This Month's Meeting –Wednesday November 18, at 7:00 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center
5th and Shady Ave. November's meeting will cover two topics-tools and pots. Keith Scott was graciously asked but he not so graciously agreed to explain Japanese pots and to dispel some of the misconceptions and general ignorance concerning clay containers: their chemical make-up, glaze, body, strength, quality or its lack and several other factors that go into pot-container creation.Members who have pots about which they have questions should bring them to this month's meeting for evaluation and discussion.
Fred Bruckman will discuss the various tools used in bonsai and how to evaluate quality/price.
Mizuki Bonsai Supplies will be on hand with supplies. Since the holidays are just around the corner now is the time to start your shopping for your favorite bonsai person!
Swissvale Classes: The Society sponsors Free clinic type classes beginning September 8th through November 24
th at the Swissvale Senior Citizens Center, Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9p.m. 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 Monongahela & McClure Ave. The classes will continue until Nov. 24. For additional information, call Evelyn Christie 412-244-9280.Nominating Committee Report: The nominating committee has met far too much but despite this have agreed on a slate of officers for 1999. The names will be offered in nomination at this month's meeting along with any names brought forward by anyone wishing to submit a name for consideration by the membership. Names such as Rose Bush and Pete Moss will not be considered and the person proposing such names will be publicly flogged.
Other Events
| December 14th: | Christmas Party |
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Idle thoughts as the growing season ends.
No real mystery exists: common sense should dictate November's actions. Know the plants you have; if not, find out. Need I say the winter sun and wind kill and damage a bonsai, not ice, snow, temperature or gloom of night. If you have a few trees, mulch them in in a sheltered spot out of wind and sun and forget them till April 1.
Should any have a mad desire to repot, restyle, wire, trim, clean up, November is a good time to do it. Observe that none of the above should be done if the subject is frozen! A cold, wet day with overcast sky is an excellent time to finish up fall work.
Also, now is the time to spray all your bonsai with a general spectrum insecticide to help curb bugs next spring. A fungicide added to the insecticide is always a valuable move.
As the year closes down and looking back, successes should far outweigh failures. Don't be hesitant to look over the trees that haven't performed as well as they might. Pull the plant out of the pot and look for signs of rot, fungus, bugs, bad drainage. If a tree has died under your care, recall that pathologists, either plant or human, learn a great deal from death as well as life.
YOO HOO!? IS ANYONE OUT THERE?
People who labor at putting together a newsletter all harbor the same complaint: No one reads my copy; all anyone wants to know is when the meeting is and perhaps what the program is and who the poor innocent is who agreed to produce a program. The hours that go into our newsletter number in the tens and twenties, not including thinking time, delivery to the printer as well as to the post office. No matter who does the work, it takes time and all its dreary accomplices: thought, phone calls, computer failures ad info. The editor and her almost willing slaves would like to know not only if anyone reads the information but should the newsletter continue in its present form. It therefore behooves the membership to let us know just what value this all has. The editor doesn't have a burning desire to do all this, nor does her only now and then willing fool.
Due to lack of participation, the national bonsai collection bus trip to Washington D.C. was cancelled.
| Species: | Common name: | Black locust |
| Botanical name: | Robinia pseudo-acacia | |
| Japanese name: | Nise-akashia |
Varieties: Selections come about from time to time but are rarely in common cultivation. Occasionally a contorted form will surface and dwarf forms have been recorded. A weeping cultivar was introduced in the late 50's but rarely is it seen in the trade.
Advantages: Readily available, fast growing, excellent bark, ample roots thus allowing it to be root pruned easily; extremely hardy; twiggy angular growth; grows in almost any soil; flowers in panicles; good for larger bonsai; prunes well; good winter form.
Disadvantages: Compound leaves; must have ample root room; thorns can be painful; cannot be allowed to dry out; wires with some difficulty; subject to borers.
Bonsai Potential: Since few growers bother with the local locust, not many examples exist, but it can be quite a striking tree with care.
Growing location: Full sun
Watering: Thorough and deep; it will tolerate even soggy conditions.
Propagation: From seed collected from dry pods in fall. Sown in sand and humus.
Fertilizing: In the ground: not necessary but in a container a high nitrogen fertilizer will curb leaf yellowing.
Over-wintering: Needs no protection as long as it doesn't dry out. Mulching the container is all it will need.
Styling: Use the cut and grow method and an angular growth habit will occur; wiring is not advised except on young growth.
| Species: | Common name: | American red maple |
| Botanical name: | Acer rubrum | |
| Japanese name: | Not applicable |
Varieties: The American red maple like so many other trees indigenous to North America has had woefully little attention as a bonsai subject. As a landscaping tree its popularity increases yearly. One has only to look in nationally circulated catalogs for an extensive list of red maple selections and hybrids.
Advantages: As this monthly series proceeds, the careful reader can detect that more and more references are being made to trees native to Western Pennsylvania. And if a personal allusion is allowed, I began my bonsai addiction with American and regional trees and I've not found many foreign trees that surpass our own locals. Such can be said for the Rubrum: beautiful fall color, rich, deep; ease of digging; tolerates container growing; prunes well when following Shigo's rules; flowers well, seeds well; hardy; deer don't eat them unless starving; leaves smaller than most Japanese maples.
Disadvantages: Specimens found in nurseries tend to be grown tall for landscaping; not usually wired; rough bark occurs only after 20 plus years old; watch for leaf miners; leaf burn can occur if prolonged dry conditions persists, particularly if in containers.
Bonsai Potential: Good to excellent.
Growing location: Full sun except in August: filtered shade will reduce leaf burn.
Watering: High humus soil kept noticeably damp: do not allow to dry out.
Propagation: Seed, air layering
Fertilizing: Balanced fertilizer May through July; light applications in September until leaves drop.
Over-wintering: Not much protection needed; mulch the pot.
Styling: Informal upright by the cut and grow method, avoid wiring.