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

Bjorn Bjorholm and his fabulous work of art (Photo by Bjorn, from SteveTolley’s website and blog)

The next meeting of the Houston Bonsai Society will be on Wednesday November 4th,

2015 at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion in Hermann Park, off of Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030. Refreshments at 7 PM, meeting starts at 7:30 PM.

Wednesday, November 4th, HBS Monthly Meeting: Lecture/demo on a large Prostrada Juniper by guest artist Bjorn Bjorholm, owner of Bjorvala Bonsai Studio and former apprentice of contemporary Japanese bonsai master Keiichi Fujikawa.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, November 7th, Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees, Rosenberg, TX, 9AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments provided.

Saturday, November 14th, Japanese Black Pine Study Group, 9AM –1 PM, needle thinning and structural wiring/designing. Bring tools, wire, sketch paper and ideas.

Friday, November 21st, and Saturday 22nd – Advanced Bonsai Techniques with Pedro Morales, 9AM- 5PM: Building Kurama, Phoenix graft with carved deadwood on living trees. All supplies are included for Kurama and Phoenix grafts. Each participant will receive a small 3-speed grinder and several bits. Details in Calendar of Events.

Wednesday, December 2nd, HBS Annual Christmas Party. Bring your favorite dish, side dish, salad or dessert to share and a gift for the Chinese Gift Exchange.

Saturday, December 12th, Saturday Study Group at Maas Nursery, Seabrook, TX, 9AM – 12 Noon, Free, refreshments provided.

Wednesday, January 6th, HBS Monthly Meeting at Hermann Park Garden Center.

Saturday, January 9th, HBS Saturday Study Group TBA

Volume 44 Number 11 November 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Upcoming Events

Bjorn Bjorholm

Showcase of the Month

Glorious Fall colors

0November Bonsai Care

John Miller

President’s

Letter

0Guest Artist

Bjorn Bjorholm

LSBF 2015

Learning Seminar

in Kingwood

0Pedro Morales

Bonsai Masterclass

Fall bonsai colors

November Bonsai Care

Maybe it’s time for a reminder that articles like this are always just guidelines. Each tree in your backyard is a special case and you should look at it individually each time you water. Be sure it is not getting stressed. Is it really healthy? Any signs of problems? Does it need attention immediately? If so, place the plant aside, examine it closely and take appropriate action right away. I have repotted deciduous trees in July but not in the normal manner. In an abnormal repotting, special attention is needed during the repotting and aftwerwards.

Learn to think in terms related to plant characteristics instead of calendar periods (i.e. use ‘when dormant’ instead of October, ‘candle growth’ instead of April, etc.). That will enable you to read bonsai articles correctly whether written in Japan, Florida or wherever. Note that some tree cultivars (like the cork bark black pine) are notably weaker than the standards of the species, and require different pruning and care.

You should have your winter quarters ready. Select one for deciduous trees that will be out of the sun. Air circulation is good but too much wind will desiccate them, especially in freezing temps. Be sure you will be able to check their watering. Remove all debris.

Most important in winter is to keep the soil moisture at a proper level. This sometimes is hard to do because the trees do not use as much water as when they are growing. However the cold winds will dry out the tops quickly. I believe that most winter damages in Texas are due to lack of water, rather than to low temperatures. Mulch helps keep the roots warm and retards evaporation but it makes it difficult to see if the soil is damp enough. Most soils with enough organic material to keep the tree happy in the summer will be too wet if watered daily in the winter. Wet and cold means root rot.

Before putting the trees into winter storage, treat them for over-wintering insects and eggs. Dormant oil spray is good on trees with no green, foliage or buds. A diluted solution of lime sulfur is an old gardeners’ dormant spray for insect and fungus control. Use it on very cool days and dilute it 1 part lime sulfur to 20 parts water. Be sure to read the label on your bottle in case there are different strengths available. This solution should also be applied to benches tops, posts and the soil surrounding them (if you have gravel instead of grass) to eliminate hiding eggs and spores. If you have a greenhouse, treat it also before the weather gets too cold. Bring your plants out or move them to one end while you treat the other end.

At this time of the year, deciduous plants do not need fertilizer. Evergreens will continue a slow growth and will benefit with a light fertilizer feeding. Use one with a lower nitrogen (first number) like 0-10-10 or 8-8-8 at no more than 1/3 the recommended feeding rate.

Watering should be done with care during the cool and/or cold weather. Deciduous trees will use some water to replace what is lost to winds and evaporation. Evergreen trees will need a little more but not as much as in summer. The easiest way is to sort your pots into groups, those that dry quickly, those that are slower to dry, and those that seem to stay damp. This will let you water faster and yet not over-water those that stay damp. Make a note to repot the ones staying too damp.

Repotting of hardy trees can be done anytime the trees are dormant. However, it is safer to do that chore in the spring as the buds are swelling. New roots will start forming immediately upon repotting in order for the tree to absorb water. If you do repot in the fall, you should protect the new roots from freezing during the winter. Do you need to change the pot? Making notes at this time while getting the trees ready for winter will give you 3-4 months to find the proper pots.

When trees go dormant, which indicates a reduced sap flow, they may be pruned or have major limbs removed. Trimming may also be done while the leaves are off the trees and you can clearly see what you are doing. Evergreen types will probably still be active. Pruning should be held off until later. Foliage can be removed when half have turned color to remove some pathogens and to enjoy their winter silhouette.

BIG NOTE: If you have a tree that is weak and unhealthy, you should not attempt to style it in any way. Be happy to adjust its soil, feed it, and get rid of any parasites. Styling just adds stress and creates more problems.

By this time any tropical you have should be under cover. Most do not like the temp below 50 degrees. All tropicals should be checked and treated for any insect problems since insects will multiply fast when they get into warmer quarters. Spider mites and scale can be especially damaging if the plants are moved in the house where the humidity is low.

The semi-tropical plants like crepe myrtle, pyracantha or pomegranate, and some south Texas natives need to go dormant to stay healthy over a long time, but their roots cannot take much cold. They will be killed by temps somewhere between 25 and 30 degrees. I set these down on the ground and cover with mulch for light freezes, then bring them into a protected area for the colder part of winter. Sometimes I will let them go dormant for a month and then take them into the greenhouse to start early and I can enjoy their new foliage in January.

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 Message

We felt the first of chilly football weather this past weekend with a high of 65 on Sunday, October 25th. Time to start thinking about what to do with your tropicals. Most can tolerate 40 degrees, if they get lots of sunshine. Buttonwoods really prefer it above 50 degrees.

The LSBF Learning Seminar was a great event, well attended by our Houston members. The visiting artist was Matt Reel. He had recently completed his apprenticeship in Japan. His specialty is in Bonsai Display, and he has a real fondness for Literati. Two of our member’s trees placed in the Exhibit. Congratulations to our winners!

This weekend will be our third Annual “Day of Bonsai” event at the Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens in Humble, Texas. It will be a one day event from 9 AM - 4 PM. The highlight will be a Fall Exhibit of our best trees.

Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in both the Experienced category, and in the Novice category.

The exhibit will be in a covered area, open to the public. We have 10 tables available, so we can accommodate about 30 trees. We plan to have several activities for attendees who spend the day. We will have some vendors attend with great products.

We will have several demos and a Bring-Your-Own tree workshop during the day. So bring those projects, tools and wire. In the afternoon, approximately 3:45, we will have Donald Green’s family present the “Donald Green - Best of Show” Award and prize of $100.

Our next meeting will have the nomination of officers for some positions. We have a very active organization and are always looking for new talent to help us be successful. If you are interested in working hard, with only the compliments of our members for a salary, we would love to have you! We have openings for several positions. Please contact Alan Raymond, Pete Parker or Terry Dubois.

This is a great season to let most of those trees rest, and enjoy their beauty. There are plenty of outside activities to enjoy. The winter repotting season will be here soon enough.

We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting, on Wednesday, November 4th. Have a great day, Hurley

Our very own Quyen Tong won first prize in the Joshua Roth Emerging Talent Contest sponsored by Hurley Johnson of Timeless Trees Bonsai Nursery, Rosenberg.

Bjorn Bjorholm To help Houston Bonsai Society end an exciting bonsai year on a high note, Bjorn Bjorholm of Fujikawa Kouka – En bonsai nursery Japan and his Bjorvala Bonsai Studio USA will treat our club to a lecture-demo on a large Juniper. Don’t miss it!

Bjorn Bjorholm Bio Bjorn frequently travels the globe, teaching bonsai art to various related organizations and working with private clients and collections. Bjorn’s work is also regularly featured in exhibitions and publications around the world. In addition, Bjorn is the creator, producer, and editor of the Bonsai Art of Japan online video series (Youtube.com). As apprentice of contemporary Japanese bonsai Master Keiichi Fujikawa, Bjorn has been working at Mr. Fujikawa’s nursery, Kouka-En (located in Ikeda City, just north of Osaka) since 2008. He is also the co-founder and co-instructor of the Fujikawa International School of Bonsai. His experiences working with Fujikawa-san have necessarily shaped Bjorn’s approach to bonsai and furthered his never ceasing desire to improve the quality of western bonsai art. During the initial phase of Bjorn’s apprenticeship, his website functioned as a conduit meant to share with everyone in the bonsai community about the daily hardships and experiences studying under one of the greatest modern masters of bonsai art.

Today, however, his focus has shifted towards teaching as a bonsai professional.

Bjorn’s adventures travelling as a bonsai professional Bjorn Bjorholm was born and raised in East Tennessee at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, which played a major role in his love of nature and eventual involve-ment in bonsai beginning at the age of 13. From his initial introduction to bonsai, Bjorn has consistently strived towards the accomplishment of one goal – to improve the quality of bonsai art in the west. At the age of 16 he helped found the Knoxville Bonsai Society, and later, single-handedly developed the Tennessee Bonsai Exhibition, now an annual and continually expanding event. While still in high school, Bjorn had the opportunity to visit Japan as part of an ACOM Cultural Exchange Program, and it was during this short trip that he first met bonsai master Keiichi Fujikawa in Osaka. At the time, Mr. Fujikawa jokingly offered Bjorn a position as an apprentice if he ever returned to Japan for an extended period of time. Little did Mr. Fujikawa know that Bjorn would in fact take the offer to heart and would focus his full energies on one day returning to study bonsai at Fujikawa Kouka-en nursery. During his final year at the University of Tennessee, Bjorn wrote Mr. Fujikawa a series of letters asking if his previous offer (then six years past) still stood. Following several months with no response, Mr. Fujikawa finally answered with a single, short letter. Unfortunately, however, the response was somewhat unexpected, as it expressed concern and apprehension about Bjorn’s Japanese language skills as well as his work ethic. Through several more letters and a bit of convincing, Mr. Fujikawa agreed to allow Bjorn a three-month trial period as an apprentice beginning in the summer of 2008. Three months became six months, which became one year and beyond. Bjorn eventually became Mr. Fujikawa’s most trusted apprentice, and today the pair continue to work closely together to improve the quality and under-standing of bonsai art worldwide. Bjorn now divides his time between teaching and providing bonsai-related services around the globe and furthering his education in Japan. For more information on this prodigy, read more about Bjorn’s accomplishments on his blog or website at bjornvalabonsaistudio.com. This excerpt from Steve Tolley’s blog is reprinted in part with Steve’s written permission. For more fascinating bonsai adventures, visit his website Steve Tolley Bonsai, Four Dimensional Art.

LSBF 2015 Learning Seminar at Kingwood Community Center

Mark Bynum’s incredible Ashe Juniper literati won first

prize.

In the LSBF 2015 Exhibit, there were only 20

trees competing for 3 prizes but our HBS

contestants walked away with the 2nd

and 3rd

.

Hoe Chuah’s very unique and enchanting box display

with Soon’s accent plant won the second prize. The tree is

approximately 2” tall. His fascinating note elaborates:

This traditional Japanese tokokazori displays a

Chinese Elm grown from root cutting, a Fiber Optic

grass companion plant and a distant mountain

viewing stone from Western China’s Xinjiang desert.

The two-line poem in the calligraphy was composed

and written specifically for this display. It reads:

“With Zen flavor, a literati’s virtue is enhanced. “

Hurley Johnson’s tortured semi cascade literati with a

sharp V-turn won the 3rd

prize, staged with an even more

dramatic companion grass accent with sea shells and

sand twirls.

Artist Matt Reel working on the demo tree.

Ken Cousino took home the large Ashe Juniper

demo tree styled by artist Matt Reel. This

beauty happened to be Mark Bynum’s prized

tree’s cousin with the similar great looks.

The winners of the LSBF 2015 top prizes:

Hurley Johnson, Hoe and Soon Chuah, Mark Bynum and

Sylvia Smith.

HBS Sharon Barker beaming with joy as a Joshua Roth

Emerging Talent Contest winner.

Amongst the 20 Literati styled bonsai in the exhibit,

many resembled snakes and dragons rising from the

Earth, twirling in the breeze or dancing in the

clouds. Here are some of the most remarkable ones.

This extraordinarily life like snake is ready to strike.

Most remarkable deadwood twisting around the live vein.

Gone with the wind!

Sylvia Smith’s graciously fluid twisted-ribbon juniper

Besides our thanks to Sylvia for sharing her bonsai

talent, we also have her to thank for the two

delicious Texan style meals. It took a village to put

together such an outstanding event, in a really great

venue. We are also grateful for all the busy bees,

whether attendees or organizing committee, who

participated wholeheartedly in the success of this

convention and making it such a joyous LSBF event.

Matt Reel’s demo tree, a true masterpiece!

Shawn Nguyen Photos by Shawn Nguyen

Calendar of Events

2015 NOV 4 HBS Monthly Meeting: Lecture/demo on a large Prostrada Juniper by guest artist Bjorn Bjorholm, owner of Bjorvala Bonsai Studio and former apprentice of contemporary Japanese bonsai master Keiichi Fujikawa.

NOV 7 Saturday Study Group at Timeless Trees Nursery, Rosenberg, TX, 9 AM – 12 Noon. Free, refreshments.

NOV 14 Japanese Black Pine Study Group: Needle thinning and structural wiring/designing for the future. 9 AM – 1 PM. Bring tools, wire and sketch paper with your idea for the tree and its future.

NOV 22-23 Master Class/Workshop: Advanced Techniques with Pedro Morales. 9AM- 4 PM, ($250 per person, limited to 10 people). Focus will be on building Kurama pot, deadwood carving and Phoenix Graft. This is a full 2 day workshop, 9AM – 4 PM. Lunch is provided as well as all the necessary supplies: 1. Making Kurama pots – (includes all supplies such as wire mesh, waterproof concrete, colored grout…)

2. Deadwood Carving - (includes a Black & Decker, 3-speed grinder for each person and miscellaneous drill bits)

3. Phoenix-Graft: Adding a prosthesis to living trees (dead wood and juniper whips provided).

Come and join us for this advanced techniques class, and take home a Kurama pot, a new grinder, some newly carved dead wood, and a Phoenix Grafted to one of your trees.

NOV 26 Happy Thanksgiving!

DEC 2 HBS Christmas Party and Gift Exchange. Members, please bring your favorite dish, a side dish, salad or dessert to share. The club will provide the turkey and ham, plates, cups and utensils. After the dinner, we will have a Chinese Gift Exchange. Every participant can bring a wrapped gift around $30, bonsai or non-bonsai related. The rules will be explained before the game.

DEC 12 Saturday Study Group, Maas Nursery, Seabrook, TX, 9 AM – 12 Noon, Free, Refreshments provided.

DEC 25 Merry Christmas!

JAN 1 Happy New Year!

JAN 6 HBS Monthly Meeting at Hermann Park Garden

JAN 9 Saturday Study Group TBA JAN 16 Bring-Your-Own Tree workshop with Rodney Clemons at Timeless Trees. Morning session 9AM – 12 Noon - and afternoon session 1PM -4 PM. $40 for each session or $75 for both.

Check out timeless-trees.com and get on the mailing list for weekly classes by very knowledgeable artists and masters. Huge selection of bonsai, pots, tools, supplies and soils to select from. It is not too early to reserve the Christmas gifts or gift cards for your bonsai lovers, family and friends.

Quality Feed & Garden and Ken stand ready to help you with bonsai selection, bonsai care, pots and supplies. He will also personally help you put together Christmas gift baskets for yourself or the bonsai lover on your list. Ask for 10% HBS discount.

Come stock up on bonsai soils, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. The plant doctor is always on duty, so bring your unhappy bonsai for a free thorough check up. Don’t forget to ask for a 10% HBS discount.

Gift giving for the bonsai lovers on your list or yourself is easy with Pineywoods Easy-Care artistic bonsai. Ask Larry and Judy to send you photos to choose from. Check out their fine bonsai collection at the upcoming bonsai event in Houston. Shipping is available.

Soon we will start bringing in the cold tolerant plants and Christmas flowers and trees. Stop by the greenhouses to select tropical bonsai gifts. They are styled and well maintained by our resident Bonsai artist. Don’t forget to ask for 10% HBS discount.

Visit artist Andrew Sankowski at the Mossrock Studio & Fine Art Gallery for the finest gifts and custom bonsai pots in any shape, form and color. Christmas gifts can be commissioned now.

Andrew Sankowski 26002 Oak Ridge Drive Direct (281) 684-4411

The Woodlands, TX 77380 Fax (281) 363-9032

andy@mossrockstudio.com

Houston Bonsai Society, Inc. P. O. Box 540727, Houston, Texas 77254-0727

www.houstonbonsai.com

HBS Board Members President Hurley Johnson hurley@all-tex.net

1st Vice President Scott Barboza markyscott@me.com in charge of Education 2nd Vice President Dean Laumen drlaumen@bechtel.com Secretary Barbara Adams adams.barbara1@embarqmail.com in charge of Membership

Publicity Eldon Branham elmo4635@aol.com

Treasurer Wayne Malone wayneamalone@gmail.com Webmaster Quyen Tong quyenctong@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 Anthony Cutola acutola@gmail.com

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

Member at Large - E Brian Gurrola bgurrola@gurrolareprographics.com

Member at Large - E Ron Ahles carolahles@sbcglobal.net

Delegates Past President Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net

LSBF Delegate Peter Parker peteparkerbonsai@yahoo.com

LSBF Alternate Terry Dubois tdubois1@comcast.net

BCI Ambassador

TTSBE Representative Alan Raymond amraymond@suddenlink.net

Refreshments C.J. Everson c.j.everson@comcast.net

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.

For the lucky few who are retired but still can travel the world, here are a couple of tours to consider.

Bjorn Bjorholm’s Japan Bonsai Tour in January 2016

Please join us on our inaugural Japan Bonsai Tour in January 2016, and see some of the best bonsai in

Kyoto, Osaka, Takamatsu, and Tokyo. Participants will be guided through the world famous Gafu-

ten shohin exhibition and several historical Japanese gardens in Kyoto, tour the famous garden

of Keiichi Fujikawa in Osaka, explore bonsai nurseries in Takamatsu, and visit the Omiya Bonsai

Village, Kunio Kobayashi's garden, and Masahiko Kimura's garden in Tokyo.

The tour will be conducted by Bjorn Bjorholm and his wife, Nanxi Chen, and will run from January 6th

through January 14th, 2016. The tour land package is all inclusive. Please download the PDF filen on the

website for pricing and further details. For inquiries and to sign up, please download the pdf. at:

http://www.bjorvalabonsaistudio.com/japan-bonsai-tours/

We hope you will join us this coming January in Japan!

Bjorn Bjorholm and Nanxi Chen

February Bonsai Tour to Japan Kokufu 2016 organized by Japan Journeys and Bonsai Focus

Our Japan Bonsai Tour is our signature tour which has been running annually since 2005. Our 2016 tour

coincides with Japan’s most prestigious Bonsai Show – the Kokofu Bonsai-ten’s 90th anniversary

show. The Kokufu will have two different exhibits which we will visit. That means you get to see double

the number of bonsai!

It’s ideal for bonsai enthusiasts to visit some of the world’s greatest bonsai nurseries and collections

but there will also be plenty of cultural and horticultural events to enjoy besides bonsai. February is a

pleasant month to visit Japan for the most popular sights to see are quieter than during other seasons.

Your tour commences in Kyoto – the cultural heartland of Japan - where you will see the best of

Kyoto’s many sights, including the most beautiful temples and shrines, each with their own gardens.

During your stay, you will also visit the glorious Temple of the Golden Pavilion, its lovely gardens and

stunning Kiyomizu Temple perched on a hillside with a beautiful panoramic view of Kyoto. We’ll also

tour a series of exquisite rock gardens at the Daitokuji Temple complex. Feeding the frisky deer in

nearby Nara will be another experience you won’t forget.

Your train journey across the magnificent Seto Ohashi Bridge to Kinashi Bonsai Village is a truly

memorable one as you’ll be able to look out over countless tiny pine-tree covered islands shimmering in

Japan’s Inland Sea. At this Bonsai Village as at Omiya Bonsai Village (north of Tokyo), you’ll have the

chance to marvel at a huge range of stunning bonsai trees and the opportunity to purchase suiseki, tools

and other accessories. You will also visit Tokoname, famous for its brilliant ceramics. You will have the

opportunity to buy some special bonsai pots.

You then travel onwards to Tokyo where the highlight of your trip is the outstanding Kokufu Bonsai-

ten show and the marvelous Ueno Green Club where you can purchase goods from a huge number of

nurseries and dealers. You’ll also have a free day when you can return for a second visit if you wish. Our

visit to the Shunka-en Bonsai Museum (established by the Bonsai Master Kobayashi-san) is another

highlight of Tokyo. Not only are the outdoor and indoor trees on display stunning, but the museum itself

is a beautiful replica of traditional Japanese architecture in traditional methods and with authentic

materials.

The link for the Tour is below where you can download a detailed Itinerary and a Reservation Form.

http://www.japanjourneys.co.uk/site/item/japan-bonsai-tour/

If you have any questions about the tour, please get in touch with us. Hope you will be able to join us on

this wonderful trip.

Kind regards,

The Japan Journeys Team Japan Journeys Ltd Cameo House 11 Bear Street, London WC2H 7AS UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 (0)20 7766 5267 Fax: +44 (0)20 7766 5268 www.japanjourneys.co.uk