by Mark Goodman 11/2022
- Tuesday’s Club Meeting 7:00pm to 9:00pm November 15th.
Membership Writing Contest!
This month we are having a writing contest and the prize is a sweet beginner bonsai tool kit compliments of Judith Byrum.
To enter this contest please describe your connection to bonsai in 250 words or less. Feel free to elaborate on what has inspired you to join the bonsai society. Tell us what you love most about this living art form and how you got started with it. Entries can be submitted by email to wsbonsai@acies.com no later than November 30th. The top 10 essays will be sent out to the group for voting and the winning entry will be announced in our December newsletter.
Winter Bonsai Care!
First the simpler side of winter care. While still on their benches, early winter is a good time of year to go through our trees one by one. This seasonal process allows us to determine the tree’s current and future needs. Does this tree need to be re-potted next spring? Are we happy with our design trajectory? Is this tree healthy? Is this a tree we want to continue investing time in? Is this tree in development or refinement? These are questions we can ask ourselves and plan accordingly. Make a work list with photos and refer back frequently, especially during the winter when there is time to work on individual trees. You can also refer to your work list prior to the next re-potting season to determine how much soil to order, if you will need new pots and which trees will be re-potted. If we develop a consistent evaluation process our gardens will begin to evolve into a respectable bonsai collection.
While evaluating our collection it is a good time to clean up canopies, trunks and soil surface. This is the same routine maintenance we discussed a few months ago which improves both the health and appearance of our trees. Take a few minutes to remove the few remaining leaves. While at it lightly prune undesirable twigs and small dead branches with a sharp pair of shears. With a pair of tweezers and dental pick remove moss that is creeping up the trunk. Take your time and be sure to be thorough.
By the time you read this we have already seen freezing temperatures. Luckily, we had at least a three-week descent into this winter weather giving our trees time to adjust. Whether you have space in your garage, a greenhouse or plan to overwinter your trees on the ground, prepare the area and get supplies now before the next hard freeze arrives. Preparation may include disinfecting or fumigating, purchasing straw or bubble wrap, clearing a space in the garden where you plan on heeling in your potted bonsai. With preparations in place, trees can be winterized in a moment’s notice and tragedy avoided. When planning winter storage refer back to your work list made earlier and for easy access keep the trees you want to work on placed towards the front.
Winter bonsai storage is a combination of good horticultural practices and personal choices with the final decision based on our resources and space to work with. There is a ton of wintering advice and opinions available to us on the internet and from other self-proclaimed experts. As we have all realized, bonsai is a hobby with a long steep learning curve and storing our trees during the cold winter months is another aspect of that curve. The more time we put in the better we begin to understand the needs of our trees. Winter temperatures that worry you this year may not next.
Links From Trusted Sources!
You are encouraged to click on the links below that further define our monthly topic, they are not chosen randomly. In addition, take time to read the comments. The author will often clarify the finer details in order to answer a specific comment.
By following the seasonal suggestions provided by these trusted bonsai professionals your trees will begin to improve. It is also important to keep in mind while viewing outside information that our agricultural hardiness zone is 8 with an average rainfall of 45 inches. If artists live outside our zone, adjust their suggestions accordingly.
Bonsaiwest.com The Four Season of Bonsai: Winter
“Even at its best, winter in New England is a difficult time for growing bonsai. You might be tempted to think that these are the quiet months, when in fact we are as busy as in any other season. The hobby has year-round activity built into it.”
Bonsai4me.com Winter Care for Bonsai
“The temperature of the bonsai soil should be stopped from dropping by placing the tree and pot in a covered shelter. An unheated outhouse such as a shed or garage provide the best protection, but well insulated cold-frames or covers can also be adequate.”
BuffaloBonsaiSociety.com Bonsai Tasks in November
“Well, it’s certainly that time of the year, again. By now your winter storage plans should be final. We’ve had some frosts and the temperatures have been in the 40’s for the most part.”
Club Meeting this month
This month, club member and author of our feature article “On the Use of Cement for Bonsai” Pete Morris will give a short demonstration on constructing concrete bonsai containers. As an economical alternative to traditional ceramic bonsai pots, these containers provide the artist freedom to create shapes and sizes specifically tailored to individual trees.
Besides the short demo our monthly club meetings are work meetings so bring a deciduous or conifer tree and your tools. We all like challenges and questions, so this is a good time to address some of the more perplexing problems. Monthly meetings are fun and casual. If you are new and unsure you are welcome to come and observe, ask questions and get to know us.
This month our meeting is Tuesday evening November 15th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Rain Cap Truck and Auto Accessories 4469 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98226.
When you arrive at Rain Cap drive through the open gate and to the back of the first building, you will find us in the spacious shop. To ensure the safety of all our club members who attend in-person events we continue to follow Washington State Department of Health guidelines. Masks are recommended for in-person gatherings, but not required. If you are feeling sick, please stay home.
Members Perspective
From Russell Mitchell 11/06/2022: Relearning soils from a bonsai perspective has been a great improvement to my practice of horticulture. I’ve admitted to myself that I had a compost addiction, and that it was terribly destructive to my plants. The most important part of my recovery has been sifting my soil components, both when mixing fresh and in preparing old soil for reuse.
It’s amazing how much of what I’ve bought for mixing soil has been straight-up dust. The change-over has been amazing for my houseplants, and bonsai alike.
Editors Perspective
Quality pre bonsai material is often difficult to find and it takes time to develop an eye for what will eventually become a good tree. Most of us start with the local landscape nurseries, eventually ending up in the bargain lot hoping to find that diamond in the rough. We do all the right things, look for trunk flare, movement and taper, branch placement and so on. We make our choice, get it home and bam “how did I miss that?”
Don’t be discouraged, identifying potential bonsai material is a skill that we acquire through trial and error. After a few years our track record improves as we begin to realize even though we can find material at our local nurseries, these trees are not grown with bonsai in mind. These trees are young and cultivated for landscape, different environment, different needs. We learn our best resources are regional club sales and auctions, specialized bonsai nurseries and other club members.
Another resource for unique material is collecting from well-established landscapes or the wild. In both cases digging tools and sometimes special permits are required. Even though these resources can provide excellent raw material, trees taken from these environments require special aftercare.
Regardless of where our pre-bonsai material comes from it is important to be patient and develop an eye for quality. After our initial evaluation it is always good to ask the question “will this tree improve my collection?” If the honest answer is yes, then we can feel confident about making the next move. Happy hunting!
Comments, Suggestions and content
If you have WSBS club or newsletter suggestions, comments and contributions to “Members “Perspective” or a feature article idea please contact Mark Goodman by phone at 360-999-7705 or email at WSBonsai@acies.com. Your participation is encouraged!