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June 2010 Newsletter President
Mark Passerrello
Tree Curator
Dan Binder
Director Emeritus
José Cueto
1st Vice President
Ken Schultz
2nd Vice President
Zack Clayton
1 year Director
Denny Sackett
2 year Director
Tom Holcomb
3 year Directors
Jack Smith
Treasurer
Richard Gurevitz
Secretary
Sandy Schoenfeld
Librarian
John Young
Web Master
Ed McCracken
Newsletter Editor
Richard Uhrick
Education
Tom Holcomb
Droplet of water Nestled in the thick green moss. Slurp. The bonsai drinks.
-01101001.com
―A Pinch of this….‖
...Follow the cobblestone roads….
Term of the month: NIHON TEIEN
CBS IS MOVING That is right, due to space limitations and the increased entry fee at FPC we are moving
our annual show not only to September, but to German Village in
the Maennerchor Hall. This will give a good sized hall for
increased Vendor, Tree, and workshop/demonstration space. Not to
mention there is a Bar downstairs with several beers on tap, so let’s
give them a reason to be open. Come out and make a weekend of
it, perhaps we will even call it ―Beer, Brats, and Bonsai‖ or
something to that effect.
But let’s not forgot about our neighbors to the East—the Dawes
Arboretum’s Annual Ohio Regional Show is this weekend [see pp
10-11], we should all head out to participate and observe.
See you there.
Bonsai=Perseverance
Rich Uhrick
Columbus Bonsai Society PO Box 1981 Columbus OH 43216-1981 1
[email protected] www.ColumbusBonsai.org Columbus Bonsai is a proud member of the American Bonsai Society and Bonsai Clubs International.
Nihon Teien—Gardens in the Japanese style.
Program Info 2
Presidents Message
3
Staselwood Study Group
4
May Meeting 6
Book of the Month
8
Dawes Shows and Events
10
Calendar 13
Inside this issue:
Join us at Oakland Nurseries–
Columbus on June 20, 2010.
2 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
This Month’s Program— Initial Styling of purchases at Dawes Show and shopping assistance at Oakland Nurseries
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
JULY: Root over Rock with
tropicals
AUGUST: Member Sales, Picnic,
Show Preparation
SEPTEMBER: New Annual Show
date.
OCTOBER: Phoenix Grafts with
Mike Thornhill.
NOVEMBER: Saikei/ Elections. We
will look at Saikei and vote on
officers for the next year.
DECEMBER: Annual Holiday
Party.
DISCLAIMER
The Columbus Bonsai Society Newsletter, is
the intellectual property of the Columbus
Bonsai Society. All Rights Reserved. No part of
this publication may be reproduced in any form,
or by any means —electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise —
without permission in writing from the Editor.
Rich Uhrick, Editor
The Columbus Bonsai Society
receives meeting space and other
support and assistance from Franklin
Park Conservatory and Oakland
Nurseries
We will be at Oakland Nurseries this month, as we look at initial styling techniques of new
purchases. They can be purchases from vendors at the Dawes Show. Or come early and we will help you
select a purchase from the Oakland stock and then assist you with the initial styling.
FPC Beginner Class works on Bougainvillea.
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 3
AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT….
Welcome to June, a hot wet June.
J une has usually meant show season for our club. With the
change to a September show, that frees up June for a regular
meeting, and makes it easier for our members to check out
other shows happening in the area. A case in point is the
regional show hosted by the Dawes Arboretum. If you have never been,
it is a good show hosted in a fascinating venue. It is easy to spend a
long hour or two wandering around the grounds of Dawes, and the
show typically draws a different crowd of exhibitors compared to our
show in Columbus. Let me encourage you to check it out, help support
one of our "brother" clubs-and wear your club apparel, so we can wave
the flag for our own show!
Care Notes from the Columbus Bonsai Society Website
June - Early Summer - 82/59
This is a good month to air layer trees.
After you remove dead flowers, Rhododendron and Azalea
are ready for pruning.
Wiring stiff deciduous is easier now that sap is
flowing. Foliage makes this task more difficult though.
Continue pruning deciduous and tropicals for shape and to
force growth that is more compact.
All trees will be in full growth mode, so water usage is
significantly increased.
You may completely defoliate strong and healthy deciduous
trees to produce smaller foliage and ramification. Do not wait
any later than June, or the tree’s new growth may not harden up
enough in time for winter. This technique should not be
completed in successive years, as it is stressful on the tree. This
technique is usually reserved for maples.
4 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
STUDYING AT STASELWOOD
SESSION ONE: February 2010
According to Dan Binder and Scholarship Recipient
Richard Gurevitz
S ession one began with our mentor, Jeff Carr, giving a
brief historical account of his and Heather's early life.
They lived "on base" [while in the Army] for a half a
dozen or so years before moving back to Hanover, Ohio.
When they arrived, they found Heather's birth homestead up for sale. Her
parents had sold the property to an ostrich farmer. The purchase was too
much to ignore and they bought the homestead plus the greenhouse and
outbuildings. Heather is a master gardener and certified for pesticide ap-
plication. She fertilizes the bonsai and other plants as well and often wa-
ters. Jeff designs and repots. They have horses and many other outdoor
projects, but the bonsai greenhouse dominates their activities.
The morning session began with classroom learning. Jeff began
by talking about the influences that shaped his understanding of bonsai.
Marco Invernizzi and Craig Coussins are some of his mentors. He says
that 80% of a good bonsai is artistic impression, the artistic value of
each tree. [―Rather higher than I thought, but none the less interesting
(Dan).‖] Jeff said "Anyone can read in a book and learn how to keep a
plant alive, but making an otherwise boring shrub and/or tree into really nice Bonsai takes a lot of time, effort
and most importantly creativity". He also said to survey the trees in your collection and if some of them have
no potential, move on to trees that are worth the effort and can develop into good bonsai.
Next, we discussed styling. Jeff suggests we start with the current shape and find a similar form or an
interesting point and work from there. It is important to "be creative, see the potential in the tree". Having a
firm idea of what you want to create is important. Sketch one or more different ideas and then decide the di-
rection you want to follow. "Once you have a plan, remove un-needed branches". The tree must be believable.
It must look naturalistic.
One of Jeff's main philosophies is that when you decide to wire a tree, wire it completely. Do not get
lazy and leave a tree half wired. If you follow this simple rule, you collection will improve tremendously.
Jeff then talked about the "art" side of bonsai--artistic approach, pot selection, and wiring. He said
Debra Koreshoff does a good job of discussing these topics in her book. She "marries" trees and pots well.
Jeff commented on feminine versus masculine trees and pots. He also recommended against going too big
with a pot because that can cause wet conditions
with the roots. Also, beware of "death pots"--pots
that have poor bottom drainage. This also causes
root rot.
Jeff then discussed dome top, slanting style, Jin on
pine and India ink to darken lime sulphur. He also
mentioned that on a windswept style the tips of the
branches could bend up to give the impression of
heavy wind.
In Jeff's opinion, Literati is the most difficult style
to create. He feels you can do a lot with literati, but
you must make it naturalistic.
Jeff recommends you try to imagine where the tree
(Continued on page 5)
Richard ―Doc‖ Gurevitz ready to learn
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 5
will grow. Impose minimal or maximum growth control. Remember, in winter food goes to the root ball.
Prune before bud swell, but leave roots to get good bud production in spring. The way you prune and
repot needs to be decided in advance. Be mindful of aftercare. Roots will not work as well and the upper
parts of the plant will need regular misting for 2 to 3 weeks and keep the plant in a shaded area.
After lunch, we worked on trees. Jeff taught us some wiring techniques including his use of Vet-
Wrap which is an improvement over raffia. He also showed some extreme wiring using a branch lever,
which he designed, and wiring to shorten branches by using extreme curves and bends. [See also May
meeting section] Overall, Jeff and Heather's hospitality made for a most enjoyable day.
(Continued from page 4)
6 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
BONSAI: THE NEW EXTREME SPORT
―Jeff turned bonsai
styling into an
extreme sport.
Stretching not just
branches and trunks
but also the
knowledge of the
audience.‖ — Dan
READY, SET, BEND….
Vetwrap...It’s not just for
horses, anymore!
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 7
BONSAI: THE NEW EXTREME SPORT
Jeff stresses the
importance of sketching
your plan for a tree.
And sometimes it
takes a little help to
bend trunks and
branches...like these
benders that Jeff
brought with him.
Everyone was able to be involved.
Always wire 100% of the tree,
even if you later decide to
remove it.
8 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
Book of the Month: Bonsai Secrets
By Peter Chan
T his book caught my eye because it said ―Reader's
Digest‖ on the cover. I have the Reader's Digest
Bonsai book, but this one was very different. Peter
Chan a well-known British bonsai artist published
bonsai Secrets in 2006. An article earlier this year by Tim Kuhlman
featured a trip to Peter Chan's nursery. The 178-page 10‖ x 7‖ book
uses good quality color drawings and photographs to illustrate the text;
there are ten chapters. The photos and drawings include captions; these
captions often contain interesting facts. For example; ―In ancient times,
bonsai trees and the bonsai masters who worked on them were thought
to possess supernatural powers.‖ As is my custom, the remainder of
this book report contains tidbits that I found interesting and I hope you
do too.
The bonsai principles that we follow are from the Chinese northern school or Suzhon; adopted by
the Japanese. Unlike Japan, Chinese bonsai still follows a landscape concept. A true bonsai master never
considers his knowledge complete. To become a bonsai master takes a lifetime, just as a tree is never
finished as it changes each time you prune or wire its branches.
Chapters 2 & 3 provide guidance on selecting a bonsai, presenting indoor and outdoor varieties;
and where to buy bonsai. There are also sections on value factors and pricing. Deadwood is said to
increase the price because it takes more time to create it. In Chapter 4, Peter Chan presents the Aesthetics
of Bonsai. He feels that hardy outdoor trees represent Japanese Bonsai, where Chinese bonsai styles are
more ornate characterized by indoor tropical varieties and. He also discusses Age and size as value
factors. Chan lists trees used for small, medium and large bonsai, only Juniperus chinensis; hawthorn and
trident maples show up for all three sizes.
Chapter 5 begins ―Bonsai Basics.‖ We have all heard the virtues of Akadama, a dried clay soil
with a pH of six. Chan warns that it is suited for central Japan, which has heavy rainfall, and moderately
cold winters. He said in North America Akadama needs to mixing with bark, grit and dried clay and
pumice to achieve the right balance. Page 73 has a chart showing soil formulas based on tree type. For
example, pines use 20% Akadama, 30% peat moss or bark and 50% sand, pumice or grit.
In the section on repotting, Chan says that in North America it is inadvisable to repot flowering
trees such as azalea, quince, crabapple and apricot after flowering as some Japanese books recommend.
He says the end of February or March is safer. After repotting, protect the trees from high temperatures,
drying winds and strong sunshine. I find these suggestions always good to follow. The section on
watering warns against relying on rainfall. Chan says tap water is fine to water with. He recommends
when watering to water three times for 10 seconds each time.
Chapters 6 & 7 deal with Design and Styling Techniques. Design covers Wabi-Sabi. Shaping
may be achieved by clip and grow, bamboo sticks, guy wires, or wiring. The trick to wiring is to wire so
that the wires do not cross. There are two charts about good wiring and shaping bonsai. I liked the simple
bullet presentation style. The chapter on diseases is easy to understand. There was a list of Field Growing
tips on page 147.
I learned that Pen – Jing means ―potted scenery‖, as opposed to bonsai means plant in a tray, or
tree in a shallow pot. I have skipped over some very good material. I conclude that this book is a ―must
have‖ for all levels of bonsai enthusiasts. Each time I open it I find another tidbit, like ―New jin should be
allowed to dry for a month before applying lime sulphur.
Ken Schultz
In addition to our club library, you can find many
books on Bonsai at your public library under the
Dewey decimal system # 635.9772.
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 9
I have been playing catch up all spring. Seems we once again had warm weather early, followed by
some dry weather and now some very wet weather. All these factors modify what the books tell you
as to what you should be doing and when you should be doing the choirs to keep you trees healthy.
First – Let us talk about the early warm weather, followed by dry and hot and now cool and rainy. It
seems to me that we needed THIS weather for successful repotting back in April. So if you have missed
the repotting earlier- you may be able to repot some of your conifers now (though I would not risk larch-
they are temperamental after their foliage emerges); But it seems we do Shimpaku and Procumbens Nana
at show workshops mid June. If you are not disturbing the root mass too much, you could pot up – giving
your tree a little extra space to relieve them until an optimal condition presents itself. You could pot a
tree into the ground if you really have a serious pot-bound condition.
Second, with all this rain following the warm start to spring, I found that I have ram-pet growth;
extending more than 10‖ in some cases. This means you need to look at the wire on your trees. If you
cannot remember when you put the wire on – it may be cutting into the bark. I had a Shimpaku that
will now take a couple of years to heal over the wire marks. Leaves get bigger and the internodal spaces
get longer as a tree puts on new growth. Elms in my collection are prime examples of this phenomenon.
Unless you need the tree to be larger – and designate the growth as SACRIFICE – look to see where you
need to cut it back to maintain your tree's canopy outline. AS soon as you get new growth on your
Azaleas and Rhododendrons – pinch/cut it back; select the 2 of the 5 you want of the new growth. If you
do not you might be cutting off next Spring's flowers.
The current rainfall presents a third, fourth and fifth problem. Light, fertilizing and root-rot.
Light: If you are already, in shade, you will have 2 problems – One is that the tree above is providing
so much shade your bonsai below is leaning towards the light because of the extra cloud cover.
Moving your trees temporarily might be a solution. Remember that under a tree, you WILL find
that the big tree provides a rain shadow. The trees out in your yard are SOAKING WET, but the
trees under that oak or maple are dry and need watering.
Next is fertilizing; if you use a liquid solution all this rain will wash your fertilizer through the bonsai
mix in 4 days or less. Poo Balls or Osmacote type, slow release can be the answer.
Root-rot: Make sure your bonsai containers are able to drain. If you have, large diameter pots you
may need to put them on a slight tilt to help move the water along. Watch out for trees that hold
water at the surface when you water, or that seem to still be very wet when compared to ones that
you have re-potted this year. Skip them when you water everyday – they might need every other
day. Whatever you do, pay attention or you may find root rot. This condition can cause foliage to
be limp and you will think – Oh, it needs more water, when it is actually drowning.
Remember to rotate your pots, I have found some one-sided growth tendencies already – caused by how
the light can reach each tree. Well, I need to get out there and keep pinching and pruning. See you at a
meeting soon. You should also be keeping your eye out for your outstanding trees to enter into our Fall
show.
Ken Schultz
June Reminders for the Bonsai Grower
10 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
30th Ohio Regional
Bonsai Show
Saturday, June 12, 2010: noon - 7 pm and
Sunday, June 13, 2010: 11 am - 5 pm
The Dawes Arboretum cordially invites you to experience the art of bonsai
at its 30th annual Ohio Regional Bonsai Show (ORBS).
Over 100 bonsai specimens displayed by individuals and Bonsai Clubs
from central Ohio will be on show in the Firelight Room. Ohio Bonsai
artists will conduct fee-required workshops (see reverse side) and free
demonstrations for all skill levels throughout the weekend. And, there
will be a silent auction each day of the show.
If you are ready to start your own bonsai or are an old pro looking for
supplies, vendors of bonsai tools, containers, Japanese art, jewelry and
plants will be on hand.
DAWES HISTORY The initial stages of the Bonsai collection at The Dawes Arboretum had occurred in 1960. Re-
cords of the original five or 6 trees have been lost. CBS had donated trees styled by visiting artists: Tosh
Saburomaru, John Naka, William Valavanis, and Ben Oki. Other clubs and individuals have also con-
tributed bonsai for the permanent collection.
Bonsai workshops at the arboretum began in 1970.
Following some initial discussions, the first meeting was in January 1981 to plan the first show.
Polly Niederlander, Carolyn and Max Puderbaugh of CBS, Shirley and Art Patznic of Dawes, and repre-
sentatives of Cox Arboretum and Sandusky societies participated.
Jack Wikle and Keith Scott gave workshops and had supplies and plants for sale.
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 11
30th ORBS Workshops (Classes limited to 12, except as noted)
*Mail check or money order payable to The Dawes Arboretum, ATTN: Horticulture at 7770 Jacksontown Rd., SE Newark, OH 43056.
To pay by credit card, call the Visitors Center at 740-323-2355 to register.
Please provide the following for each registrant:
Name Name
Address Address
State Zip Code State Zip Code
Phone (in case of questions) Phone (in case of questions)
e-mail e-mail
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Instructor
Keith Stevens – The Dawes Arboretum, Newark, Ohio.
Keith is Curator of the Japanese Garden and Bonsai
Courtyard as well as Treasurer of the Pun Ching Bonsai
Club.
Workshop A 10:30 - 1:00 pm Beginning Bonsai –
Education Center, Greenhouse Classroom Come for an introduction to the art of bonsai. Students will learn
the history of bonsai, types of plants, containers, soil and tools to
use, and how to prune and style trees. Students receive one tree,
bonsai container, soil, wire and an Art of Bonsai booklet. Tools will
be available to use.
Cost: $35
Jeff Carr – Staselwood Bonsai, Newark, Ohio. Jeff's
bonsai interest began in Savanna, Ga., 15 years ago. He has
studied bonsai under a number of artists including Craig
Coussins. Jeff is the current President of the Pun Ching
Bonsai Club.
Workshop B 1:00-3:30 pm Soft Touch Holly Workshop –
Horticulture Bldg. Jeff will be offering a Japanese holly variety called 'Soft Touch'.
These plants are in two-gallon containers, and they should finish out
at 10-12 inches tall.
Cost: $60
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Ken Huth – Ken's World of Bonsai, North Canton, Ohio.
Ken has been a regular at the Columbus Bonsai shows as
well as MABA and other events for over 15 years. He
brought erodium to the Ohio bonsai market. He has
collected trees in the Dakota's with Andy Smith.
Workshop C 11:00-1:30 pm Morris Midget Boxwood
Horticulture Bldg. These Morris Midget Japanese littleleaf boxwood are approximately
10 years old. Their small foliage makes for a nice broom style or
styled out in layers.
Cost: $45
John Brannon – The Nursery at Onion Creek, Albany,
Ohio. John's bonsai interest evolved from an interest in
gardening that began in the 1950's. He is a familiar face at
many garden shows and events. He raises his plant material
at his nursery. As they say, he has an eye for the art of
bonsai.
Workshop D 1:30 – 4 pm Rock Clasping Japanese
Wisteria – Education Center, Greenhouse
Classroom John will be doing a rock clasping Japanese wisteria. Participants
will be working with 2 to 3 ft. plants.
Cost: $45 Limit of 10 people
I would like to attend the following: Workshop No. of People Fee Subtotal Please indicate
a second choice
in case the
class you want
becomes full.
A _______ x $ 35 = ______________
B _______ x $ 60 = ______________
C _______ x $ 45 = ______________
D _______ x $ 45 = ______________
*Total:
______________
12 COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010
From the Circulation Desk of the C.B.S. Library
In an effort to make the C.B.S. library more available to all of our members (since the library cabinet
is being stored at Oakland Nursery and since we aren't meeting there every month), I will do my best to
fill any requests that you may have to borrow any of the items that we currently have in our collection.
I have a complete list of all of the books, magazines and videos that we have in our library; so, no later
than the Friday before our monthly meeting, either send me an e-mail at [email protected] or
give me a call at 614-267-4168 and let me know what items you would like to borrow from our library.
I will let you know if we have that particular item in our library or, if it has already been checked
out by another one of our members, when it should be available for you to borrow. However, if you are
interested in a particular article or topic in one of our bonsai magazines, I will need to know the specific
issue you
would like to borrow, since I don't have a master index for all of the magazines that we have. And to
be as fair as possible to all of our members, you may check out only two books, magazines, CD's or
videos at one time for a two month period.
Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions about these new procedures. After all, it
is your library, too!
John Young, Librarian
(614) 267-4168
Renewal Memberships may be paid for more than one year at a time.
COLUMBUS BONSAI SOCIETY JUNE 2010 13
Bonsai Here and Beyond the Outerbelt
Unless otherwise noted, The Columbus Bonsai Society meets the third Sunday of every month at
1:45 pm at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Board Meetings are the first Tuesday of the month at
7:00 pm. The board meetings are open to members.
12-13 JUN 2010 DAWES SHOW
12-13 JUN 2010 NATIONAL BONSAI EXPOSITION—ROCHESTER, NY
20 JUN 2010 INITIAL STYLING OF TREES—OAKLAND
25-27 JUN 2010 MABA SHOW—GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
18 JUL 2010 ROOT OVER ROCK / USING TROPICALS—FPC
24-25 JUL 2010 WILDWOOD GARDENS BBQ– SUTHIN SUKOSOLVISIT, GUEST
24-25 JUL 2010 SE REGIONAL BONSAI SHOW; NASHVILLE—GUY GUIDRY GUEST
15 AUG 2010 STYLES OF BONSAI/ SHOW PREP/MEMBER SALES—OAKLAND
18-19 SEP 2010 CBS SHOW —FPC
29 SEPT-12 OCT 2010 BCI IN CHINA
9-10 OCT 2010 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BONSAI—PARIS, FRANCE
OCT 2010 SHOW OF THE CAROLINA’S —ASHEVILLE ARBORETUM
OCT 2010 OAKLAND NURSERY FALL FESTIVAL
17 OCT 2010 PHOENIX GRAFTS —FPC
21 NOV 2010 ELECTIONS/ SAIKEI/ STYLES—OAKLAND
DEC 2010 HOLIDAY DINNER —TBD
JUN 2011 ABS/BCI LEARNING SEMINAR—LOUISVILLE, KY
FPC= FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY
OAKLAND= OAKLAND NURSERY, COLUMBUS
Columbus Bonsai Society
PO Box 1981
Columbus, OH 43216-1981
Questions to:
HTTP://Columbusbonsai.org
Regular Club meetings on
3rd Sunday of the month
Meetings Start at 1:45 pm
All are welcome to attend
CBS Board meets
1st Tuesday of the month
at 7:00 pm
Meeting is at
Oakland Nurseries