Hello, I’m Allan’s Replacement
I’m sure most of you are wondering, “Why is Jeff back doing the bonsai club newsletter address? Allan was so much better (to which I totally agree).” Unfortunately for our club, Allan has decided to move back to the greener pastures of Kansas with his family. This will allow his kids to be closer to their grandparents and to learn how to tip cows. Plus, Allan can get started on building his 80-acre bonsai ranch.
While we are grateful that Allan will continue to serve as a remote VP for BCSB through the end of this year, we will all miss Allan and his booming Midwestern twang at our meetings and workshops. Fortunately, we had a one last opportunity to say our in-person good-byes to him at our June meeting (and celebrate with some awesome chocolate chip cookie cake).
I’ll really miss Allan because he has been an outstanding club vice-president. Not only did he do a ton of work to pull the club out of the pandemic lock down, he was the “get it done” person, to counter my somewhat useless “idea guy” persona on the executive team. I also personally owe Allan a great deal of thanks for taking over both the presidential and vice-presidential club responsibilities when I was seriously injured in February, which included pulling double duty on our show preparation and tear-down. Heck, he even organized the wonderful watering brigade of club members who came to my house for 2 months to water my trees while I was recovering, reducing my wife’s stress level by an order of magnitude during what was a very tough time for my whole family. So Allan, thank you very much for all that you did for the club and me, both as VP and personally.
On to tree business…. Well, just when you thought it was safe to put your repotting supplies away until next February, now is a great time to be repotting your succulents and tropicals. With “May Gray” and “June Gloom” behind us, we can take advantage of the warmer temperatures in July to repot and/restyle our tropicals (and warmer Mediterranean species like olives) so they can recover and grow in the heat of August and September. It’s also a good time to work on junipers now that their spring growth has pushed out and hardened off which means their sap flow is slowing down. With the slowing down of sap flow, moderate trunk and branch bending is safe (but save the crazier bending for early spring before bud push). It’s also the best time to create new shari (deadwood on the trunk) because a juniper’s vascular tissue peels easily and will quickly begin to callous along the edges of the newly created deadwood.
Reading further in this newsletter, you’ll find some of Ernie’s, high quality tree photos from our show in May, reports on our June meeting and our very successful and fun Beginner Bonsai Workshop, and details on our July meeting program and Saturday workshop. Jeff
Tuesday July 12, 7-9 PM – Daniel Martinez, Wiring Demo
For our July meeting, BCSB’s very own Danny Martinez will be giving a wiring demonstration and providing attendees with some hands-on learning practice based on what he has learned through studying under Ryan Neal at Bonsai Mirai for the last several years. Employing proper functional wiring techniques is critical for bonsai tree development as it allows you to realize your vision of the tree without damaging it. Also, aesthetically pleasing wire application is vitally important because sloppy wiring immediately draws the focus away from the tree, whether the tree is in the development or refinement stages. The meeting will be held on 12 July at the Bethany Congregational Church, 556 N. Hope Ave., Santa Barbara. The doors will open at 7:00 pm for socializing, with the meeting starting at 7:30.
Saturday July 16, 9 AM-2 PM – Open Workshop
On Saturday, July 16th, we will hold our monthly workshop from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. This will be a club-led workshop, so bring your trees, tools, and lunch. Take advantage of the opportunity to work on your tree in the company of other club members so you can ask questions about tree design, proper application of bonsai techniques, tree care, and what’s happening so far in the Tour de France (if you have the bad luck of working next to Jeff). Due to increasing COVID-19 numbers in the county we will still maintain 6 feet of social distancing between workstations even though we will be working outside on the church’s shade cloth-covered patio. This means there will be a limit to the number of participants. Therefore, you must contact Carol Hicks cmh4769@hotmail.com to reserve your spot. While the workshop is free, we’d like to encourage attendees to donate $10 upon arrival to help defer the cost of renting this space from the church. Sunscreen and a hat are recommended as the shade cloth is on the thin side. Masks are optional.
What’s, Er Rather, Where’s The Scoop?
A bonsai soil scoop, similar to the one in these two photos, was last seen hiding in a bag of premixed soil given out at our Beginner Bonsai Workshop in June. If this scoop ended up in your bag of soil, please contact Jeff Sczechowski via bonsaiclubsantabarbara@gmail.com or return it to him at the upcoming July meeting or workshop. Beginner’s workshop day.
Show Trees From The Bonsai Exhibition–May 21-22
Last Month, John Bleck: Succulents As Bonsai
John Bleck provided some great advice and coaching on how to work with succulents during his presentation “Succulents as Bonsai” at our June meeting. John, who has 30 species of Bursera alone, brought in almost 40 different specimens, including a sarcocaulon (monsonia) vanderietiae (that’s easy for John to say) that he made into a windswept, and several protulacaria afras, one of which was a raft style. John quoted John Naka, who said: “all woody plants are candidates for bonsai.”
Upcoming: Ventura, Bonsai Exhibition And Sale, August 6, 10-4
The Ventura Botanical Gardens, behind City Hall, in Ventura, CA invites you to be an Exhibitor. You are invited to submit up to 3 trees/plants to be placed in an outdoor display. Table space will be provided. Entries will be grouped by size, and labeled with your information. A waiver form covering all entries will be signed before placing trees. Exhibitors are requested to stay close to their trees during the day, to answer questions and greet visitors. Breaks will be covered by VBG docents. There will be an orientation meeting for all exhibitors at 9:45 by the Exhibition tables.
EXHIBITOR DROP OFF: 7:00 am-9:00 am only. The exhibition space is up an incline from the front gate. As the access and exhibition areas are used by pedestrians when the Gardens open, drive up unloading access will be available only until 9:00 am.
EXHIBITOR PICKUP: Once pedestrians have cleared the walkway, vehicles will be admitted for plant pickup. ID’s will be checked for plant checkout and pickup. Plants will be released only to the exhibitor unless prior arrangements have been made with the contact below.
ALL PLANTS must be retrieved no later than 6:00 pm, when the VBG gates must be locked.
Exhibition and entry to the Gardens is free for VBG members, $7 per person for non-members. You will be welcome to explore the gardens before or after viewing the exhibit. There is no refrigeration or kitchen available. Bring your own cooler and chairs to hang out! Plants suitable for pre-bonsai will be available for purchase in our Courtyard Garden shop. Demonstration lectures at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. You may bring plants for sale, with 100% of the proceeds to the VBG. Questions and application deadline is Wednesday, July 27th.
Contact: DianaBoydstun.vbg@gmail.com (805) 216-2015. (Member of Bonsai Club of Santa Barbara, and Ventura Botanical Gardens
