Newsletter - October 1999

Calendar of Events

This Month's Meeting -Friday October 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center 5^th and Shady Ave. This month's meeting will feature Kelley Adkins of Cleveland. He will be doing a demonstration and workshop. On Friday Kelley will create a composition emphasizing using various stones in various configurations and there effect on how plants are added. On Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Garden Center, Kelly will lead a workshop using collected Carpinafolia Elms. As you may know Kelley is the man who first introduced the Carpinafolia Elm to American bonsai. He first collected the elm from an estate outside of Cleveland Ohio in the early 1970's. One of Kelley's early collections was given to Keith Scott who was Kelley's teacher at the time. That elm eventually found its way into several national books and magazines as well as becoming a permanent part of the National Bonsai Arboretum's collection. If asked, Kelley will give the entire story of how he discovered the elm and some of the stories connected with it. The elm in question while reported to grow throughout Asia as well as America, few specimens have been found in the U.S. except for some larger leafed varieties. The qualities of this particular species cannot be overstated. In addition, rarely does Kelley sell Carpinafolia. These specimens have been propagated as root cuttings from his original collections. They are 10 years old and have been in the ground for 5 to 6 years and grown in a container for 2 years to insure an abundant root system. The price will be $50.00 for the workshop and materials. Anyone interested in participating in the workshop should call Mark at 921-0125 by Thursday evening October 14th.

A nominating committee has been formed to select a slate of officers for the next year. The selection will be presented at the October meeting at which time members wishing to nominate from the floor can do so.

Swissvale Classes:The Society sponsors Free clinic type classes at the Swissvale Senior Citizens Center Tuesday nights from 7 to 9. These classes are arranged by Anna Clark and conducted by Keith Scott. There is no better way to learn the art of bonsai. The center is located on the ground floor of the Swissvale Library at the corner of Monogahela & McClure Aves. For additional information, call Evelyn Christie.

MAILING LIST The 1999 membership roster will be mailed out in November. Any member who wishes not to have his or her name listed should contact Evelyn Christie at 412-244-9280.

Other Events

• November 17: Pictures from China
• December 15: Christmas Party

Sips and Tidbits from Keith

I've said it all before but not to everybody. I notice in national magazines that certain articles continually reoccur. And as I've said so reoccurring, I feel I say the same things over and over but I forget that the bonsai groups have a 25% turnover in membership each year. Also, a large percentage of bonsai enthusiasts haven't the addiction, passion, enthusiasm that a few have. Therefore, here I go again.

If you have a few trees and have not moved up to a polly house of any size; put your hardy trees, pot and all, in the ground. Here's the point: mulch around the trunk with bark, leaves, peat moss, rotted saw dust or the like to keep the bonsai from heaving as the soil freezes and thaws. In addition, mulching keeps the soil uniformly moist thus preventing drying of buds, roots. Keeping the bonsai (s) in a wind free area and in shade will also help insure the roots and buds will not desiccate. Moderating the sun and wind cannot be over emphasized.

During these transition weeks between summer and winter, watch to see your trees do not dry out on the bench. While the sun is not so intense in fall, a dry wind will dry out trees in shallower pots.

Ease off the fertilizer now.

1. Repotting can be done in October; although, some controversy exists as to whether repotting should take place. Perhaps a few check points should be listed.
2. Be sure the tree to be repotted has good buds. Look up pictures of your specimens to see what good buds are, if you do not know.
3. All top growth should be hardened off.
4. Pull the plant out of the pot to be sure the roots have totally consumed the soil.
5. Be sure white roots cover the outside of the root mass.
6. Cut back the current year's top growth, particularly suckers and water sprout growth; in short, shape up the plant.
7. Check for heavy roots without fine roots.
8. Check to see if the drainage is clear and the screen unclogged.

That should do it except to say that fall repotting is to help reduce spring work particularly when spring is so changeable. And finally, remember aftercare, which will be noted next month.

Bonsai Care Sheet

Advantages: Ease of availability; hardy except for the Chinese form; leaf prunes well; twiggy growth; thin, papery leaves; easily transplanted; tolerates most soils; corky bark.

Disadvantages: Prone to insect attack, as well as, all manner of fungi.

Bonsai Potential: On a scale of 1-10 a solid 8.

Growing location: Full sun; filtered sun July, August if growing in a shallow pot.

Watering: Full and deep will produce better growth.

Propagation: Primarily from seed; cuttings have reduced percentage of success. Sow seed in late fall or stratify for 90 days in the refrigerator.

Fertilizing: Balanced May to October.

Over-wintering: Hardy to zone 3, except for the Chinese form, which will show damage below 20 degrees f.

Styling: In China hackberry is twisted into a contorted shape, then lines out until a suitable trunk size develops. Otherwise, hackberry is treated much like an elm, which is its family origin.

Bonsai Care Sheet

Advantages: Good fall color; colorful small fruit; profuse spring flowers (some varieties have white flowers and some have red); grows well from seed; interesting angular growth; ruff crusty bark; easily contained; prunes well, small leaves; hardy to zone 4.

Disadvantages: Difficult to collect from the wild; thorns on some varieties are up to 2" long and very painful; subject to various fungi; subject to borers; subject to sucking and chewing insects.

Bonsai Potential: On a scale of 1-10, the hawthorn is an 8.

Growing location: Full sun or filtered sun July and August to keep leaves from burning.

Watering: Thorough and deep; does not tolerate drying out, if necessary plant in deeper pot to prevent leaf burn.

Propagation: Collection should be avoided since it does not send out secondary roots in the wild. Cuttings can be taken but percentage of success is low: therefore, seed tends to be of a high percentage of viability.

Fertilizing: Balanced May through October.

Over-wintering: The Washington hawthorn is hardy to zone 4 and tolerates wind, sun, and cold extremely well.

Styling: Informal upright, literate, windswept, twisted.

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