April 2008
Newsletter
From the
President
When you read this, Spring will have definitely arrived here in North
Carolina. Take caution, though, since we usually get a surprise frost in
April. Spring comes as the busiest time of year, but as the excitement
mounts, we have an opportunity to do a certain amount of creative work
and a few more down-to-earth tasks as well.
Repotting
If you have not repotted most of your deciduous trees, it is time to do
so as soon as the buds begin to swell (my Tridents have grown already 6
inches ). This is also the only time of the year to improve your Nebari,
so do not forget and take advantage of this. Just as you would style the
upper part of the tree, the same needs to be done with the roots. Be
sure to keep your newly repotted Bonsai out of a late frost and remember
to place it in a shaded area for about 2 weeks. Additionally I cover
repotted trees with a layer of Sphagnum moss to maintain a more even
level of humidity. This also provides some extra protection.
Pruning
About 2 weeks before the leaves emerge, I prune my trees since I can
easily see the structure. Root pruning should also be conducted to
balance the upper branch pruning. I seal all the wounds while I do
this.
Wiring
Start wiring deciduous trees, both fine twigs as well as thick branches,
before the buds swell too much. Try not to wrap any wire over the buds
or knock them off. Pay attention, as the trees grow rapidly during this
time of year, often hiding the wire. So be mindful that you do not
forget to take the wires off in time before they start to grow into the
bark and scar your tree.
Watering
As soon as the leaves come out, the water requirement of the tree will
significantly increase. Remember to check your trees on a regular basis,
just keeping the soil moist. Do not allow newly repotted trees to become
too wet since this generates root rot.
Feeding
Do not feed newly repotted trees until the buds are open and branches
have started to grow. I, myself, do not use any vitamins or any other
garden “cocktails” and such, although some people swear by it. My trees
do fine without it.
General
Just as soon as those new tender leaves emerge, the insect world has
also started to come alive. So stay a step ahead with your preventive
spraying program before an infestation gets out of hand. This is also a
good time to check Junipers for spider mites and aphids and pines for
needle cast. All those pests are highly active now, especially on trees
which have spent the winter under protection.
All of the above seems like a lot to do right now, but stay diligent and
your trees will thank you for it by giving you less trouble through the
rest of the year.
~ Ed Lauer ~
April 2008
Meeting Minutes
Hopefully April will bring spring
showers, but it’s a fact that April brings Ted Matson back to TBS.
Ted is in great demand across the
US, as his experience and knowledge translates well no matter what part
of the country he visits. In addition to many clubs on the West Coast,
Ted has made the rounds of the Florida Bonsai Society clubs; Chicago
clubs; the Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Conference; Brussel’s Rendezvous; the
Milwaukee Bonsai Society, the Atlanta Bonsai Society and more. TBS is
proud of the fact that we were the first club in the east to host Ted as
the visiting artist. This year he is exceptionally busy, serving as the
president of the Golden State Bonsai Society.
Ted’s depth of knowledge about many
plant species used for bonsai, coupled with his teaching style, means
everyone learns something useful from Ted. Make sure you have Sunday,
April 6th on your calendar. During his lecture and
demonstration Ted will be challenged by a rather large cryptomeria. You
will have the opportunity to learn about this species and see and hear
Ted’s design ideas for a large tree. The meeting time is 1:30, and the
location is the usual meeting site, the Commons building at the Wake
County Office Park.
April workshops:
There are still 3 positions
available for the Lacebark Pine workshop on Saturday morning, April 5th.
If you are interested please contact Harold Johnson at
haroldandtina2@msn.com. There are also positions available for the
bring-your-own-tree workshop in the afternoon. What an opportunity!
Bring a tree, and Ted will guide you as you refine your bonsai, or
maybe, completely change the design. Let Harold know if you are
interested. You can pay at the time of the workshop but you need to
communicate with Harold to confirm that there is space available. And
yes, he will be participating in the bring-your-own-tree workshop, too.
Thinking Ahead
May means it’s time for the
annual TBS Picnic, member sale and club auction. TBS will provide the
hamburgers, hot dogs and all their fixins’, and you can be thinking
about what side dish or dessert you might bring. Check you supply of
trees, pots, tools and books so you can offer them for sale to other
club members or donate them to the club auction.
June features Jim Barrett
from California and a Surprise Opportunity for club members. Jim is not
only an excellent bonsai artist but one of the top two or three bonsai
pot makers in the US. Make sure you have June 8th on your
calendar for an informative talk on bonsai containers. Jim is urging TBS
members to bring one special bonsai container for discussion. On
Saturday, June 7th Jim will conduct two workshops: a
bring-your-own-tree workshop and one where participants will design and
plant a Trident Maple group.
~ Merritt Barnett ~
March 2008 Meeting Minutes
Attendance = 31
Ed Lauer began the meeting. Ed talked
about the club's two collecting trips in February in Scotland Neck, NC.
Ed presented the property owner with a certificate of appreciation for
allowing the club to collect trees on his property.
Ed thanked Tina Johnson for providing
refreshments for the meeting.
Ken Hallatt has started Carolina
Bonsai. He had tools, pots, wire and other bonsai items for sale at the
meeting..
The meeting proceeded with a slide
show about slab making, followed by a forest slab planting demo by
Harold Johnson and Ed Lauer. Several examples of slabs were discussed.
Slabs can be made of slate, rock, marble suibans, or prefabricated.
For prefabricated slabs, the
following materials are needed:
fiberglass
resin
hardener
chicken wire
gloves (to protect your hands from
the fiberglass resin)
quickcrete
wire
brushes
perlite
cardboard
brown pigment
How to make a slab from the preceding
materials:
-
Trace and cut
the slab design from the cardboard.
-
Put chicken
wire on both sides of the cardboard to reinforce it.
-
Tie rebar onto
the cardboard to reinforce it.
-
Cut fiberglass
to shape of the cardboard (rougher cuts look more natural).
-
Use toothpicks
or paper clips to hold the fiberglass to the cardboard.
-
Mix the resin
and hardener.
-
Pour the
mixture onto one side of the fiberglass and smear it into the
surface.
-
Let dry.
-
Repeat process
on reverse side.
-
Let dry for a
couple of days.
-
Mix some
perlite or sand into the quickcrete to add texture.
-
Cover the
frame with quickcrete (mix brown pigment into the quickcrete to give
it a more natural color.)
-
Let the
quickcrete dry.
-
Mix resin,
hardener, pigments and sand.
-
Apply mixture
as final coat.
-
WAIT AT LEAST
ONE MONTH BEFORE USING THE SLAB.
If possible, leave slabs
outside for one year before using.
-
Slabs made in
January - March would be ready to use in April or May.
Harold Johnson made a few
announcements:
There were a few spaces available for
the upcoming Ted Matson workshops on April 5th. Contact Harold Johnson
to see if any spaces are still available.
Jim Barrett will be the guest artist
in June. He will be teaching a trident maple forest workshop.
The 2008 Carolinas Bonsai Expo will
be held October 11-12, 2008 at the NC Arboretum in Asheville NC. Visit
www.ncarboretum.org for more
information.
The first National Bonsai Exhibit
will be held October 11-12, 2008 in Rochester NY. Visit
www.internationalbonsai.com
for more information.
 Ed
and Harold, using a slab that Ed had made, created a forest planting
with Hinoki Cypress. The trees were lined up next to each other by size
(trunk thickness). It is helpful to mark the trees with a number to keep
the trees in order. An odd number of trees is best, unless there are
about 20 or more trees in the planting. With that many trees, it is
difficult to count the individual trees.
The tree with the thickest trunk (the
number one tree) is positioned first in the pot. The number 2 is
positioned next, followed by the remainder of the trees in sequence. No
three bonsai should be in the same line. This is easier to accomplish
with fewer trees. Distance between the individual trees should be
uneven. Heights of the trees are adjusted after all of the trees have
been planted. A triangular shape, especially with uneven sides, creates
a more desirable bonsai. The complete bonsai, the individual trees, and
the branches should have a triangular shape. One side of the forest
planting should always have more trees than the other side.
~ Merritt Barnett ~
2008 Upcoming TBS Events
| May 4 |
Picnic |
| June 7 |
Workshops |
| June 8 |
General Meeting
Lecture/Demonstration |
| August 3 |
General Meeting
Lecture/Demonstration |
| September 7 |
Art of display -
Prepare for Asheville Expo |
| October 4 |
New Talent Competition |
| October 5 |
Winter Care & BYOT |
| October 11-12 |
2008 Asheville Expo |
| November 2 |
President's Award
Pine Care |
| December 7 |
Holiday Party and auction |
|
