News

June 2023 Newsletter

PO Box 2682, Olympia WA 98507-2682

www.olympiabonsai.org *** https://www.facebook.com/OlympiaBonsaiClub/


JUNE MEETING

On Thursday June 8, Cole N will present how to set up an automated watering system for your trees.  Very timely, now that the watering season is upon us and some of us might want to take a vacation every now and then.

JUNE WORKSHOP, Show and Tell

For the morning part of the June 17th workshop, bring one or two of your plants in and we will have a group show and tell.  Each of us will tell the group about our trees’ history and plans for its future. The audience will then make any comments or suggestions. Please bring in your plants, this will be fun and good practice for the Show and Tell at the October evening meeting. 

AUCTION! COMING SOON

Volunteers are still needed to run the auction, so let Sam L know if you are interested.


Now is the time to start rounding up unwanted old pots, plants, books, and tools for the live auction coming up next month during the regular July 13th club meeting time. You can either donate 15% of the final auction price to the club or you can donate 100% to the club.  As in the past, there will be a silent auction and a live auction, the latter being for higher value items.  


Please bring in your bonsai items to sell in the auction starting at 5:30 and no items will be accepted after 6:30 p.m. We will collect money from the buyers at the close of the auction - sorry, but we won’t be able to check anyone out early. We will send individual checks in the mail the following week to the sellers.


For those who will be bidding, please be aware that you need to either bring cash or checks only to the auction, as we can’t accept credit cards at this time.

WHAT TO DO IN JUNE, courtesy of Joe K

June has arrived and hopefully everyone has done what needed to be done in May.  Pinching of Maples and Beeches and most other deciduous trees should be completed by now.  All your non-Japanese 2 needle pines should also have had their buds snapped by now, and if not, you need to consider doing it quickly.  Failure to do so will not kill your plant but it could significantly hamper the plants development. 

Japanese Black Pines should have their candles cut. When I cut I like to leave between 1/16th to 1/8 of an inch of the candle.  If the candle is weak I may even leave up to 1/2 inch. The added length means more of the initial burst of growth will go to those that are weaker but longer.  It sounds confusing, but it really isn't and it works.  Some artists wait until the later part of June and even July.  I have over the years cut in April thru July and find that the first of June works best for me.  If you have a number of Japanese Black Pines, experiment with them and see what works best for you and your plants.

 

Once your deciduous trees have hardened off you should begin fertilizing on a regular basis. I stop fertilizing my Japanese Black pines as well as any pine species that have had their candles reduced either by pinching or cutting.  I will not resume fertilizing them until late August and early September.  If you are going to leaf strip any broadleaf or deciduous, now is the time to do it, if it BENEFITS the tree and use it sparingly. Now is a perfect time to do air layering and collecting and propagating cuttings.

 

Now is not the time to wire your plants. The plants have probably hardened off and since it takes at least one growing season for the plant to conform to the wires, that period of growth is pretty much over. In addition, your plants are actively sending food back and forth from top to bottom and bottom to top. If you make a mistake and gouge or tear any of the bark off the branches you are trying to wire, it could cause a lot of damage.

 

Don't forget to water check your plants morning and afternoon.  Set up shade cloths if needed.  During really hot periods: mist, mist, mist. 

Last month I asked what is the one thing you first look at when you are purchasing potential bonsai material.  That’s tricky, but I look at two things: first, the root structure and second, what are its faults and how do I hide them or correct them.  This month's question.   How many trees should a Bonsai Enthusiast have?


LAVA/SOIL/PUMICE ORDER

Running low on ingredients to repot your trees? The club has plenty, offering not only lava rock but pre-sifted pumice and bags of pre-mixed soil. Please contact Kent R. and make arrangements to pick it up directly from him (971-236-3641 or warlordkentax@gmail.com.) 

PLEASE RETURN YOUR EMPTIED LAVA BAGS TO KENT FOR RE-USE

2023 CALENDAR OF EVENTS


June Meeting

6/8 7PM / Lacey Community Center 


June  Workshop

6/17 10 AM - 2PM  /  North Olympia Fire Station


July Meeting - Annual Club Auction!

7/13 7PM / Lacey Community Center 


July  Workshop

7/22 10 AM - 2PM  /  North Olympia Fire Station


August Meeting

OBC picnic, tentative


September Meeting

9/14 7PM / Lacey Community Center 


September  Workshop

9/23 10 AM - 2PM  /  North Olympia Fire Station


October Meeting

10/12 7PM / Lacey Community Center 


October  Workshop

10/21 10 AM - 2PM  /  North Olympia Fire Station


November Meeting

11/9 7PM / Lacey Community Center 


November Workshop

11/18 10 AM - 2PM  /  North Olympia Fire Station


December Meeting

Date TBD - Mauro Stemberger, Italian Bonsai Artist


Officers

President - Sam L.                 

Vice President - Darrell A.

Secretary - Kent R.

Treasurer - Eduardo M.


Workshop Volunteer Coordinator

Gerry O.


Past President 

Gerry O.


Board of Directors

Cole N.

Logan H.

Matt C.


Librarian 

Volunteer Needed


Webmaster

Logan H.


Newsletter

Beth R.