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

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

Terry Dubois admiring a huge ficus bonsai in Ha Noi, Viet Nam (Photo: Rosemary Dubois)

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.

October 4 HBS meeting: Growing tropical bonsai in the ground with Phillip Drilling of Cabrera Bonsai Nursery.

Upcoming Events More details in Calendar of Events

September 29 Friday, Texas Tour Speaker Jonas Dupuich’s lecture-demo on a large Japanese Black Pine, 6 -9 PM at West Gray Community Center.

September 30 Saturday, BYOT Workshops with Jonas Dupuich at Timeless Trees. Morning 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Afternoon 1 PM – 5PM. Cost $50 per session or $85 for all day. Bring your own trees.

October 3 Lake Charles Bonsai: LSBF guest artist, Jonas Dupuich in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at Alan Walker’s bonsai workshop.

October 7 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

October 14 Bonsai Basics #2 – Styling and Wiring, Timeless Trees, 9 AM- 1 PM. $60 include a ficus or boxwood, wire cutters, hand-out and wire.

OCT 13-15 Kathy Shaner Seminar & Workshops, in Austin, TX OCT 13 Friday - Bonsai Wound Management, $130/person OCT 14 Saturday - Pines and Junipers Seminar 5 - $150/person OCT 15 Sunday - Bring your own tree (BYOT) workshop, $80/person

Volume 46 Number 10 October 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

Upcoming Events

Jonas Dupuich lecture demo and

workshops &

Field Grown Bonsai

Phillip Drilling

Showcase of the Month

Jonas Dupuich’s bonsai

October Bonsai Care

John Miller

President’s Letter

Quick Trip to Southeast Asia with Terry Dubois

Kathy Shaner Seminar

Jonas Dupuich’s

Bonsai

October Bonsai Care Still a very non-normal year, apparently all over Texas. The hurricane that stopped almost dead still was very abnormal, dumping tons of water that couldn’t run off.

I had 10 inches of rain the first two weeks in August and it was cool and wet all August. Then in September, no rain at all and temps pushing 100. At least I could do something about it.

If you had a bad experience, try to get advice from a local expert about what you need to do.

Time to take a good look at your tropicals. Before going into the dry and low light conditions, most of us have for winter quarters, they need to be vigorous, pruned and free of problems. Give them a good feeding preferably with an organic fertilizer. If you use a water soluble type, use a low dilution and feed every 2-3 days. Prune all new growth back to the trees’ best shape. To increase ramification on developed trees, keep any new growth pinched to 2-3 leaves. Use your desired insecticide and/or fungicide now and again just before you take them in.

Remember that some tropicals do not like to go below 50 degrees, while others are only semi-tropical and will take a frost but does not want their roots frozen. The buttonwood is an example of the first group and the crepe myrtle would be in the second. Here in the Dallas - Ft Worth area, we will probably not see a freeze until late in November but there may be some cool nights in October. I prefer leaving the tropicals out as long as possible. I want the semi-tropicals to go dormant and then put them in a cool location to stay dormant all winter.

Now is the time to start your outdoor trees toward their winter siesta. If you wait until the temperature drops, you get too rushed and

omit some of the little housekeeping duties. Start now by making sure that the area will be free of insects and other vermin.

When the leaves start turning, the sap has quit for the year. You may check the branches and twigs to see if any need to be trimmed. Cutting back any protruding branches will keep them from snagging and possibly

breaking other trees, when you put them down close together. Don’t cut the buds off the spring flowering plants unless absolutely necessary, if you want flowers next spring.

Kathy Shaner suggests removing the top half-inch of soil and replenishing it with new soil. This will remove weed seeds that have blown in and will make next year’s job easier. Of course, if you plan on repotting next spring, that is not necessary.

Winter quarters: Remember that here in Texas, more trees are lost in the winter due to drying out than to the cold. Of course, that does not mean for you to leave the tropicals out or to let the roots freeze on southern trees like the crepe myrtle.

Even in a greenhouse or sunny window, the soil can dry out amazingly fast. The wind in winter has amazing drying powers too. (Ask your grand-mother about hanging the wash out in the winter and letting it dry frozen stiff.)

So, while you protect the roots, be sure to give the trees a wind screen and make sure that you can check the soil for watering needs. (It helps here, if you know which particular plants dry out faster and so you can place them together).

A lot of winter kill comes because the soil has frozen and the sun or wind is removing water from the tops. The roots cannot obtain water to replenish the loss and the top desiccates to the point of death.

For the beginners, plants like the cedar elm, oak, maple that are hardy much further north can be set on a clean gravel bed. When the real cold (26 or lower) gets here, cover the pots with 3 - 4 inches of a fairly loose mulch so that the ground heat will help keep you pots warm. Plants that grow south of Dallas, crepe myrtle, firethorn, some azaleas, need to have more root protection. I like to let them get frostbit but bring them in before freezing. Of course, the tropicals need to be babied.

Unlike broadleaf deciduous trees, evergreens do not go fully dormant in winter and need to be exposed to sunlight. Some broadleaf evergreen types like boxwoods slow way down but still need sunlight.

Some people leave their needled evergreens on top of benches all winter, but I prefer to give the roots the same basic winter protection as deciduous trees but they have a higher water need.

Feeding of deciduous trees should be discontinued for the winter. Evergreens and conifers will benefit from a low nitrogen feeding. One such mix might be 70% cottonseed meal and 30% bone meal. Being organic, this will breakdown into nutrients more slowly as the season gets cooler and the trees activity slows also. The organic spray given below can be used as a soil drench but dilute it a little more. Kelp is an excellent

source of the essential minor elements needed by plants.

Insects will continue to be present. Cooler (but not cold) days mean a resurgence of the aphids. Mites will also still be around and will jump into action during a warm spell. Scale also can be a problem. Treat with a light horticultural oil which will kill the adults and also wipe out the eggs and over-wintering pupae. Be sure to cover all the cracks in the bark to get to the eggs. The organic spray (one tablespoon each liquid kelp, fish emulsion, 5% apple cider vinegar, and molasses in one gallon of water) should still be used on a regular schedule and will work on evergreens while giving them some nutrients. The dead scale shell will have to be removed physically. A soft toothbrush works for me (I sometimes need to wet the branch to loosen the scale shell).

Some may repot in the fall but I feel that it is counter-productive to do so, if you can do it during bud break in the spring. New roots are more prone to freeze damage if we get a bad winter. The key to safe repotting is to minimize root disturbance and to exclude severe root pruning. This seems to me to be a recipe for developing root problems, poor drainage leading to root rot and the inability of the old soil to hold enough water to last all day. No heavy pruning will lead to the lack of refinement and a top heavy tree. I would recommend repotting at the proper time next spring, which is when the buds swell and new growth is imminent.

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.

President’s Letter

Wow! What a month! With Harvey recovery on our mind in Texas, we watched our bonsai friends in Florida and the Caribbean take a direct hit from Irma.

Ed Trout, the Wigerts, Jason Schley, Adam Lavigne, and many others had significant damage to their homes, bonsai collections and nurseries. As they were cleaning up Irma’s mess, Pedro Morales was streaming live video from his nursery in Puerto Rico, as Maria tore through the island, knocked down tall trees as well as communication towers and power lines, causing outages for 100% of the island. She also ravaged all the tall trees in Pedro’s nursery. Thankfully, all the bonsai folks I know in those devastated locations are safe now. They have already started to restore what the hurricanes damaged. Way too much time has been spent writing this letter and contemplating the question: “What is HBS’s role when something like Harvey happens?” In the end, I think HBS’s role is to remain a viable place for individuals to come together and work on bonsai. With everything else going on in our lives, having a haven where we can enjoy our favorite hobby and relax with other bonsai lovers is extremely valuable, especially to those going through stressful times. The club has made some adjustments to our schedule, but we will welcome Jonas Dupuich, our Texas tour speaker, this weekend. We will get back to our regular schedule of meetings and study groups starting in October. As individuals, being a friend to those affected is the most important thing. Some may need and ask for help, but

more than likely, people will not need physical help. They will either need to talk about the ordeal they’ve been through, or may want to discuss anything other than their Harvey experience to take their mind off of it for a time. These are difficult times where listening with compassion to suffering friends can help lessen the pain and start the healing process. More than ever, the bonsai professionals affected by the hurricanes need our business. Think of their dire circum-stances when you purchase bonsai material and supplies. Perhaps it’s time for you to purchase that specimen tropical plant you have been wanting, or those starter plants, wire and tools from the folks who suffered damage. This last week marked the beginning of fall. Hard to believe, but it’s time to wrap up any major work on tropicals and clean or thin out junipers, so you can start styling them in the coming months. Fertilizer can be switched to the one with lower amounts of nitrogen. Personally, I make sure I’ve taken all insects and fungus prevention measures before the tropicals make their way into the greenhouse for the winter. Speedy recovery to everyone who had damage from Harvey! I look forward to seeing each and every one of you at our next club functions.

Pete Parker

A quick trip to Southeast Asia with

What a treat we at HBS have this month!!!! Terry Dubois decided to let us in on a mini-tour of Southeast Asia he took this year.

For those of you who don’t know Terry, a jovial character who is also very low key, he is one of the oldest members of Houston Bonsai Society (that I know of), of a bonsai club rumored to be over 60 years of age. (So far, I have inquired with so many people about the history of HBS but no luck yet).

If HBS has a newsletter today, we have Terry and his wife Rosemary to thank for. They were the first HBS members to put together a club’s newsletter. Exactly when was that date? He does not quite remember. Nevertheless, we all are grateful they made that first step. We are also grateful that Dolores Plaisted, who took over the project, for over 14 years, before passing the baton to me.

An extraordinary and humbling sight even for a bonsai lover in favor of roots over rock bonsai

In early February, Terry and his wife, and a few family members, took a tour through Southeast Asia. It was probably the best time to travel to tropical countries so close to the Equator, for that was the coolest season as well as the driest. Even though the rainfall would be the lowest in late winter, there is still plenty of moisture in the sky to block the sun most of the day. I spent many years in my youth there.

Another temple engulfed by roots

We started with Phnom Penh and Siem Riep, in

Cambodia, Terry spoke of his exciting

journey. While in Phnom Penh, we went to one

of the "Killing Field" camps and talked to one of

the few survivors from that horrible time. We

also visited a floating village on the Tonle -Sap

river. The main purpose of the trip though was to

see the temple complex at Angkor. We did get a

chance to visit three complexes, Angkor Wat,

Bayon and Ta Prohm.

For those of you with a budding aspiration to

follow Terry’s footsteps, the ancient temples of

Angkor are must see wonders of the world, a

high priority when planning your travel.

Angkor (city in Sanskrit) was the capital of the

Khmer empire that flourished between the 9th

and 15th centuries. In the Angkorian period, it

was a very vast empire that spread throughout

Indochina (between India and China) which at

one time, was colonized by the French.

Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century by

the God-king Suryavarman II, was originally a

Hindu temple (wat). This immense architectural

masterpiece served as a spiritual megacity of the

world at that time. It was declared a UN World

Heritage site, and since has been restored along

with many of the thousands of temples in

Cambodia. At the height of the empire, Angkor

kingdom housed over a million population.

Today, after surviving years of civil war and

genocide, the Khmer people still look to these

temples a source of religious inspiration and

pride. A stylized drawing of it is on their flag.

Witnessing the quiet but omnipotent forces of Nature

Angkor Thom, also known as the Bayon temple,

seems to make a lasting impression on most

visitors with its unique towers decorated with

over 200 enormous heads of Avalokitesvara,

which were carved to resemble the legendary

god- king of those days, Jayavarman VII.

Standing at any corner of this wat, the visitors

would always feel hundreds of eyes of invisible

spirits watching them. Thousands of years after

his passing, the all-powerful, all-seeing king is

still in control of his kingdom.

In Siem Reap, Terry continued, we visited the

ancient temples at the Angkor complex. The

first, Ta Prohm, is the temple often shown with

trees growing over the walls, sculptures and

rocks. Very cool.

Ta Prohm, also known as the Bayon, originally

built as a spiritual center. Ironically today, it

stands tall as a symbol of nature’s forces. Over

time and neglect, the jungle appears to have

reclaimed the land and strangled these awesome

infrastructures with gigantic octopus like roots.

Most of these invasive species are ficus, namely

the Banyan (Ficus Banghalensis) trees. Walls

and sculptures of stones slowly crumbled in

these monsters’ almighty grip. Built in 12th

century by the greatest of Angkorian kings,

Jayavarman VII, this walled city of temples

started as a Hindu spiritual center but during his

reign, all eventually transitioned from Hinduism

to Mahayana Buddhism, like the god-king

himself.

Hindu temples displayed images of the Buddha,

so in a brief interlude, Angkor Wat became a

Buddhist shrine. Following his death, Hinduism

was restored but desecration of Buddhist images

ensued until Theravada Buddhism became the

land's main religion, in the 14th century. Just like

the country’s religion, the former name of the

country, Kampuchea (1976–89) was changed to

Cambodia.

In Phnom Penh, we rode around in a tuk-tuk for

a lot of our travel. The city was pretty crowded,

and the roads weren't the best. We enjoyed

seeing the Mekong river, with good restaurants

along its banks, beautiful temples, museum and

palace.

When inquired about bonsai he had seen in

Cambodia, Terry replied: I saw many water

jasmine used as potted plants in front of

apartments. Noticed he didn’t call those little

trees bonsai?

Large potted trees are used as decoration

or landscaping for the golden palaces.

Pom-pom trees abound at temples and palaces in

Thailand. These buildings carry part Siamese or

Khmer architecture as in Cambodia, part Neo-

Classical western style of the French colonial era.

In Thailand, we spent a good bit of time in

Bangkok to visit its palaces in full splendor, the

Bang Pa-In Royal palace (also called the

Summer Palace), and Ayutthaya, an ancient

capital city and modern city in the Central

Plains of Thailand.

The palaces were quite grand, with statues

and flowers everywhere.

At Wat Pho, we saw a 150 ft. long golden

Reclining Buddha. That’s why this temple is also

known as The Reclining Buddha Wat Pho. It is

one of Bangkok’s oldest temples which existed

long before Bangkok was established as the

capital of Thailand. It was originally named Wat

Photaram or Podharam, referring to the

monastery as Boddhi tree – the tree under which

Prince Gautama meditated for 49 days, reached

enlightenment and become the Buddha.

When asked what he remembered most about the

bonsai he had seen in Thailand, Terry answered:

In public places, I noticed that many potted

plants were Fukien Tea plants. They are styled

more as topiaries, some in pots, some in the

ground, but they look very different from the

Chinese and Japanese bonsai we normally see.

However, there is an incredible sight I will never

forget. In the ruins in Wat Mahatat, at Ayutthaya

historical park, we saw the famous Buddha’s

head trapped inside aerial roots of a large ficus.

A tender cradle or strangling embrace?

More trees in pots with repetitive patterns temples

Next stop was Laos, a country left behind by

time, Terry said. We spent our time in and

around the city of Luang Prabang, a city in north

central Laos. Its name literally means “Royal

Buddha Image”. The countryside is beautiful

with mountains, rivers and forests.

Listed in 1995 as UNESCO Town of Luang

Prabang World Heritage Site for its uniquely

remarkable architectural, religious and cultural

heritage, this blend of rural and urban develop-

ments consist of 58 villages. Luang Prabang is

well known for its numerous Buddhist temples

and monasteries. Historically, Laos has been

submerged in Theravada Buddhism but at some

point, Theravada was incorporated with

Mahayana Buddhism to become the country’s

religion. Every morning at sunrise, monks from

various monasteries walk in a procession through

the streets, accepting alms offered by local

residents.

Terry and Rosemary found themselves back in

the hot tropical jungle once again, but this time

with more action. We rode an elephant at a

rescue camp, Terry continued. The elephants

give a short ride three times a day to help pay

for their food. Wild flowers abound. The view of

the surrounding must be remarkable from the

back of an elephant.

A brief stop at a Hmong village showed life in

the forest. High up in the mountain ranges shared

by Laos and Viet Nam, there are still today over

100 tribes of montagnards (French for people

who live in the mountains). The Hmong

probably outnumber most of the other tribes in

both countries. They are also well known for

their tenacious grip on their cultures and rituals,

as well as dialects. They live off the forest, hence

are extremely protective of it. In seclusion, their

lifestyle has not evolved much for hundreds of

years while the rest the world had jumped leaps

and bounds into modernization.

The Cave of 1000 Buddhas (Photo: Pinterest)

We had a wonderful ride down a river to the

"Cave of 1000 Buddhas". Most Southeast Asian

countries have their own Cave of 1000 Buddhas.

The number is more or less wishful thinking. In

Laos, the one or rather the group of two caves,

the Tham Ting (lower cave) and the Tham

Theung (upper cave) overlook the Mekong river.

They are about two hours upstream from Luang

Prabang. So far only hundreds of statues, ranging

from very small to large, but mostly damaged

wooden Buddhist figures stand, sit, recline on

the stone shelves.

When asked my typical bonsai question, Terry

quickly replied: Not many bonsai in Laos.

Can you see a family of green dragons playing in this bay?

Our last stop of our trip is Viet Nam.

We took a bus ride to the Ha Long Bay in the far

north. It is a beautiful place with tall rock

islands popping out of the water all around.

The name Hạ Long Bay (bay of the Descending

Dragons) pretty much describes the limestone

formations protruding out of the emerald water.

Legend has it that the Jade Emperor in the

Heavens sent the Dragon Mother and several of

her children to save the people of Viet Nam from

the invaders from the North. They came to help

but when mission was accomplished, they

decided to stay in the bay and made it their

home.

The Hạ Long Bay archipelago is made up of

1,969 islands and islets, all uninhabited. This

unique UNESCO World Heritage Site is a

popular place for tourism, so most parts of Hạ

Long Bay are officially protected from

development. Tourists can travel on Chinese

junks, spend a couple of days on luxury cruise

ships, or visit a few caves or islands by medium

and smaller boats. Instead of a house on land, a

lot of locals who cater to tourism choose to live

house boats, which can double as a mode of

transportation, convenient fishing boats, or a

water taxi. Most of these house boats have a few

potted plants, very seldom for some decorative

purpose, since most are vegetables, herbs and

small fruit trees.

In the last few days of the trip, we took a cyclo

tour of Hanoi to view this interesting hub of

culture and history. While we sat in the front,

feeling completely unprotected and out of

control, our expert driver navigated through

crazy traffic and narrow back streets. It was fun

though, when the pace slowed down, especially

in the Old Quarter, where we combed through

the stalls of locally made handicrafts. On the

way back, we stopped at a craft market where

craftsmen made various products right before

our eyes.

Our last day in Hanoi was a free one. I struck

out alone by taxi to find a "plant market" and

check out some bonsai for sale. I did see many

interesting bonsai along the way.

This fantastic carved stone is one of a pair at a store

front in Ha Noi.

There were some extremely large stones on

display with carved wooden stands.

Stunning stones with equally superb teak daiza

I also found a couple of display stand stores and

bought a few, but soon ran out of Vietnamese

"đồng" currency.

I managed to exchange some, and rushed

through traffic to get back to the display stand

store. That’s when I stumbled on an accident

between a city bus and a motorcycle. The

motorcycle didn't win. Horrified by the scene, I

turned around, hiked my way out of the crowd to

catch a taxi back to the hotel. It was great

experience though.

A teak stand shop with incredible selection

Thoughout this trip to Southeast Asia, the

weather was actually quite pleasant. The only

time I was rained on was when I was walking

around Hanoi by myself. Other than that, it was

good weather.

A few observations of bonsai on my trip:

Bangkok and Hanoi had the most plants grown

in pots and styled landscape trees. Bangkok

plants were the best tended, especially around

the temples and palaces.

It’s hard to believe a scooter can handle the

workload of a truck!

In Hanoi, I saw many shops with small trees in

pots but they were not well tended. Perhaps they

are meant to be just potted trees for fresh fruit or

herbs? Obviously, they are not dwarfed bonsai

trees grown solely for aesthetic purpose.

Along the drive to Ha Long Bay, we caught glimpses

of bonsai in front yards.

In public spaces, like Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum,

the Hanoi War Museum and many government

buildings, there were large numbers of large

topiaries. In some city parks, wedged between

extremely crowded streets, I saw some huge

bonsai, mostly ficus, grown on rocks, sitting in

water trays. They did not seem to be in poor

health in spite of the pollution from thousands of

scooters. These tropical bonsai seem to agree

well with the weather and the abundant rain.

One thing is evident: the Vietnamese love BIG

bonsai. There were plenty to see.

Dear Terry,

Please accept our deepest appreciation for

sharing such an exciting adventure. The sites and

countries you have visited are certainly high on

my bucket list and a lot of other people’s.

It is my hope that you and your lovely wife can

take many more trips in the future, so those of us

who are agoraphobic can enjoy the adventure.

Shawn Nguyen

Election Time

As announced by Alan Raymond in our last meeting, we are in the nominating process to identify and enlist the participation of dedicated members who want to serve HBS at a leadership level, for the upcoming term. Please familiarize yourself with the responsibilities of elected board members as listed on the Board of Directors’ page.

There are two ways to be nominated for theses board positions:

• Peer: Any current member who believes certain individual(s) will enhance the leadership of the board, may nominate them.

• Self: Any current member willing to participate and fulfill the obligations of board membership may self-nominate.

If anyone has nominations, please let Alan or the nominating committee know. Just make sure the person(s) you want to nominate know about it.

This is an opportunity to lead and to help shape the future of our organization.

Calendar of Events

2017 SEP 29 Friday, Texas Tour Speaker Jonas Dupuich’s lecture-demo on a large Japanese Black Pine, 6 -9 PM at West Gray Community Center. Tree will be raffled off at the end of the demo.

SEP 30 Saturday, BYOT Workshops with Jonas Dupuich at Timeless Trees. Morning 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM (8 spots, 4 open); Afternoon 1 PM – 5PM, (8 Spots, 4 open), 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.

OCT 3 Lake Charles Bonsai: LSBF guest artist, Jonas Dupuich in Lake Charles, Louisiana, at Alan Walker’s bonsai workshop, 916 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA.

OCT 4 HBS meeting: Growing tropical bonsai in the ground with Phil Drilling of Cabrera Bonsai Nursery.

OCT 7 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

OCT 14 Bonsai Basics #2 – Styling and wiring, Timeless Trees, 9 AM- 1 PM. $60 include a Ficus or boxwood, wire cutters, hand-out and wire.

OCT 13-15 Kathy Shaner Workshops, in Austin, TX Please see full advertisement below for details. OCT 13 Friday Bonsai Wound Management $130/person OCT 14 Saturday Pines and Junipers Seminar 5 – $150/person OCT 15 Sunday - Bring your own tree workshop $80/person

OCT 14-15 5th European Bonsai-San Show at Saulieu, France featuring Luis Vellejo, David Benavente, Peter Warren and Michael Tran.

OCT 14 22nd Carolina Bonsai Expo at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, NC. from 9AM-5PM: Details at http://www.ncarboretum.org/event/carolina-bonsai-expo-2017/2017-10-14 - still open as planned.

OCT 25-30 GSBF 40th Convention at the Riverside Convention Center, Riverside, CA. Featuring Kunio Kobayashi, David Nguy, and Boon Manakitivipart. Early bird registration through August 15th is $275. Registration August 16th onward is $295. For information visit http://www.gsbfconvention.org

Make sure you go to Timeless Trees’ website and sub-scribe to weekly Current Events. You can find all bonsai supplies, tools and books there as well as classes and workshops with local and out of town bonsai instructors.

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.

Fall has arrived and so Fall colored plants and flowers. JRN II is now stocked with cool weather plants, citrus trees, house or landscape plants, and rare tropical bonsai in all sizes for beginners and the most serious bonsai lovers.

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

The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit presents 21st annual:

Kathy Shaner Seminar October 13-15, 2017

Pines and Juniper

Please join us in a seminar with one of the most exciting, knowledgeable and personable bonsai masters— Kathy Shaner. Kathy completed a full five-year apprenticeship in Japan under bonsai master Yasuo Mitsuya and is the first non-Japanese and first woman ever certified by the Nippon Bonsai Association. She is the curator of the GSBF Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt in California and adviser to The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit collection. Kathy is a fantastic teacher with the ability to make you part of everything, not just a note taker. Her seminars increase bonsai knowledge, raise skill levels and make the wonderful world of bonsai even more enjoyable. Kathy’s seminars are ideal for beginning and veteran bonsaists alike and are informal from beginning to end.

Traditional and historic to bonsai, both Pines and Junipers are beloved species to work with. Both can be long term projects to slowly build up or gently reduce to bonsai proportions. Unlike broad-leaf trees which require more emphasis on clip-and-grow techniques, conifers such as Pines and Junipers often need special techniques to grow into a bonsai and to keep in shape. Kathy will help us to decode the challenge of these trees, working with the material brought in by the registrants. Participants are encouraged to bring up to 2 bonsai to the Seminar. The more refined the material you bring in, the more beneficial Kathy’s advice will be. However, you may bring in material at any stage of development. As in previous years, Kathy will select at least one tree from each person and discuss the tree, and possibly style or wire the tree, depending on the material.

This year’s optional Friday workshop will be on Wound Management and Correction. We often edit branches or trunks from our bonsai, and then struggle to make it look natural or to properly help it heal. There are many ways to “fix” these problems, and Kathy will assist. Each participant can bring up to 2 trees (Kathy will work on at least one tree by each participant). This special workshop is limited to the first 6 full registrants to sign up. Observation of the workshop is not available. Kathy’s optional Sunday afternoon workshop is Bring Your Own Tree and is limited to 6 full registrants on a first come basis. Work on any size material you like...styled or rough. Kathy asks participants in a prior workshop to bring a tree she has worked on to continue its development. Silent observation is included in registration.

Location: The seminar is held at the conference center at Cabela’s, the outfitter emporium, 15570 S I-35 in Buda, Texas, just south of Austin’s City limits. Directions will be in your registration acknowledgment.

Schedule: Friday: The Wound Management workshop begins at 9:00am at Persimmon Hill Bonsai. It lasts until 4:00pm and lunch is on your own. More details will be provided to registrants. No observation if you're not in the workshop. Persimmon Hill then opens at 5:00p.m. for refreshments for registrants and guests. About 6:30p.m. we’ll leave for a no-host dinner in the private dining room of a Japanese restaurant. Everyone pays their own. Please mark the box in the registration form.

Saturday: The Pines & Junipers Seminar begins promptly at 9:30 a.m. in Cabela’s Conference Center and goes until 5 p.m. Saturday evening, we will meet for a no-host casual supper at a local restaurant (more information will be available in your confirmation info). We plan to meet at 6:30 p.m. and look forward to having some visiting time. Everyone please pick up your own check. Please check the appropriate Registration Form box.

Sunday: 2nd part of Pines & Junipers Seminar. Kathy will get underway promptly at 9:30a.m at Cabela's, wrapping up at noon. Kathy’s optional Sunday afternoon BYOT workshop is from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Cabela’s (not at Persimmon Hill as previous years). Any size or kind of tree may be worked on. Seminar registration includes silent observing Kathy’s workshop.

Workshop & Cancellation Policies: Registration for both workshops is on a first come basis. Participants can attend neither, one or both workshops. There is a maximum of two trees per person for each workshop. Workshop status will be in the acknowledgment. There will be a standby list.

In recent years, both workshops have filled up quickly and have had waiting lists. Early paid registration will guarantee a seat for the workshops.

Cancellations received on or before Friday, October 2nd, 2015 will receive a complete refund. No refund on cancellations received after October 2nd except for the workshop fee(s) if on the stand by list. Important General Information: Registration includes Seminar, Friday social & no-host Japanese dinner, Saturday no-host Dinner at a nearby restaurant, and observing the Sunday workshop. Seminar and workshop registrations are entered only on receipt of the Registration Form and payment. Working with bonsai tools is a hazardous activity.

To participate or observe the seminar or workshop, a release form liability agreement must be signed.

This year for the first time, The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit has taken over the running of the Kathy Shaner Seminar. We are excited to continue this wonderful tradition. All income after Kathy's expenses will go toward creating and maintaining the

Exhibit. Thank you for your continued support of the Seminar as well as TTSBE!

Complete seminar details, driving directions, local hotel accommodations and what to bring will be in your registration acknowledgment. Please register early. Space is limited. Questions? Contact Joey McCoy at jvmccoy@gmail.com or at (512) 656-7513.

I hope you will be a part of this 21st annual seminar. It’s a wonderful opportunity to have a fantastic bonsai weekend!

Sincerely, Joey McCoy, TTSBE Chair.

SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM Name(s):.........................................................................................

........................................................................................................

Address:..........................................................................................

City:................................................................... State ...............

Zip ................................

Telephone:...........................................................................

Email: .............................................................................................

Wound Management Workshop: $130.00 each for ___ person(s) Total $ __________ (Bring your own tree and tools. Participants only, no observer.)

Seminar: $150.00 each for ___ person(s) Total $ __________ (includes Friday social, Saturday & Sunday Seminar, observation of Sunday’s workshop)

Bring-your-own-tree Sunday Workshop: $80.00 each for ____ person(s) Total $ __________ (Bring your own wire, turntable, tools and trees - maximum 2 - . Must be registered for the seminar)

I / We will attend the Friday no-host Japanese dinner. (No. of people ..........) I / We will attend the Saturday no-host dinner.

(No. of people ..........) Grand total enclosed: $ __________ Please fill out this form and mail with your check payable to: TTSBE and mail to TTSBE Treasurer, Ryan Odegaard 25515 Stormy Rock San Antonio, TX 78255

Or pay through PayPal by clicking “donate” at: www.ttsbe.org.

If paying by PayPal, please mail the above registration form or scan & email to:

Ryan Odegaard, Treasurer at bonsaiode@gmail.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 Barbara Adams BarbAdams222@gmail.com 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 Nandita D’ Souza ndas27@gmail.com

Member at Large - O Vern Maddox vmaddox1@comcast.net

Member at Large - O Clyde Holt cmholt11@comcast.net

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.