Newsletter – September 2022

Santa Anita Bonsai Society
A community dedicated to the study and appreciation of the ancient art of Bonsai.



Meeting Time and Place
Sept 10, 2022
at 6pm
at the home of David & June Nguy
Chino, CA

SABS Bonsai Notebook

Our final summer road trip will be Sept. 10 at the home of David and June Nguy in Chino.
We will start at 6:00pm to take advantage of this daylight event. Once again, David and June are graciously hosting our club meeting in the midst of David’s amazing bonsai collection. We are so fortunate to have a bonsai master like David so accessible to our club. He is well known throughout the world of bonsai for his work with junipers, especially California junipers. Black pines are also his specialty and many of both are on display in his garden.
Come early so you have time to view David’s vast bonsai collection. It is worth the trip alone.

Also, David and June’s Chino Bonsai Club will have its annual bonsai exhibit Oct. 1-2.
See “Up Coming Events” for details.

Many of you have already had the opportunity to visit David & June’s Garden and know the way to their home. For the purpose of privacy we are not including directions in this post.

If you are a “first timer” and need directions please email to [email protected]
Directions and street address will be emailed to you prior to the meeting.

President’s Corner

The summer heat is still on, so we need to stay vigilant with our watering.
Know your own trees; their sun exposure (shaded or not), soil mixture (fast draining or not), and general appearance (healthy, wilted?).
Your specific situation will dictate your watering needs (once/day, twice/day).
It’s a good time to cut back on nitrogen-based fertilizers and turn to more potash and phosphorus.
As we move into the fall, you can gather tree seeds to store through the winter for spring planting.
I like to collect acorns for new oak trees. Find a large oak that has good structure in a park or wildland.
Collect the acorns that it drops. Put the acorns in a tub or glass of water (depending on how many you have) and throw away the ones that float.
Wrap the remaining “sinkers” in a paper towel and store them in the refrigerator until spring, and then plant.
It is fascinating to watch new seedling pop through the soil.
~Dave

Members Corner

  • Many changes are happening for SABS. Due to Arboretum construction our locations are going to be creative until June 2023
    Meeting location and demonstration updates will be posted on our website at www.sabonsai.org
    We also now have a new email address: [email protected] for questions and comments
  • 2023 Officer and board member elections are scheduled to be held at the Jan 2023 meeting.
    It is time to refill many of our board positions. Post covid, there are multiple vacancies and we could truly use your help and ideas.
    We are an entirely volunteer board and try to divide up responsibilities and keep the new ideas flowing.
    If you are interested in helping please contact Dave & Lorraine at [email protected], or call Dave at 909 519 5391 to find out more about the following positions

Vice President: assist with finding meeting locations

Program Chairman: arranging for demonstrators and workshops for the monthly meeting

Social Media Director: all things media related

Secretary: record minutes at board meetings

Hospitality Chairperson and committee of 2-3: manage the monthly meeting refreshment table

Members at large: varying assignments including badges, raffle table assistant, photographer, historian, and more

  • Thank you to the following members for volunteering in the following interim positions between now and the elections Jan 2023

Matt Mahaffey– Social Media

Bryan Nicholson– Secretary

Becky Villasenor – Photography

  • Membership
    Many thanks to Judy & Steve Anthony for their years of support as membership chairs. They will continue as Treasurers but are transitioning the membership role to Lorraine.
    Please direct any membership questions to Lorraine Miles at [email protected]. or [email protected]
    All membership dues/ payments are payable to SABS.
    We do hope to include Zelle & Venmo options in 2023.
  • Please note on your calendar, there will not be a club meeting on Oct 8, the 2nd Saturday in October because of the GSBF Bonsai Rendezvous held in Santa Nella, CA. All members are encouraged to attend this 2-day event– it is well worth the drive. SABS next regular meeting will be on Nov.12. Check the website for the yet to be determined location.
  • We would like to say a special “thank you” to Robert Sencer. Robert has been our Webmaster and has managed all things Social Media since 2013. He designed, nurtured and maintained our web and UTube sites. His expertise and dedication to SABS is directly responsible for us surviving the “covid days” and continuing to grow. SABS has a long history dating back to the early 1960’s. Robert has protected that heritage and made it possible to share it within this new “techy world “. Recently the Sencer family has moved to Texas. Robert will continue to be our “Tech Emeritus” as we move forward but is stepping aside with monthly social media maintenance. We will never be able to thank him enough for all he has done for SABS.
    He will always be an honorary member…
    Thanks Robert !!!

Thank You
To our August Raffle Table Donors

Steve & Judy Anthony, Jim & Helen Barrett, Jerry Banuelos, Jason Chan, Sue Cook, Y.S. Farn, Mike Kelly, Peter Macasieb,
Dave Miles, Jim Pelling, Vic Shelton, Wendy Tsai, Frank Yee

And to all who so generously purchase tickets

Welcome New Members

Jason & Renee Chan
Michael & Audree Sellarole
Nancy Smeets

August 2022 Meeting Highlights

The August meeting was held at Longo Toyota, our current fallback location whenever the Arboretum is unavailable. Jason Chan was our demonstrator and brought a very nice prostrata juniper to work on. He started by asking for audience input on the best front for the tree design. Jason talked about trunk movement and its importance in determining the best frontal presentation.


He explained the importance of branch structure and maintain proportion as you work up the tree. The lower branches should always be the thickest, with size progressing as you work up the tree; as in nature.
Jason advised not to be too quick cutting off branches that are not part of the design but could be used later for jin. He styled the tree, working from the bottom up and alternating side, back, and front branches for symmetry. In his design, Jason created a visually appealing jin cluster near the tree apex.


When finished, Jason provided a beautiful juniper tree for our raffle. Thank you, Jason, for your wonderful work. Your narrative kept the demo very interesting for all of us.

New Member, Michael Sellarole was the lucky winner of Jason’s tree

Upcoming Events

Oct 1-2 Chino Bonsai Club 2nd Annual Bonsai Exhibit 261 S Junipero Sierra Dr. San Gabriel, CA
9-5pm daily- demos, raffle, auction, vendor & club Sales
Sat 5:30-Dinner reception

Oct 5-9 Kofu Kai Bonsai Exhibit at The Bowers Museum, 2002 N Main St, Santa Ana 10am-4pm daily

Oct 8-9 2022 GSBF Bonsai Rendezvous, Hotel de Oro, Santa Nella, CA.
Check the GSBF website for details

Nov 12-13 Pacific Bonsai Expo, The Bridge Yard Event Center, Oakland, CA, Large show with cash prizes and trophies for best in show, conifers, deciduous, broad-leaf evergreen, shohin

Come Join Us

Next Meeting:
Date: September 10, 2022
Time: 6 pm

Location:
At the home of David & June Nguy
Chino, CA

Refreshment Schedule
Drinks: bring your own
: water by SABS
Sept 10 — Appetizers, Snacks & Desserts
Snacks: Peter Macasieb, Steve Riley, Vic Shelton
Appetizers: Marren Padrones

If you have a favorite, please bring it our members always enjoy munching while learning

2022 Monthly Meeting Dates

Sept 10 – David & June Nguy
Location: Chino, CA

Oct 8 – no meeting due to GSBF event

Nov 12 – TBA

———————————