1. home and garden

FOG CITY BONSAI
MARCH 2009
Bonsai Events at-a-Glance...
Thurs., March 12. BSSF
March Meeting. Bonsai Display.
Thurs., March 19. BSSF 3rd
Thursday Workshop Canceled.
Wed.-Sun., March 18-22.
BSSF Bonsai Show at the San
Francisco Flower and Garden
Show.
Sun., March 29. Santa Cruz
Bonsai Kai 20th Annual Show.
Sat., April 4. BSSF Bonsai
Sale at the Hall of Flowers.
Sat. & Sun, April 4-5. Sei Boku
Bonsai Kai Annual Show.
Thurs., April 9. BSSF April
Meeting with Jim Gremel and
home-made yamadori juniper.
In this Issue:
February Meeting Notes: Bonsai
Pot Swap.
Bonsai Notes for March
Preparing for the Show
BSSF Bonsai Sale Guidelines
Upcoming Events, Meetings, and
Announcements
Your Spring Bonsai Care
Calendar - BSSF
B o n s a i Po t S w a p
Fe b r u a r y Me e t i n g No t e s
February is repotting season for most of your bonsai here in the Bay
Area. So, many bonsai hobbyists are busy pondering what stye pot
they plan to purchase and to use for their best trees. For our February meeting we discussed the basic guidelines for choosing a pot for
your bonsai tree as well as provided our members a chance to sell,
buy, or trade bonsai pots. This was our first bonsai pot swap, and as
you can tell from our cover picture, we had quite a selection of pots
for our members to browse. Choosing a pot(continued on page 2)...
Bonsai Display
B SS F G e n e ra l Me e t i n g, Ma r c h 1 2
At our March meeting, we will discuss the do’s and don'ts of bonsai
display. John Edwards will lead the discussion about the finer points
of displaying our bonsai as we prepare for the spring show. What is
the ideal stand for a tree? What is an appropriate accent plant? All
these questions and more will be answered. If you plan to display a
tree at the March show, bring it to the meeting and assemble your
display for critique. Bring a few accent plants and stands to try. At
the end of the night, we will be raffling a beautiful handmade bonsai
display stand, accent stands, and scrolls that will be great additions
to your collection. Meeting beings at 7:30PM.
PAGE 1
FOG CITY BONSAI
MARCH 2009
(continued from Page 1) for your tree is serious business
for bonsai hobbyists. Most often trees and pots are produced separately and therefore finding a pot that matches
your tree’s characteristics means an exhaustive search
through fellow members’ collections, bonsai sales, vendor
tables, and internet pages. The beginning of our February
meeting was meant to introduce our newer members to the
varieties of pots available in the market place and how to
best fit their tree to that perfect pot.
Bonsai pots are available in many combinations of colors,
textures, sizes, and shapes. In most cases, pots used in
bonsai are relatively shallow and not ornate. The shape
and size should reflect the age and be in proportion to the
size of the tree. The color of the pot should also compliment the bark, foliage, or flower color of the tree. The pot
should not distract the viewer from the tree.
Bonsai pots are available from four sources.
1) China - Pots made in China are the most common and
inexpensive. Quality can sometimes be a bit on the lower
end and have uneven sides, poor drainage holes, thick
walls, and overall, very heavy weights. These pots are
usually massed produced using slip molds followed by a
small amount of hand-cleanup. Chinese pots may seem a
bit “coarse” and uneven. However, recent imports of excellent Chinese pots have been available, so do not rule out
choosing a pot made in China for your tree. In fact, antique
Chinese pots are sought out by Japanese masters for
some of their greatest bonsai creations.
2) Japan - Most high quality bonsai pots are made in Japan. Even the mass produced brands are well made. Most
are very light weight, and finished with a high degree of
care. Pots from the Tokoname region of Japan are considered the highest quality pots for bonsai. Because more
time is spent hand finishing these pots, they are often
much more expensive than pots of similar size. If you receive the publication Bonsai Focus, then you may be familiar with a series of articles highlighting different potters
from that region.
3) Korea - A few bonsai outlets are selling pots made in
Korea. The pots are very similar to mass produced Chinese pots and quality is much lower than pots from Japan.
Korea also exports pots made from mica, a silica-based
mineral mixed with polyethylene. The pots are good for
bonsai development and inexpensive.
4)) Your local artists! - Several potters around the world
specialize in producing handmade bonsai pots. On the
West coast, potters such as Jim Gremel and Michael
Hagedorn have fired a few kilns full of bonsai pots and
other artists such as Sara Rayner feature websites offering
their pots for sale. Many of these artists will design and
produce pots specifically for your tree with little more than
few measurements and picture for a reasonable price.
So, how do you choose pot for your tree? There are a few
guidelines you should observe when choosing a pot for
you tree. First, is your tree ready for that ideal pot? Many
Photos from our February Meeting. (top) Bonsai
pots are available in many shapes, colors, and
sizes. Nearly all major styles were represented at
the meeting. (middle) Large drainage holes in your
pots are important for proper water drainage in all
bonsai pots. (bottom) A packed house was on hand
to pick up potting pointers and check out the selection of pots for sale and trade.
PAGE 2
FOG CITY BONSAI
MARCH 2009
times, we rush to repot our bonsai into pots that do not
support the development and health of the tree. If your
tree is in development, choose deeper and wider pots
that allow for greater root growth which will led to greater
growth on the top of your tree. If your tree is ready to
show, there are three guidelines you should follow when
selecting a pot:
1. Pot Size: The size of the pot should be in proportion
with the size of your tree. The pot should promote the
strength and age of the tree. The height of the pot should
be between 1 - 2 times the diameter of the trunk and the
width between 2/3 and 3/4 the height of the tree.
2. Pot Shape: Pot shape reflects the degree of masculinity or femininity of the tree. Trees with soft curves and
foliage fit pots that are either round or oval. Usually flowering, deciduous, and young junipers are potted in circular pots. Trees that are rugged, old, and/or formal are
planted in rectangular pots. Most old pines are typically
planted in rectangular pots. Pots can also be varying degrees of masculinity or femininity. For example, some
rectangular pots may have rounded corners or beveled
edges to soften their appearance.
3. Pot Color: The color of the pot is important to consider.
Unglazed pots are ideal for pines and junipers. Various
colors are available ranging from dark grey, brown, or
brick red. Glazed pots are used for deciduous and flowering trees. Pot color is chosen based on fall foliage or
blossom color. The color of the pot is sometimes complementary to the color of the foliage. For example, a
blue pot complements the orange foliage of a trident maple.
Of course, there are many exceptions to these guidelines
and every tree is different. With more experience, you will
be able to decide which bonsai pot is best for your tree.
Pots for bonsai also sport additional features specific to
bonsai culture. All bonsai pots should have adequate drainage holes.
Most pots have at least two large holes in the bottom. Larger pots
may have many more (6-8). These holes are also used for tying trees
into the pot. Some pots, especially hand finished or handmade pots
feature additional tie-down holes that provide more options for securing the trees.
So, next time you are out shopping for bonsai pots, be aware of each
pot’s origin, style, and extra features. Keep a decent selection of pots
on hand for repotting season and be wiling to share and trade with
your bonsai buddies. Think ahead about the kinds of pots you will
need in the future and keep an eye out for pots at local sales that
might be perfect for your trees.
Bonsai Pot Close ups. (top) A close up view of a hand-finished Tokoname pot. The inside lip of this pot shows the tool marks of the potter’s handy work. (middle) Good bonsai pots have at least two or more
large holes in their bottoms for water drainage. In addition, there may
be additional “tie-down” holes that provide more options for wiring the
tree into the pot. (bottom) Pots for cascading bonsai are also available.
They are much taller than upright bonsai pots to give room to cascading branches.
PAGE 3
FOG CITY BONSAI
MARCH 2009
BSSF Annual Show at the San Mateo
Event Center Information
Our annual display at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show will be
assembled on Tuesday, March 17 and on display from March 18-22.
The display is our best opportunity to promote the art of bonsai and the
BSSF to the community. Over the course of five days, we will display
our trees for literally thousands of people from many backgrounds. Many
of the show attendees anticipate our display and demonstrations, but many find our display as a pleasant surprise.
This year, BSSF will have an expanded display area with 100+ trees. Our display with be in the Fiesta Hall of the
San Mateo Event Center.
We need volunteers to provide security, information, demonstrations, and of course... muscle. Please contact Eric
Schrader (eric(at)phutu(dot)com or (415)786-1349), for opportunities to volunteer. Currently, we are seeking
members to perform demonstrations and provide security (especially on the weekdays). Do not be shy about giving demonstrations! Even our beginner members understand the basics of bonsai techniques and can provide
valuable information to show-goers. They need not be a giant production. Just bring a couple trees to work on and
talk to the show-goers about what you are doing. Easy!
The show is open March 18-22 and the hours are 9AM-8PM Wed. - Sat. and 9AM - 5PM on Sunday. Shifts are 34 hour blocks of time within those days. Try to volunteer for two or more consecutive shifts. The club will pay for
your entry to the Flower and Garden show. Parking passes may be provided if you plan to work the entire week,
or require special assistance. Otherwise, the parking fee is $10/day.
Please wear your BSSF name tag, shirt, hapi coat, etc. to the display. If you do not have a name tag, please contact Robert Smith rwsmithtbn(at)earthlink(dot)net or call (650)726-1713.
TREES!!! The BSSF show is all about displaying trees at various stages of development. Therefore, we encourage all members to submit at least one tree to the show. If you want to show more than one tree, bring it to the
setup. If space exists for your tree or Eric is searching for a particular style/species to complement an arrangement, your additional tree may be selected. Do not forget your stand! If you have extra stands, please bring them
to the show for those who need one. Accent plantings are also needed. If you are submitting a tree for the show,
please email/call Joe Nersveen (joe(at)nersveen(dot)com, or (415)252-1555) with the following information:
owner, tree common name, Latin name, age/years in training, size, style, and direction of flow (left, neutral, right).
SETUP: Set up will be March 17, 3PM-7PM. Travel time to the show will not be as convenient this year. Try to get
your trees to the show as soon as possible on March 17. We will be setting up the show throughout the evening.
Passes will be handed out during setup and the March meeting for the show shifts. If you cannot drive your tree(s)
the center, please make arrangements for their transportation to and from the show. Bernard Marque (415-2542985) and John Edwards (415-621-0935) have space available for extra trees.
The San Mateo Event Center is located at 2495 South Delaware Street in San Mateo. To get there, make your
way to highway 92 and take the Delaware St. exit South. The Event Center is located (0.6 miles) on South Delaware St. On move/in and move/out days, you should turn on Saratoga Dr. at the north boundary of the event center. Follow Saratoga Dr. around to the back side of the facility to the SARATOGA ENTRANCE. You will then cross
the parking lot to GATE DD and park just inside the gate along FIESTA HALL. (Map is included in this issue. Online viewers click here for a detailed map http://www.bssf.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/eventcenter.pdf )Our
display is in the SOUTHWEST CORNER of the FIESTA HALL.
BREAKDOWN: Just as important as setting up the show, we must remove all of our trees and material at 5PM on
Sunday. Please arrange to pick up your tree or have someone take it for you. Please do not orphan your trees.
In the coming days please contact Eric about your show trees. Also, please remember to bring extra stands, accent plantings, and other display material. To guarantee the return of your belongings, please do not forget to
write your name on each item.
PAGE 4
FOG CITY BONSAI
BSSF Events for 2009
Here is a listing of our events scheduled for 2009. Go
ahead and mark your calendars “BSSF” for the following dates! A few events are to-be-determined
(TBD), but as you can see, we have quite a lineup for
the rest of the year. Also, don’t forget that our Board
meetings are on the 4th Monday of each month if
you are interested in helping out the club. Thanks!
Mar. 12 Mar. Meeting – Bonsai Display J. Edwards
March 18-22 SF Flower and Garden
March 19 Workshop (Canceled)
April
4 April Bonsai Sale Hall of Flowers
April
9 Apr. Meeting – Jim Gremel & Yamadori
April
16 Workshop
April 18-19 SF Cherry Blossom Festival
May
14 May Meeting - Steve Jang and Penjing
May
16 Bonsai Basics I (10AM-2PM)
May
21 Workshop
June 11 June Meeting – Redwoods – Tim Kong
June 18 Workshop
July
9 July Meeting – Kathy Shaner Demo
July
16 Workshop
Aug.
13 August Meeting – Pinch Pot Workshop
Aug.
20 Workshop
Aug.
22 Bonsai Basics Class I (10AM-2PM)
Sept. 10 September Meeting – BSSF Auction
Sept. 17 Workshop
Oct.
8 Oct. Meeting – Japanese Quince Wrkshp
Oct.
15 Workshop
Oct.
17 Bonsai Basics Class II – Wiring Class
Nov.
12 Nov. Meeting – M. Invernizzi (TBD)
Nov.
19 Workshop
Dec.
10 December Meeting – Holiday Party
Dec.
17 Workshop (TBD)
At each general meeting, a raffle of great bonsai and
bonsai-related material will be held to raise money
for club activities and provide our members with excellent prizes. Plan to bring a few dollars to the meeting to contribute and win great prizes.
All general meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of
each month at 7:30PM. Workshops are held on the
3rd Thursday of each month and start at 7PM. Parking is available in the lot behind the Hall of Flowers.
However, please be aware that the California Academy of Sciences has been opening on Thursday
nights for special evening hours. Parking can be
quite full around the Hall of Flowers so plan accordingly.
MARCH 2009
BSSF Sale - April 4
Our annual sale is scheduled for Saturday, April 4,
9AM-2PM at the Hall of Flowers. Please make
plans to attend.
If you plan to sell items, please observe the following rules:
• The seller is responsible for pricing their plants and/
or pots’; making sure the price is in even dollars.
(No fraction of a dollar is acceptable) Minimum
sale price is $10.00. Please round prices to $5.00
increments.
• Sellers must complete the inventory sheets in duplicate. All information requested on the form is to be
completed. The seller will keep one copy, and the
other is presented to the Plant Sale Committee representative, who will check the inventory and the
plants and pots before accepting them for sale.
• Sellers will receive upon request from the Plant
Sale Committee representative, sufficient copies of
the blank inventory sheets and sale tags.
• All plants and pots must have a sales tag attached.
All sales tags must be priced in full dollars (no
cents), seller’s initials and a number. Sales tags are
furnished by from BSSF.
• Sellers will provide to the Plant Sale Committee
representative a self addressed stamped envelope.
This envelope will be mailed back to the seller
along with a check for their portion of their sale
price less 20% to the club.
• No price mark down will be allowed after the
sale begins.
• Plant Sale Committee representatives will mark off
all plants/pots sold from the sellers inventory
sheets. The Treasurer will tally from the seller’s inventory sheets all trees/pots sold less 20% to the
club and will send a check to the seller in their self
addressed stamped envelope along with their inventory sheets.
Inventory sheets are available at club meetings and
downloadable from the web. Members: please have
your inventory sheets and sales tags fully completed
in advance and bring them to the sale location. Plants
and pots that are not accompanied by the above
documentation will not be accepted for the sale.
Flyers advertising the sale are available from the
website, at club meetings, and at the Collection North.
This event is open to all members of the bonsai
community to sell items. All proceeds benefit the Bonsai Society of San Francisco.
PAGE 5
FOG CITY BONSAI
Bonsai Notes for March
March! If you haven’t finished your repotting
chores, time is running out. The cool weather may
buy you a few extra days, but most trees are leafing out by now. If so, you may need to wait until
next year for repotting.
Watch for drowning trees. With all the rain the past
few weeks, make sure your trees are draining well.
Tilt them if necessary to help the water drain from
the pot.
As branches begin to elongate and leaf out, keep
an eye on any wire that may begin to cut into
branches. Stand by with your fertilizer. Give freshly
repotted trees at least 6 weeks to heal before giving inorganic fertilizer and 4 weeks if adding organic fertilizer. As trees finish flowering and leafing
out, begin to fertilize. Keep up to date with your
fertilization regime with our bonsai care guide for
each species of tree. Freshly printed guides will be
available at our next meeting.
No third Thursday workshop this month due to the
conflict with our show. Instead, why not volunteer
for some demonstration time at the show, and work
on your tree there? There will be plenty of help if
needed for tips and suggestions. What a way to get
a couple hours of work on your tree and help the
club at the same time.
Upcoming Events
March 29 - Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai 20th Annual
Show. at the Scotts Valley Community Center, 360
King's Village Road, Hours are 10:30AM-4:30PM.
Demonstration at 1:30PM by Katsumi Kinoshita. Plant
sales, door prizes, raffle of the demonstration tree and
much more.
April 4-5 - Bonsai Sei Boku Bonsai Kai 26th
Annual Bonsai Show. 26th Annual Show will be
held at the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside
Wy. from 10AM-4PM both days. Demonstrations will
be at 1PM each day. (Steve Jang on Saturday and
Valerie Monroe on Sunday.) “Dr Bonsai” will be there
to answer all your bonsai questions. In addition to our
wonderful bonsai display, trees, pots and other
bonsai-related items will be for sale.
khaley57@gmail.com
BSSF Meetings and Workshops
March 12 - BSSF General Meeting - Bonsai
Display - John Edwards.
Our March meeting will cover how to prepare and arrange a formal bonsai display. There are many points
to consider when planning for a bonsai display. John
MARCH 2009
will cover the basics of bonsai display as we prepare
for our own formal display at the San Francisco
Flower and Garden Show.
As a demonstration, club members will be preparing
formal displays at the meeting followed by a club critique of each display. If you would like to bring a tree
for the critique, please bring it to the meeting. The
raffle table will be filled with items you will need for
display such as accent pots and display stands. The
grand prize of the raffle will be a large handmade
stand built by local craftsman Tom Colby.
March 19 , 2009 - Third Thursday Members
Free Workshop.
The Third Thursday workshop is canceled this month
due to the Show at the San Mateo Event Center.
Make plans to stop by the Free Third Thursday Workshop on April 16 for more spring work. The workshop
begins at 7PM. So, bring a couple trees by the Hall of
Flowers and get advice from advanced members of
the club.
March 18-22, - 2009 BSSF Annual Show at the
San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.
We are now in the planning in stages for our annual
show at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show at
the San Mateo Event Center. We will have more
space than last year’s show and expect all members
to show at least one tree. As with years past, we will
have no sales area. Instead, we will have a separate
sale at the Hall of Flowers at a date to be determined.
Eric Schrader is our show coordinator and will need
plenty of help scheduling volunteers/security, soliciting
demonstrations, and setting up the displays. We need
your help! So please speak to Eric at our next meeting to volunteer. Also, begin selecting and preparing
your trees for the display! Identify 1-5 trees you wish
to display and submit the information to Eric ASAP. All
members, new and old, are encouraged to display at
least one tree.
April 9 - BSSF General Meeting - Yamadori Junipers - Jim Gremel.
Local bonsai artist Jim Gremel will be joining us for
our April 9th meeting to present his program/
workshop on creating your own yamadori-style junipers. For many years, Jim has been taking small
shimpaku stock junipers and twisting them into wild
shapes that mimic the best junipers collected from the
mountains. For Jim’s very popular presentation, BSSF
members will be able to purchase juniper stock from
Jim ($7 each), and with his guidance, start a great
tree for your collection. Members with trees from Jim’s
last yamadori workshop are invited to bring your trees
in for a “tune up”. Jim will be bringing along his bonsai
supplies, tools, and pots to sell at the meeting. So
prepare your shopping lists.
PAGE 6
FOG CITY BONSAI
2009 Board Members and Officers
President:
Robert Smith(650) 726-1713
Vice President:
Lawrence LeClaire- (415) 200-8967
Treasurer:
Daryl Quijano
(415) 307-5569| (415) 332-0657 x104
Secretary :
Diana Lum- (415) 731-7793
Newsletter Editor:
Lawrence LeClaire - (415) 200-8967
Board Members at Large:
John Edwards
Debra Bleemer
Tim Kong
Bernard Marque
Joe Nersveen
Eric Schrader - aka Website Guy
Librarian:
Bernard Marque
General Meeting Hospitality Host:
Tim Kong - (415) 387-7398
About our Club
The Bonsai Society of San Francisco exists to perpetuate the enjoyment of the art of bonsai. BSSF General
meetings are on the 2nd Thursday of the month at
7:30PM. The members’ workshop is the following
Thursday (3rd Thursday of the month) at 7:00PM.
BSSF Board meetings are held on the 4th Monday at
7:00PM. All of the meetings occur in the Hall of Flowers (Strybing Arboretum) at the corner of Ninth Ave
and Lincoln Way. Enter through the parking lot at
Tenth Ave and Lincoln and walk along sidewalk behind
the building to the doorway to the garden club meeting
room.
MARCH 2009
May 16, 2009 - Bonsai Basics Class I - Introduction to Bonsai.
Part I of our Bonsai Basics Class will be offered on
Saturday, May 16 at the Hall of Flowers from 10AM2PM. This class is a basic introductory course to the
bonsai hobby and serves as the basis for all club
workshops and activities. We cover bonsai styles,
fundamentals, tools, and tree design. The cost is $65
and includes instruction, literature, and two trees. We
will supply basic tools and wire. Membership in BSSF
is required. Please contact Lawrence LeClaire at
(415) 200-8967 to enroll or ask questions. Be sure to
send your payment in early to secure your spot in the
workshop.
Announcements
DUES!!! Your 2009 BSSF dues need to be submitted to
Daryl Quijano.You will be receiving a reminder in the mail.
In addition, you will have the opportunity to update your
contact information and newsletter delivery preferences.
Please take the time to complete the form and return your
payment promptly.
Hapi Coats?
BSSF members, new and old, wishing to order a new stylin’
BSSF Hapi coat should contact Robert Smith at the next
meeting/workshop. Coats feature the logo tree and ”Bonsai Society San Francisco” embroidered on the back. The
price for a new Hapi Coat is approximately $62.00.
Name Tags
Please wear your name tag to our meetings or
workshops. We have lots of new members and wearing
your name tag will facilitate learning everyone’s name (and
for the memory-challenged, a way to avoid an
embarrassing moment). If you need a new or replacement
name tag, see Robert Smith at the next meeting.
BSSF Bonsai Library
The BSSF has on hand a large assortment of books,
magazines, and other literature about our favorite hobby.
To access the library, arrive early at either the monthly
meeting or the monthly workshop and speak to Bernard
Marque. Checking out materials requires a $5 deposit per
item.
FOG CITY BONSAI is the monthly newsletter of the Bonsai
Society of San Francisco. Images and articles are the property
of BSSF and permission must be granted before reproduction of
any kind. If you have advertisements or announcements for the
BSSF or local bonsai community and would like them published
in Fog City Bonsai, please contact Lawrence LeClaire at
llleclaire@gmail.com or (415) 668-8456.
PAGE 7
FOG CITY BONSAI
MARCH 2009
BSSF Guide to Spring Bonsai Care in the San Francisco Bay Area
Get busy! Your time to finish winter work is ending!. Wire! Prune! Are your trees ready for Spring? Proper
winter work will help your trees be their best next year. Please see www.bssf.org/guides for the complete
Year Round Care Guide or ask for a copy at our next meeting.
Bonsai Society of San Francisco
Ninth Ave and Lincoln Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94122