The Bonsai News of Houston A Monthly Newsletter of the Houston Bonsai Society Inc.

Volume 49 Number 1 January 2018

Make the Cut” , April 6th -9th. Sheraton Dallas North Hotel, De

Berries on holly bonsai become staple food for cardinals in the winter (Photo: Pinterest)

The next meeting of the Houston Bonsai Society will be at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in Hermann Park, 1500 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77004. Refreshments at 7 PM, meeting starts at 7:30 PM.

January 3 HBS monthly meeting: Pinch pots for accent plants with HBS pottery artist Andy Sankowski. This master potter will give us a quick lesson then at the end of the workshop, collect the pots for firing. Next year, we will fill them with plants to be used as centerpieces at the ABS - LSBF convention.

Upcoming Events

January 6 Saturday BYOT Japanese Black Pine Workshops with artist Jonas Dupuich at Timeless Trees Bonsai Studio, in Rosenberg. Bring your own trees to work on or purchase some from the nursery. Morning session: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM; Afternoon 1 PM – 5PM Cost: $50 per session or $85 for all day. Refreshments provided.

January 13 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees - 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

January 19-21 Eleventh Annual Mid-Winter Bonsai Workshop at the Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA. Demonstration by David DeGroot every afternoon of the 3-day event, at 2:30pm. All demo trees will be auctioned. Raffles every day.

January 19 Friday BYOB Bonsai Workshop 12 Noon – 4PM January 20 Saturday BYOB Bonsai Workshop 9AM – 2PM. January 21 Sunday BYOB Bonsai Workshop 9AM – 2PM.

IN THIS ISSUE

Upcoming Events

Pinch pots with Potter Andy Sankowski

Showcase of the Month

Rare Winter Colors

January Bonsai Care

John Miller

President’s

Letter

Andy Sankowski Master Potter

Bjorn Bjornholm

Kokufu-Ten & Japan tour

Mid-Winter Workshop with David DeGroot in Baton Rouge, LA

Rare winter colors

January Bonsai Care Time to get out and check your shovel, loppers, chain saw, and your other favorite collecting paraphernalia. Be ready to join the group when a dig is scheduled. That’s the very best way to get old material that will do well in your area. If you are lucky, you may just find one that nature, machinery or cows have done most of the styling for you.

Cold weather is here again. Be sure your trees are well watered before going through a deep freeze. They will be losing water to evaporation, but will not be able to replenish it if the soil is frozen. Protection from high winds is also necessary so the tops will not dry out. Sunlight is not neces-sary on deciduous trees when they have lost their leaves. In fact, it can be bad for the tree because it may heat up the trunk and soil which could make the trees come out of dormancy too early.

I recommend placing the hardy trees on a well-drained ground bed in a protected shady area. Then cover the pots with a shallow layer of mulch. You should know which trees have a greater need for water. If you put these trees together, it will be easier to check your need for watering while they are in the bed.

I would treat the evergreens in a similar manner but put them where they can get some sun.

Of course, the tender and semi-tender trees need protection. The semi-tender (e.g. crepe myrtle, pomegranate and other ’native’ that are on the edge of their range) get left out for some frost but no freezing. When freezing is expected, they need to be put in a cool area. If they show growth again, they go in the greenhouse.

Tender or tropical trees that are kept indoors will be using more water to offset the lower humidity. Soil will also be losing water faster through its surface. Be sure to watch the indoor trees for insect problems. Most plant insects love a controlled atmosphere like the indoors. Spider mites seem to get the most attention here because they do well in a low humidity and the lack of foliage spraying. Scale can be an easily overlooked source of trouble. There are usually more severe problems with plants that have been kept outdoors in summer then brought in without any treatment. Indoor trees need to be fertilized regularly and will require periodic trim-ming, as they continue to grow through the winter.

Greenhouses are much the same as indoors. However, most green-houses are kept more humid. The higher humidity is to the liking of aphids and fungal diseases. It may also result in your keeping the soil too moist with associated root problems. Use your standard insect control that you used last summer. I use my Garrett Juice mixture.

Back to the outdoor trees. Any long warm spells during the month could activate some of the insect problems but as a rule, there are no special need to look for in January. Spraying with a dormant oil spray will kill

adults, nymphs, and eggs of those trying to over-winter on your trees. Some dormant sprays can be used on new growth but better results overall would be obtained if you do it before Valentine’s Day. A weak lime sulphur dormant spray will also get fungal spores and should be done before February 1 and not at all, if any green is showing.

If you have your summer display and growing benches cleared, you could use a stronger solution lime sulphur to disinfect that area too. The underside of the benches should be sprayed also. Might even eliminate spider mites next year.

Styling can be done at this time but no repotting, unless you are going to keep the tree from freezing after that. Repotting initiates new root development which is usually not very hardy.

A better approach would be to study one or two trees thoroughly each day, making notes on what needs to be done. January is an excellent time to start any remodeling projects that may be necessary. While the trees are dormant, you have better view of the branch structure. Do any need to be moved or removed?

Do any coarse branches need to be cut back to a smaller side branch, for refinement? Do any long straight branches need wiring to give them motion? Does the tree really need a drastic redesign? You can also trim the twigs back, while you have them there.

John Miller

John Miller, who writes a monthly column for the Bonsai Society of Dallas and Fort Worth Bonsai Society, has agreed to share his column with us. We need to make adjustments for our warmer and damper climate, with earlier springs, longer summers, late fall and erratic winters.

Some salmon azaleas are already showing off in Houston.

President’s Letter

Happy New Year!!!

This time of year is obviously a great time to do some thinking about what you would like to improve in the coming year and begin working toward that goal.

For myself, I am aiming to improve some my horticultural practices and the overall health of my trees. The first step on that list is to follow Scott Barboza’s guidance about dormant spraying. Right now is a good time to get your dormant oil spraying done to kill off those insects and insect eggs that are overwintering on and around your trees. Following this in 30 days with a lime sulfur spray for fungus gives the trees a good, healthy head start into the growing season.

We have begun planning for the 2019 convention to be held in Houston. This will be a special event as it will be the American Bonsai Society convention for the year as well as the Lone Star Bonsai Federation 2019 convention.

Right now, we are seeking a theme for the convention. Past convention themes have included Bonsai on the Bayou and East Meets West (Houston), Gateway to Bonsai (St. Louis), Blooming Bonsai (Longview this year), and Make the Cut (Dallas). If you have an idea for the theme, please let Scott, Hurley or Pete know so they can bring it to the planning committee for consideration.

We will be doing our first group activity for the convention at this month’s meeting as we make pinch pots, some of which will be used for centerpieces at the convention in 2019.

HBS dues are due. Please make sure you take the time at the January meeting to get with our treasurer Eldon and get yours paid.

The Board of Directors works hard to ensure that your money is well spent and, partially as a result, there has never been an increase in dues since the inception of HBS.

As a reminder, please reserve April 19-22 on your calendar this year for the LSBF State “Blooming Bonsai” convention in Longview. Registration is now available through the LSBF website at http://lonestarbonsai.org. The convention will be held at a new Hilton Garden Inn and the Longview club has negotiated for a $99/night. The chairperson for the convention is a friend of the chef, so I expect the food to be excellent. Headline artists are “Bonsai Boon” Manakitivipart, Rodney Clemons from Georgia, and Mike Lane from Wigert’s nursery in Florida.

Workshop materials are heavily weighted toward blooming plants including miniature weeping crepe myrtles, Barbados cherry and Lavender Star flowers among others.

Once again, Happy New Year!

Pete Parker

Functional or artistic? Or both? (Teapot by Andy S.)

Andrew Sankowski

Master potter, artist and teacher

Austin, San Antonio and Houston Bonsai

Societies have been blessed with many talented

artists in many media other than bonsai, who

also found ingenious ways to incorporate little

trees with their own works of art.

Earth without Art is just… “Eh”.

For over a decade, HBS claims Andy Sankowski

as our very own master potter, artist and teacher.

He is also a promoter of the arts, providing many

artists in various media a gallery, Mossrock Fine

Art gallery, in The Woodlands. In between his

full teaching and shows schedule, this very busy

artist was caught on camera escaping to Hurley

Johnson’s Timeless Trees Bonsai studio in

Rosenberg, to create his little forest, in his own

bonsai pot.

And extraordinary bonsai pots, he makes. Not

only they serve a practical purpose, they also

delight the viewer and the touch…er with a

visual and tactile satisfaction with elusive yet

distinctively different forms, colors, textures and

glazes.

These creations compliment any bonsai they

hold, but also look beautiful empty and

alone. Each creation shows sophistication,

knowledge, refined skill and the most artistic

creativity.

On one of my visits, I discovered this alchemist

discreetly making his own specialty clays and his

own 200 signature glazes by mixing various

chemicals, minerals and other secret ingredients,

besides the finest clays and glazes from around

the world he offered. These high-quality

materials used for his own and his students’

works require firing at high temperatures, up to

2400º Fahrenheit, which give them the deepest

colors and highest sheen, but also the strongest

structure to last a long long time.

In fact, the jewel like pots I’ve acquired from

Andy will last forever. I safeguard them from all

natural elements and unforeseeable accidents, by

keeping them on the highest display shelves, in

my living room. I also kicked my cats out and

locked the door. (Just kidding! I love cats, all of

the two dozen of them patrolling my block, but

only from afar. They are allergic to me).

Here are a few samples of pinch pots for accent

plants and Mame bonsai pots Andy made in the

past year, to inspire you. The pots we will make

at our HBS January monthly meeting are

destined to become centerpieces at the 2019

LSBF State Convention we will be hosting in

Houston.

The beauties shown here however can be

purchased, ordered or even made in class. For a

full schedule of the classes available this Spring

semester, please visit Mossrock Studio’s website

at http://www.mossrockstudio.com/.

Pack your apron, a few rags and tools. We will

have a lot of fun playing with mud on January

3rd.

Shawn Nguyen

(Photos from Hurley Johnson and Andy Sankowski)

Moss rock or

Moon Mud?

_______ OOO _______

If Santa did not bring what you asked for, there is still a chance to cash in those gift cards and reward yourself with a bonsai trip of a lifetime.

Bjorn Bjornholm

Kokufu-Ten 2018 Tour

If you have been dreaming about traveling to Japan to see the world’s top bonsai show, the Kokufu-ten exhibition in Tokyo, explore the best bonsai gardens in the Omiya Bonsai Village (Saitama), and immerse yourself in the culture of old Japan in Kyoto and Osaka, there is no better time than now to book with Bjorn Bjornholm’s Kokufu-Ten 2018 Tour, from February 5 to 14, 2018.

More details: http://www.bjornbjorholm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Kokufu-ten-Tour-2018.pdf

Baton Rouge Garden Center 7950 Independence Blvd.,

Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Featured Artist and Workshop Leader

Mr. David DeGroot

LBS welcomes back David DeGroot. He has been practicing bonsai for nearly 50 years. He is the curator emeritus of the famous Weyerhaeuser Company’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection, near Seattle. His early bonsai study was in New Orleans, as a member of the seminal Vaughn Banting’s study group. He has also studied with such teachers as Chase Rosade, Yuji Yoshimura, Ben Oki, and John Naka. He has written dozens of articles and books on Bonsai, and served twice as director of the American Bonsai Society.

Friday January 19, 2018 Bonsai Workshop 12 Noon to 4PM Workshop $40 (LBS members $30). Limited to 8. Supper social $12. Observer $10 (LBS members: Free)

Demonstration by David DeGroot 5PM

Saturday, January 20, 2018 Bonsai Workshop 9AM to 2PM Workshop $50 (LBS members $40). Limited to 8. Lunch $12. Observer $10 (LBS members: Free)

Demonstration by David DeGroot 2:30 PM

Sunday January 21, 2018 Bonsai Workshop 9AM to 2PM Workshop $45 (LBS Members: $35). Limited to 8. Lunch $12. Observer $10 (LBS members: Free)

Raffle of demonstration trees 2PM Two trees. Separate raffles. $5 per ticket, $20 for 5 tickets. Need not be present to win.

Pre-bonsai available Workshops are bring-your-own-tree, but a limited supply of pre-bonsai is available. Reserve your trees by calling Lowell Tilly at (225) 241-2396.

Vendors Rick Berrigan, A Little Piece of Heaven Bonsai; Bill Butler, Bill’s Bayou Bonsai; and Byron Myrick, Myrick Bonsai Pottery will have bonsai trees, supplies, and pots.

Silent Auction Visiting clubs are encouraged to bring items for silent auctions to be held each day of the workshop. 90% of the proceeds will go to the donating club and 10% to the Garden Center.

Registration Registration is open to Louisiana Bonsai Society members only until 11/22/2017, and the general public after this date.

To register, please call Lowell Tilly at (225) 241-2396.

Club trees for workshops available for purchase In an attempt to improve the quality of our collections, Louisiana Bonsai Society has been acquiring some trees to be available for workshops. The trees have been selected for suitability as pre-bonsai material. They can be reserved on a first come first served basis. To reserve a tree, call Lowell Tilley at (225) 241-2396. Number, variety, and price for each 3 Shimpaku Junipers $65 1 Green Mound Juniper (large) $95 4 Green Mound (medium) $30 4 Green Mound Juniper (small) $20 4 Miniature Crepe Myrtle $30 6 Elaeagnus Silverberry $15

In addition to those, we can get a couple of larger Bald Cypress for about $200 each and some very old large miniature Crepe Myrtles for $300 each, if anyone is interested. Contact Lowell for details.

Join Louisiana Bonsai Society Join today and receive member discounts on workshops. $20 for individual, $25 for a family.

Mini Show All participants are welcome.

Calendar of Events

2018

JAN 1 Happy New Year!

JAN 3 HBS monthly meeting: Pinch pots for accent plants with HBS own pottery mastert Andy Sankowski

JAN 6 Saturday BYOT Workshops with Jonas Dupuich at Timeless Trees. Morning 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM (8 spots); Afternoon 1 PM – 5PM, (8 spots). Cost $50 per session or $85 for all day. Bring your own trees. Jonas is good with many trees, but excellent with conifers and deciduous, especially Japanese Black Pine and Yaupon Holly.

JAN 13 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees, Rosenberg, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

JAN 19-21 Louisiana Bonsai Society Annual Mid-Winter Bonsai Workshop, Baton Rouge Garden Center, 7950 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (see announcement for details). FEB 2 - 4, 2018 16th Biennial Shohin Seminar at Hotel Mission De Oro, Santa Nella, CA. This Shohin seminar is one of the best, if not the best, opportunity in the U.S. to see and learn about Shohin. Full Registration of $125 covers access to lectures, demonstrations, Saturday buffet lunch, Saturday buffet dinner, Sunday buffet breakfast, 2 coffee breaks, Hospitality Suite, exhibit, vendors; areas, and raffles. $30/day passes available.

FEB 3 - 4, Saturday & Sunday: The 19th Noelanders Trophy organized by the Bonsai Association Belgium at the Limburghal in Genk, Belgium. Featured international demonstrators Kunio Kobayashi, Bjorn Bjorholm, Giacomo Pappalardo, and Milan Karpíšek. Details at http://bonsaiassociation.be/.

FEB 5 -14, 2018, Kokufu-Ten 2018 tour, organized by Bjorn Bjornholm. See details in announcement above, on page 6.

FEB 7 HBS monthly meeting: Developing Maple bonsai with Sergio Cuan

FEB 10 Saturday Study Group at Quality Feed & Garden in The Heights, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

FEB 17 HBS Club Dig for new material with Chris Renaldo. More details coming. MAR 7 HBS Monthly Meeting: Side Veneer Grafting with Alex Leong and Scott Barboza

MAR 10 Saturday Study Group at Maas Nursery

MAR 23-24 LCBS Annual Exhibit and SWLA Garden Expo at Burton Coliseum, 7001 Gulf Hwy, Lake Charles, LA 70607, from 9AM -5PM

MAR 22, Thursday set-up: 7:30AM-5:30PM. Preview Party & Gumbo follows from 6-8 PM.

Make sure you go to Timeless Trees’ website and sub-scribe to weekly Current Events to stay in the know. You can find the best gifts: trees, pots, all sorts of bonsai supplies, tools and books for your bonsai lovers or yourself.

Quality Feed & Garden and Ken stand ready to help you with bonsai selection, bonsai care, pots and supplies. Ken also personally holds free classes for HBS every 3-month to help you start with your first bonsai. Check the Calendar of Events for dates. Ask for 10% HBS discount.

Come stock up on bonsai soils, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers and other supplies. The plant doctor is always on duty, so bring your unhappy or unhealthy bonsai for a free check-up. Don’t forget to ask for a 10% HBS discount.

Winter is here and JRN II is stocked with cold weather blooming bonsai like azaleas, camellias and quinces, as well as indoor bonsai for beginners and serious bonsai lovers. Arrangements of citrus trees, orchids and flowers can be ordered for the New Year and all other occasions.

Visit artist Andrew Sankowski at the Mossrock Studio & Fine Art Gallery for the finest gifts and most uniquely beautiful bonsai pots in every shape, form and color. Personalized pots or gifts can be commissioned year round. Weekly pottery classes are also available.

Andrew Sankowski 26002 Oak Ridge Drive Direct (281) 684-4411

The Woodlands, TX 77380 Fax (281) 363-9032

andy@mossrockstudio.com

For high quality daizas for viewing stones, Suiseki, bonsai stands and Shoji screens in any shape, form, style, wood, dimensions and colors, please visit artist Jerry Braswell. Send him your designs and specifications for custom wood work. For more info: www.artofthedaiza.wordpress.com

Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. P. O. Box 540727, Houston, Texas 77254-0727

www.houstonbonsai.com

HBS Board Members

President Pete Parker peteparkerbonsai@yahoo.com

1st Vice President Scott Barboza markyscott@me.com in charge of Education 2nd Vice President Hoe Chuah hoe.chuah@gmaill.com Secretary Maria Grissom maria.l.grissom@uth.tmc.edu Publicity Ken Cousino krcousino@yahoo.com

Treasurer Eldon Branham elmo4635@aol.com

in charge of Membership Webmaster Anthony Cutola acutola@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Gale Childers f5gale@macconnect.com

Member at Large - O James Kelly kurstyn.castillo@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Ryan Vollert rmvnucks@gmail.com

Member at Large – E Sharon Barker barkersharonr48@gmail.com Member at Large - E Ray González raygonzalez47@yahoo.com Member at Large – E Brian Gurrola bgurrola@gurrolareprographics.com

Delegates Past President Hurley Johnson hurley@all-tex.net

LSBF Delegate Terry Dubois tdubois1@comcast.net

LSBF Alternate Pete Parker peteparkerbonsai@yahoo.com

BCI Ambassador

TTSBE Representative Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net

Refreshments

Website/email Gary Teeter houstonbonsai@gmail.com

Newsletter editor Shawn Nguyen hbs.news@yahoo.com

The Bonsai News of Houston is a monthly publication of the Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. Copyright © 2011. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the editor or a member of the Board of Directors. Exceptions exist, however, for certain not-for-profit and non-profit bonsai organizations or associated bonsai and bonsai nursery newsletters, including without limitation the American Bonsai Society. HBS participates fully with reciprocation of contents and material between other LSBF member organizations and others. Authors who submit articles for this newsletter thereby give permission to such organizations to reprint, unless they expressly state otherwise.

Space for advertising in The Bonsai News of Houston can be requested by contacting the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board. The rates for a business-card-size ad (approximately 3 1/2" x 2") are $6 per month, $30 for 6 months and $50 per year (12 issues). A full-page ad is $25 per month. Rates are subject to change without notice. 3½" x 2" classified ads are run free of charge for one month once per 12-month period for non-commercial members. For special requests or questions related to The Bonsai News of Houston, contact the newsletter editor or a member of the HBS Board.