Nashville Bonsai Society
April/May 2006
Volume 3, Issue 4
Calendar of Events
Field Trip Plant Ranch Dickson, TN Sat. May 20th 3:00 p.m. Discount on Nursery Stock Directions on page 5 June 6th Security Systems “Keeping Your Bonsai Safe”
7:00 p.m. Cheekwood Refreshments Served Also Shannon Salyer will talk about the upcoming Azalea Workshop
From the President… WOW!! What a show. As the old saying goes “we’ve come along way, baby.”
I’m not talking about just our Spring Show but also the Knoxville Show, where again NBS members took top honors. First, lets talk about our Spring Show. The trees looked great and our presentation was much improved. Many members are now using stands and there has been more attention paid to accent plants and top dressing and the total presentation and showing of the bonsai. Our guest speaker, Julian Adams, gave a great lecture on the use of Scotch Pines for bonsai and a workshop for improving and styling one of your own trees. Mr. Adams also critiqued the trees Sunday morning which was very valuable information on what we could do to improve our bonsai. Julian Adams and Randy Davis were awarded “Honorary” Memberships to NBS. The Viewer’s Choice Awards were presented as follows: Best in Show - Steve Gardner - Juniper 2nd Place – Mike Blanton - Juniper 3rd Place – Randy Davis – Alberta Spruce on Rock 4th Place – Barbara Walton – Five-needle White Pine Honorable Mention – Mike Blanton – Trident Maple Honorable Mention – Jennifer Tucker – Azalea Honorable Mention – Steve Gardner – Boxwood Additional awards were given to: Best Up and Coming Member – Andrew Bruckse Best Root over Rock – Malcolm Lewis Best Native Tree – Malcolm Glass Best Beginner Deciduous – Sean Horenstein Best Beginner Juniper – Anton Etheridge Best Beginner Grove – Susan Reinoso Most Interesting Accent Plant – John Marchi Best Upright with Most Wiring – Thad Scalf There was a lot of activity in the vendor area. One table was used for “Shop and Swap” where members could sell, trade, or give away plants or pots.
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Sat. June 10th Azalea Workshop by Shannon Learn how to wrap and wire an azalea whip. Whip provided $22.00 If you bring your own azalea $10.00
615-337-4728 for reservations
Steve Gardner wins Viewer’s Choice Award Spring Show 2006
Some of the other bonsai exhibited at the show.
Knoxville 3rd Annual Bonsai Show
The Knoxville Bonsai Show was held on the UT campus on Saturday May 13 and Sunday May 14th. Making the trip from NBS was Malcolm Lewis, Shannon Salyer, Mike and Amy Blanton, Barbara Walton and Randy Davis. Barbara and Randy were vendors at the show. It was a great show with several clubs being represented. There were about 50 tree exhibited, but again a NBS member, Mike Blanton took top honors with his beautiful Juniper being voted for the Viewer’s Choice Award. Randy Davis critiqued the trees in the show which was really good. There were not as many people there for the critique, so we were able to ask questions about different trees on display. Warren Hill did an excellent 2 hour demonstration designing and wiring of an old San Jose Juniper. The tree was raffled off and Bjorn B----- was the winner of the tree. It looked as if the drawing was rigged, since Bjorn’s father, Tom, held the raffle container and Tom’s mother (Bjorn’s grandmother ) did the drawing, but we accepted the fact that we all lost. It was really a good show, the Knoxville group are very friendly and we look forward in going back next year.
Welcome
Members
Larry Whitson George Gonzalez Kevin Poteete Rabeeh Elassal
Nashville, TN Nashville, TN Chapmansboro, TN Nashville, TN
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our Regional Show on July 29th and 30th on the campus of MTSU in Murfreesboro. This will be a “Bonsai Extravaganza.” We already have 3-4 clubs to commit to bringing trees for the show and expect others, if we have the space. I will keep you informed as our planning continues. Warren Hill will be doing a workshop and demonstration. We are planning a dinner on Saturday night for Club members and vendors at Mike Blanton’s home.
"Species Spotlight"
By John Wall One-seed Juniper (Juniperus monosperma)
I thought since the rugged yamadori junipers that Randy Davis collected were now available, It would be a good time to write about this fine tree. One-seed Juniper is native to New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Texas. It is a rugged tree of rocky lands with little rainfall. It makes up part of the "Pinyon juniper" ecosystem which sustains many forms of life. Mule deer eat its foliage and birds eat its berries which are a dark blue and very juicy. It has been used throughout time by Native Americans in the southwest. It is commonly burned to purify the spirit before ceremonies. It can comprise up to 20% of the diet of mule deer. In appearance, it is very similar in foliage to its cousin, Utah Juniper. Utah Juniper however is usually single-trunked and one-seed juniper usually takes on more of a shrub-tree form with multiple low branches curving upwards from the bottom. This, in my opinion, is highly suitable for bonsai. The foliage is a yellow-green with scaly twigs. The tree is slow-growing and very long lived, up to 1000 yrs. Some of the ones Randy collected are probably pushing 200 years or more! These trees need very fast draining soil and full sun. Fast draining soil is an absolute must in this muggy, southeastern swamp we call home. Juniperus monosperma has the ability to stop its growth for extended periods of time and then resume when conditions are more favorable(rain). It is a tough tree from a tough environment that shows the incredible ability to live through adversity. It is yet another native tree that is proving itself excellent for cultivation as bonsai. ____________________________________________________________________________
Visit to the Plant Ranch Saturday, May 20th at 3:00 p.m. RSVP – 615- 337-4728 The plant ranch has thousands of nice trees suitable for bonsai including pine, spruce, junipers and azaleas (Even Satsuki's, you do know your Latin right? Rhododendron indicum) The plant ranch also has a fine selection of landscaping rocks and stone fountains for the yard. There is something for everyone here and you should attend, this is my main nursery that I buy stock from, so let me know what you want and I can point you in that direction!! We get some kind of discount, it is at least 10% it may be 20. See ya there!!!!
Directions to the plant ranch are: Take I-40 west to the Fairview, Dickson exit and meet John Wall in the front parking lot of the Flying J Truck Stop at 2:00. I will wait till 2:30 for you and then everyone can follow me to the Plant Ranch!! If you do not plan to meet John at the Flying J Truck Stop Take I-40 west to the Centerville-Dickson exit. Continue going straight for several miles through several intersections(6 miles or so). When you finally come to the stop light in front of the BIG K (KMART) turn left, you are now on Hwy 70. Continue down 70 for 3 or so miles past the High School and the Co-Op. The Plant Ranch is located on the right side of the road by the tractor dealership. John Wall’s cell # is 812-9753
Happenings in the Potting Shack
by Mike Blanton
Watering
With full foliage and warm weather, trees are now using much more water. In theory, provided your bonsai is growing in a free-draining soil, it should not be possible to over water. But many of us, especially beginners, manage to do just that. Over watering eliminates the air contained in the spaces between the soil particles and deprives roots of the oxygen they need. It also creates the conditions favored by various root-rotting fungi. The symptoms of decaying roots (yellowing foliage and lack of new growth) are not usually apparent until the damage has already been done. Many trees will require watering daily, but avoid watering a tree that doesn't really need it. Wind can dry the soil's surface; while deeper in the pot it may still be quite wet. If in doubt check by scraping away the surface in a couple of places and adjust the frequency of watering accordingly. Generally the best method is to water the surface of the soil evenly, using a fine spray, until the water drains out of the drainage holes. Wait a few minutes and repeat. This ensures a thorough wetting of the soil and should be sufficient for one day during the height of summer. The best time to water is in early evening. This gives the tree plenty of time to have a good drink before morning. If you water in the morning the tree doesn't have much of a chance to refresh itself before the heat of the day. If you can't avoid watering in the morning do it as early as possible. Another advantage with evening watering is that you can douse the foliage at the same time without the risk of leaf scorch caused by the water droplets acting as miniature magnifying glasses in the sun. A word of warning - Don't assume that a rain will do the watering for you. A bonsai acts like an umbrella and shelters the pot from light rain. It is worth the time to check for adequate moisture, even in wet weather. I appreciate everyone who brought trees to our Spring Show. We had 52 entries that showed great development by our members. Keep up the good work to get ready for our joint show. Go ahead and get your hands dirty. If you need any help, give me a call or email. Happy bonsaiing! Mike blantonmike@bellsouth.net
I read this article in the Louisville Bonsai Society newsletter and wanted to share it with you. It is a great article by George Buehler who does a great job in sharing with you mistakes we all make. We all learn from our mistakes. Hope you enjoy his article.
MISTAKES I’VE MADE ALONG THE WAY
By George Buehler Greater Louisville Bonsai Society April 2006 Newsletter Over the years, I have learned a lot about bonsai from the mistakes I made. We all have made mistakes whether it was in the form of cutting off the wrong branch, using the wrong pot or some other mistake. Since one of the purposes of this journal is to be a learning tool, I thought I would list some of those that I have made – not necessarily in order of importance! Too much of a hurry Quite often I found that in order to get a bonsai project done – whether repotting or trimming – I would hurry. Quite often this hurrying led to problems that had to be corrected when I wasn’t in such a hurry. MORAL: Before you start that repotting project or restyling, make sure you have time to complete it. Also, if you are tired, don’t start – see below. Starting a bonsai project when you are tired When I was working full time, I would come home after a hard day knowing that I needed to do something to my trees. As with most people, when I am tired, I don’t think with the same ‘brain power’ that I do when I am fresh. This of course, can cause mistakes to happen that you don’t realize you made until later when you reexamine your work. Sometimes the mistakes are so obvious that you wonder how you could have done it. The answer is quite simple when you examine the circumstances – you were tired. Of course, there are many things that have to be done – whether tired or not – but try to plan ahead and do the menial things, like watering or rotating plants, when you are tired. MORAL: If you have had a hard day, whether at work or just because you had to work outside all day, postpone that restyling project for an early Saturday morning project and just examine those trees – with your note pad – and plan ahead. Not reading about a tree type I have often picked up a tree at a bonsai nursery or at a garden store because it looked good, or could look good, or I simply thought I needed it in my collection. When I got home and pulled my reference books, I learned that it would only marginally grow in our climate, that it was a difficult tree to grow, or that it required special treatment or growing conditions. MORAL: Before you buy, make sure you research the tree to determine its growing requirements or to decide if you are willing to put in the amount of work needed to keep it growing and looking like a real bonsai. Buying on a whim This mistake goes hand in hand with not knowing about the tree. I have gone to several bonsai suppliers and seen some unusual trees and picked up something. When I got home and examined the tree carefully, I found that the tree had more problems than I originally thought.
Often these problems can be corrected over time, but just as often they are not correctable (i.e. that poorly pruned scar or branch in the wrong place). Ask yourself, do I really need that tree, will it make a good bonsai or is it something that you just ‘want’. MORAL: When you purchase a tree, examine it carefully and make sure you are getting something that will make a good tree and doesn’t have more problems than you can correct in a reasonable time. Buying stuff Bonsai is a long term hobby. We know that it will take years to grow a good tree – maybe more than we have left in our lifetime. However, buying a one year old start will probably just be “stuff” for the rest of your life. I know that I have done that a number of times. If you understand, prior to buying it, that it will just be a tree and not a real bonsai, then go ahead. You can learn a lot by experimenting with “stuff”, but be realistic. Also be realistic about the potential of a tree. More often than not, this “stuff” will always be “stuff” and not true bonsai. When your collection gets larger, you should be ready to dispose of this ‘stuff’ without a lot of pain, and hopefully you have learned something. MORAL: Bonsai is supposed to be both fun and a learning experience. Experiment with the “stuff”, but keep it to a minimum so that you can spend more of your limited time on the trees that have more immediate potential. Not teasing out roots properly During transplanting I either didn’t remove all the dirt or didn’t straighten the roots properly. This is not a major problem but with proper placement of the roots a better looking tree can be obtained. MORAL: Take your time to make sure you tease out the roots and examine them carefully before you remove the longer, larger roots. Watch for the placement of the surface roots. This will pay off in the long run. Dirt removal This could be a major problem. On a boxwood I picked up several years ago from a home supply center (something I have recommended not doing – but that is another story), I didn’t remove all the soil around the trunk on the first or second transplanting. Later, when I learned better, the soil was rock hard, and I have been trying to get it out over the last several transplantings and still have some of it left to get rid of. When you examine the roots, also examine the soil around and below the trunk. MORAL: When you get a new tree and do the fi rst transplanting, take your time, look at the roots carefully, and make sure you get all the old soil out. If you purchase the tree from a bonsai nursery, this may not be a problem. However, if purchased from another type of store, do a thorough job in getting the potting soil out. Pot placement of tree I don’t know how many times I have read about the proper placement of a tree in a pot. You know the routine – slightly back from the horizontal center line and slightly off the vertical center line. Even after careful planning, and hopefully careful working, I have stepped back and it hits me at the first look. It is not in the proper position, or the slant of the tree is wrong. Maybe you say it’s not that big of a thing – and if you are new to bonsai maybe it won’t be. However as you look at the tree day in and day out during watering for instance, you will see it, and you know you did it wrong.
MORAL: After you set the tree in the pot, step back and make sure it is in the correct spot, then go ahead and tie the tree into the pot. Step back again and make sure it still is in the correct place and the angle is still correct – if not, correct it then. Then put the soil in and work it around the roots and step back again. Is it still correct? If not, read the next section. Setting a tree and knowing it was not correct and then being sorry for not correcting it then and there As with the previous section, what do you do when after working in all the new soil, you determine that the tree is not in the proper position? Do you start over or just ignore it and say you will correct it during the next replanting? I know I have said just that and regretted it all year. It is better to take the tree out of the pot and redo it to get the proper placement or correct angle. MORAL: If you determine that the tree is not correct, repot it then. You won’t regret it if you do, but you probably will if you don’t. Putting tree in wrong pot – too small or too large I have spent a lot of time trying to determine if a particular pot complimented a particular tree. Even after doing this, when the tree was put into that pot, it just didn’t look right. I haven’t figured out how to eliminate this mistake. Perhaps I just don’t have the eye for the aesthetics. Use several different styles and colors if you have them before deciding on the one to use. MORAL: Spend a lot of time trying to envision how a tree will look in a particular pot. Place the pot in front of the tree to get a better idea of how it will look in that pot. Try several different pots before you decide on one. Not keeping up with trimming to get ramification A tree always looks better when it has a full flush of leaves. To get this flush of leaves, you need to develop ramification. If you don’t keep up with the trimming, you will simply get elongated branches. You may need to have longer branches; but to get the needed leaves, you will need to trim – maybe as much as once a week or more often, depending on the growing conditions of your tree. I have overlooked this simple task several times and found that it took quite a while to get the tree back in control. MORAL: Always spend a few minutes a day examining your tree and pinch or trim out that new growth when several leaf pairs have formed. As you do, you will gradually develop a much improved tree. Using stainless screws in stands I built my own stands. In the first one I built, I used regular screws. Due to the constant exposure of water, the screws started corroding the first year and quickly gave way. I had to replace the stand and started using either coated deck screws or stainless screws. The stainless screws are about twice as expensive, but they last longer than the pressure treated wood. MORAL: If you want to keep your stands looking good for a long time, use stainless screws. You’ll be happy you did. Also make sure you treat your benches regularly with a good water repellent. You could always use a special wood like cypress, but I would rather use the common pressure treated wood which is much cheaper and spend the savings on better bonsai.
Nashville Bonsai Society 2006 Officers
President 615-449-6693 or 615-337-4728 cell Barbara Walton cuchem@charter.net Vice Presidents: Malcolm Lewis vamal5@aol.com 615-297-4640 Mike Blanton blantonmike@bellsouth.net 615-893-4110 615-812-9753 John Wall wallburns@aol.com Shannon Salyer s_salyer1979@yahoo.com 615-972-6140 Secretary/Webmaster Janet Bauer bauers4@bellsouth.net 615-599-6823 Treasurer Thad Scalf thad.scalf@nfib.org 615-299-6577 Newsletter editor Barbara Walton cuchem@charter.net
If you have questions about a tree, call one of the officers above.
Nashville Bonsai Society 308 Bluegrass Circle Lebanon, TN 37090
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