Lindsay Shiba. You are welcome to bring more than one tree. Lindsay will help you take your material to the next level of design and development. We don’t have workshops often, so don’t miss a great opportunity to learn. Bring your tools and wire and take part in the fun.
Lindsay started his bonsai training when he was just 11 years old. He learned from his father, Katsumi Shiba, and in 1972 he became a student of Khan Komai. Under Khan’s tutelage, Lindsay refined his talent for bonsai and also developed a love and understanding of the formal display of bonsai. Lindsay has given presentations of formal display across the United States and Mexico.
He worked at and later co-owned his family’s nursery business in Upland, where he also taught bonsai classes. Lindsay is an active member of Baikoen Bonsai Kenkyu-Kai, California Bonsai Society and Nanpu Kai.
You do not have to bring a tree to watch and learn from Lindsay at the meeting. However, why pass up the chance to have him help with your own tree. See you there.
Meeting Time And Place:
March 9, 2019 at 7pm
LAC Arboretum/ Palm Room
President’s Corner
We have had a very different winter season this year, with the heavy rain and cold temperatures. Some of our trees have remained dormant longer, and some have been caught in-between, popping new foliage.
We are at repotting time. It is important to keep track of when you have repotted individual trees to make it easier to pick out the trees that are due.
I date an identification tag I make out of thin metal venetian blind material. I cut three inch pieces of metal and use a pencil to mark the potting date and stick the tag in each of my pots. The pencil marking goes on easy and doesn’t wash off with watering. I find the metal tags hold up better than plastic. I check my tags and make a repotting list based on dates along with visual inspection of tree health and drainage conditions (slow draining calls for repotting).
Repotting is great for stimulating new root growth and generating vitality in our trees. I turn on some music and enjoy the time spent transitioning each tree. It is very relaxing and productive at the same time. So, get out the potting tools and material and refresh your trees.
I hope you were all able to attend the Bonsai-A-Thon, a bonsai enthusiast paradise with the vendors, exhibits, demonstrations, raffles and auctions. Once again, club member Kathy Boehme donated her hand-made bonsai pots, a total of 129, to the raffle. People were buzzing around the raffle tables admiring her pots and buying tickets to hopefully obtain one or more. All by themselves, Kathy’s pottery generates ticket sales that are a tremendous boost to the income that goes to support GSBF and The Huntington. Kathy is a tremendous asset to the Bonsai-A-Thon and our club. Thank you, Kathy.
~Dave
February 2019 Meeting Highlights
It was a very busy and exciting month for bonsai. Members were treated to a wonderful saikei demonstration by Frank Goya at the February meeting. We had the pleasure of attending the famous, annual Baikoen Silhouettes Show, and just ended the month with the Bonsai-A-Thon.
Frank Goya used three-year old procumbens nana junipers to construct his saikei. As usual, Frank had wired and styled the trees before coming to the meeting. He visualizes the rock and tree placement ahead of time, so his demonstration flows smoothly as he assembles the landscape. He used an odd number of rocks in his design and explained that the larger outside rocks are faced inward from both sides of the pot. He said the trees need to be placed so they flow in the same direction as the rocks. The flow of rocks and trees was toward the middle of the design where Frank placed his water effect (an integral part of most saikeis). He filled in the planting with moss and small accent plants to complete the saikei design. Frank makes it look simple, but his work is very deliberate and precise. His artistry was a pleasure to watch, and everyone wanted to take the saikei home. Jim Pelling was the lucky raffle winner, and his wife Judith was thrilled to have a Frank Goya saikei.
Thank You to our February Meeting Raffle Donors
Judy Anthony, Jerry Banuelos, Y.S. Farn, Edgar Fukutaki Family, Peter Macasieb
New Members
Daniel Deephouse
Welcome Back David, Jenny & Julian Tsai
Members Corner
This is just a gentle reminder that it’s now time to renew your 2019 membership for SABS. 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 2018 then your membership is current until Dec 2019. It has been exciting to see how SABS’s membership has grown during the past year. Thanks for your participation and support.
The SABS Newsletter is one of the “perks” of belonging to our club. When your membership is not renewed annually by the end of March 2019 the membership lapses and you are no longer eligible to receive this newsletter directly via email and/or US Mail. The newsletter will always be available on our website www.sabonsai.org
Upcoming Events
March 23-34
California Bonsai Society’s 62nd Bonsai Exhibition
9a-5pm daily
Huntington Library Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino
April 27-28
San Diego Bonsai Club 54th Annual Spring Show
Casa del Prado Rm 101, Balboa Park
Come Join Us
Next Meeting
Date: March 9, 2019
Time: 7pm
Location:
LAC Arboretum, Palm Room
301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007
2019 Monthly Meeting Dates
Mar 9 – Lindsay Shiba
April 13 – Ted Matson
May 11 – Al Nelson Workshop
Refreshment Schedule
Mar 9: Susan & Huong Dao, Judy Anthony, Frank Yee, Walt & Octavia Chin
April 13: Y.S. Farn, Judy Anthony, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Liz Do
May 11: David & Debra Mauzy-Melitz, Dick Ryerson
More sign up opportunities will be available at upcoming meetings
