founded january 1964 journal - toronto bonsai...
TRANSCRIPT
Schedule of eventsMeetings are held at the TBG (Toronto Botanical Gardens), at 777 Lawrence Avenue East, Toronto, in the studio rooms upstairs. The first meeting is free for non-members.
Bonsai 101: 6:30 – 7:20Bonsai 101 is held in Studio #2 upstairs, at the TBG. Beginners should read 'INTRODUCTION TO BONSAI' (click on link), posted on the TBS web site.
Feb 9: no class this month, due to silent auctionClasses will resume in March.
General meetings: 7:30 – 10:00Feb. 9: silent auction
Members are encouraged to bring an item for auction - always fun and great deals. Please arrive early to set up your donations and fill out the bid forms.
Mar. 9: tropical (indoor) bonsaiBonsai styling demonstration.
Apr. 13: boxwood bonsaiLarge, good quality boxwoods were selected from Conan’s Nursery. To register for the workshop, contact Carlos.
May 11: larch bonsaiThere will be a bonsai forest demonstration; the forest will be raffled off at the end of the night.
June 9: TBS electionsTo volunteer on the club executive, please approach one of the executive members.
TBS spring show: Saturday, May 16 – Sunday, May 17Floral hall 8 am: bring in your bonsai, bonsai stands, shitakusa, suiseki, and scrolls
for display. Volunteers needed for set up, sales area, take down.
Studio room upstairs: sale of trees, bonsai soil, tools, wire, books, and other materials.
Outside our club:Beginner bonsai course at the JCCC (Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre)
Start date: March, 2015. 10 classes. Fee: $60Instructor: Mike Roussel, past-president of the TBSMaterial: history, theory and practice of bonsaiMethod: lectures, multimedia presentations, demonstrations, hands-on training. Topics: artistic principles of styling bonsai, sourcing/selecting raw material, pruning, wiring, watering,
transplanting. Register at: http://www.jccc.on.ca/en/programs/cultural/bonsai.php
Feb. 5–13: 89th Kokufu-ten bonsai exhibitionTokyo Metropolitan Art Museum 9.30 am – 17.30 pm
April 17-19: MABS (Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Society) spring festivalFairbridge Inn, East Hanover, New Jersey. Register at: www.midatlanticbonsai.org
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On the cover: drawing of leafless bonsai, by Norman Haddrick.
Presidents messageby Carlos Bras
It is annual tradition at the TBS for the February meeting to hold a silent auction. This event is one of our major fundraisers of the year, and helps pay for the expresses we incur over the year, such as insurance, hall rental fees for the shows, library materials, and so on. This is a meeting we all can, and should, participate in.
You can do this two ways:1. bring in bonsai-related articles (pots, stands, books, calendars, seeds, tools, trees, etc.) to donate2. bid on articles that other members bring in
If you are new to the club and this is your first time at the silent auction, this process is quite simple. When you arrive, there will be items on the tables, with bidding sheets laid out in front of them, with pencils or pens for members to record their bids. You can bid on as many items as you want, but remember that if you really want the item you must be vigilant during bidding and out-bid your fellow bidders!
There are also some rules for the bidding process:
For your donated items, please do the following:-arrive at 7 pm, and get auction sheet - supplied by the club at meeting-fill it the pertinent information, i.e. your name, identify the article-write down the suggested starting bid, in dollars
When bidding on items: - bid in dollars, not cents - when raising a bid, do so in dollar increments (i.e. not $0.25 or $0.50) - payment must be made at the end of the night, in cash or cheque, and if you pay by cheque, please have
identification with you - have fun bidding!
The auction will begin as soon as we are set up hopefully at 7:45 and it will end at 9:05.
We will have snacks and beverages, and you are encouraged to bring in a guest.
When do you prune your Japanese maple? by Greg Quinn
What is the correct time for pruning Japanese maples?
Some say that mid-winter is best, since the tree is dormant, and you can see the branch structure clearly. Others say mid-spring is best, since you can see the active buds, and the tree will heal more quickly as it gets a burst of growth.
While one of the main features of bonsai is the trunk line, one of the main features of Japanese maples is the fine tertiary branching, or 'twiggyness'. Since we should always work hand-in-hand with nature's ways, we should also keep this practice in the act of pruning, to strengthen the tree, and create the desired effect.
Before pruning, there are some questions you should address. What bonsai style are you emulating? What techniques are you going to use to attain this form? Are you working on a 5, 10, or 15 year design plan for your bonsai?
I asked Mike Roussel, our TBS past-president, for his views on pruning these tender beauties. It turns out that the timing for pruning Japanese maples is dependent on the type of pruning you are performing, and is not all that clear cut...
Greg: I'm pretty sure fall is not a good time for pruning Japanese maples, since the scar won't heal until spring.
Mike: I think that fall is a good time, actually. I have read that one should prune and wire 10 days after leaf drop. The sap won’t run then but the twigs are still pliable. If you are worried about infection you can seal it up well.
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Leafless Deshojo Japanese maple (Acer palmatum, 'Deshojo'), photo taken January 2014, by Otmar Sauer
Greg: Maples have a lot of sap running in early spring (March-April), so heavy pruning at that time is only going to weaken the tree and create a mess on the trunk, which will be quite obvious.
Mike: True, but if you transplant and root prune prior to pruning the tree, the sap loss is minimal because you have severed the upward pressure coming from the roots. When I do this in spring I use a really good sealer. I use clear acrylic paint medium for this as it creates a complete seal when dry, as opposed to the putty we usually use. It is easy to peel off later on.
Greg: Winter is the longest dormant season for deciduous trees, so there would be less trauma for the tree, since the sap would have been sent to the roots in late fall; the wound could still bleed heavily in spring, though.
Mike: True, but if you seal it well, there won’t be much loss. I find that if I do not seal the cut, I get fungal growth in my cold room.
Greg: That leaves the summer dormant season (late June-July), for heavy pruning at least. In summer, you can see where the tree needs thinning, since the leaves are fully open, and you can see where they may be over-shadowing the interior of the tree by too much.
Mike: Probably the best time to prune maples is late spring and summer as there is almost no dripping of sap. In the case of pruning large branches, I would also suggest leaving a stub when pruning maples, to prevent die back on the trunk. It can be cleaned up later. I have seen in articles that one can cut out a wedge to “wean” the tree off the branch as well. Finish off the cut by hollowing it out with a concave cutter, and use hand chisels to make the wound very clean around the edges - this is critical for the healing process.
For pruning smaller branches, 'when the shears are sharp' may be the best time to prune, no matter what season - a little selective pruning at any time is less of a shock. As we know from horticultural science, more leaves equals more strength, since they are in fact sugar factories, producing nutrients through photosynthesis that feed the plant. Removing too much foliage at any time on the tree itself, or any given branch, will starve the tree and/or the branch, causing it to weaken. That in itself may not be a bad thing, since pruning one branch heavily will result in the energy being redirected to another branch.
Some things I (Mike) have read and heard from other members:• Instead of filling the hollow wound with putty, consider covering it with a piece of rubber and fastening it by
wrapping wire, tape, etc around the trunk. When the wound heals it will be completely flat and smooth.• Some suggest not hollowing out the wound but rather leaving a raised hump. The idea is that the tree heals faster
around the edges of the wound than the center. Some say the healed wound looks more natural.• I have read that the wound should not be round, but rather oblong with the point on the bottom. The wound heals
faster and looks more natural (looks like the branch tore off).• Sometimes the healing process will slow down and stop, or heal so fast that it creates a "scab" in the center. In
those cases, it may be necessary to reopen the wound to expose the cambium layer so the tree can completely heal properly.
Here are a couple other items I thought of:• On the subject of leaving stubs, not only does it prevent die back, but leaving a significant stub can be useful in
directing the growth of the remaining buds, because the stub does not allow the new branchlet to grow in the space the stub occupies. This is a technique used by the Lingnan grow and clip penjing masters. The stub is removed once the new branches are grown out.
• One of the challenges with doing significant pruning in the growing season is the difficulty in seeing the whole tree. One could first defoliate or partially defoliate, consider the whole tree and then do the pruning. One could also take pictures when the tree is leafless and use that as a guide for pruning in the growing season.
• Also on the subject of stubs, if you are doing severe pruning to remove a large, ugly, or out of proportion branch, but you would like to grow a new branch in that location again that is in proportion and styled correctly, leave a stub because there are often many dormant buds that will break around the collar. Conversely, if you never want a branch there again, cut the collar off completely and hollow out the wound.
• In the pre-bonsai stage, you may be leaving branches to thicken the trunk. Once you decide on a front, cut off the front facing branches ASAP because no matter how good a job you do pruning and healing later, you will have a scar. The bigger the branch, the larger and uglier the scar and the longer it takes to "disappear".
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Leafless Trident maple (Acer buergerianum), photo taken by Otmar Sauer
TBS shirt orderTo embrace the 50th Anniversary of the club and since we haven’t done any shirt orders for a while, we are going to have some fun with multiple designs. Make sure to get your order in asap so they can be printed and shipped. This is a one-time order right now. The club may stock a few extra shirts, but there will be no size or style guarantee. These designs are as you see here and we are not taking requests any longer. They represent the majority of those who voiced opinions.
Shirt styles / prices:Mark the quantity, and what size (small, medium, large) you wish to order:
A. TBS-Shirt-ladies $20.00
B. TBS-Shirt-mens-grey $15.00
C. TBS-Shirt-mens-olive $15.00
D. TBS-Shirt-polo-grey $25.00The polo is without a front pocket. Depending how this order goes, we may order some with pockets through a different company at a higher price-point later this spring.
E. TBS-Shirt-Baseball $20.00
Total quantity:
Total cost: $
You will be expected to pay cash or cheque upon placing your order.
Member info:Please fill out this information; you are responsible for collecting your order when it arrives.
• First / Last Name:
• Contact:
If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Monroe: [email protected] or 416-550-3098.
Announcements
TBS election yearThis is an election year for the club – please submit your nominations and/or candidacy to the executive before February. We are losing our club president, secretary, and web master, so we will need some new bodies in early to get acquainted with protocols.
TBS shirt ordersAt the December meeting Dan Monroe brought in some photos of shirts for the club. We must complete the order by the end of the month – see order form in this issue, and contact him with your order asap.
Webmaster position openOur club web master position will become open at the end of this club year (in June). It would be great to get someone on board soon, so that Dan can get them up to speed, and get info./documentation from the old site transferred over to new site as a starting point. Domain management, ftp, graphics program (Photoshop) and other creative suite knowledge is required. WordPress experience is great, and HTML coding is very helpful, but not completely necessary.
Membership renewalWe are still looking for membership renewals - please see Karen, Kem or Gim at the members' table with fees. Please pay with cheque, cash, or credit card.
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Announcements (Cont.)
Club secretary and coffee assistant wantedSylvia Le Roy, who has been club secretary and making coffee for our meetings for the last four years, is stepping down in June. Anyone willing to take on these roles should talk to her ahead time – see back page for contact info.
LibraryAs this month is our silent auction event, there will be no library materials available. Please bring all returns to the March meeting to Nathalie, our club librarian, before the meeting, and during the coffee break.
March publishing deadlineThe publishing deadline for the March Journal is February 25. Please forward all notifications and materials before then.
Links to local bonsai clubsBonsai society at the RBG: http://www.BonsaiSocietyatRBG.com
Matsuyama bonsai society: http://www.informdurham.com/record/OSH1103
Misseto bonsai club: http://www.missetobonsai.org/
Kitchener-Waterloo bonsai society: http://www.kwbonsai.com
Buffalo bonsai society: http://www.buffalobonsaisociety.com/
Ottawa bonsai society: http:// www.ottawabonsai.org
Societe de bonsai et de penjing de Montreal: http://bonsaimontreal.com/#&panel1-5
Bonsai Society of Upstate New York: http://www.bonsaisocietyofupstateny.org/
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Regular TBS meetingsMeetings take place on the second Monday of every month, except July and August, at the TBG (Toronto Botanical Gardens), located at 777 Lawrence Avenue East, at Leslie Street, in the studio rooms upstairs at 7:30 pm. The general meetings frequently include demonstrations of bonsai techniques, critiques of bonsai trees, and workshops, in which each participant styles a tree with the help of an experienced member. These meetings are preceded at 6:30 pm. by the the Bonsai 101 beginner sessions, held upstairs.
A small fee is charged for workshops, and a tree, wire and instructor are provided. To participate in workshops, it is necessary to register in advance of the meeting so that materials can be provided.
Members are encouraged to bring in bonsai to show and work on during the meetings. Wire is provided at no charge. Non-members may attend a meeting at no charge to see if the club is of interest to them.
Library hours and policyThe library is open to members at the beginning of our regular meetings. Members may borrow books free of charge for one month. Late returns cost $2 per month with a minimum charge of $2. Please return all materials the next month, and before summer.
Membership deskThe membership desk will be open at all meetings. The opening time may be extended for the first fall meeting to assist with renewals. You may also register for workshops there.
Tools & suppliesTools and supplies are sold by the club at most meetings. It is a good idea to contact the executive member in advance of the meeting for specific tools and supplies.
TBS ExecutivePresidentCarlos [email protected]
Vice-President- please see Carlos
WebmasterDaniel [email protected]
TreasurerJean [email protected]
JournalGreg [email protected]
Membership SecretaryTools & SuppliesGim [email protected]/
New Member HostsKem [email protected]
Karen [email protected]
Recording SecretarySylvia Le [email protected]
Past-PresidentKeith [email protected]
LibrarianNathalie [email protected]
Members at LargeOtmar [email protected]
John [email protected]
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The Journal was founded in January 1964, is published
monthly, and exists to further the study, practice,
promulgation, and fellowship of bonsai.
Visit the Toronto Bonsai Society's web site, at:
www.torontobonsai.org
Toronto Bonsai Society c/o Kem Shaw
67 Empringham Cres.
Markham, ON.
L3R 3E9