BSA Notes June 2013

BSA Notes June 2013

The Bonsai Society of Acadiana (BSA) will meet on Wednesday June 5th at 7:00pm. BSA meets on the First Wednesday of each month at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Bldg., 2206 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA.

NEW BUSINESS - The Daylily Festival in Abbeville, Louisiana on Saturday June 1, 2013 from 8:30-4pm. BSA will have an exhibit of members’ trees – we welcome everyone to come out to support the club and encourage new membership.

               

RECENT NEWS –  

Exhibits:  Bonsai Society of Acadiana had an exhibit at Stokes Nursery on Moss Street on Saturday May 4^th for the nursery’s Spring Fling. There were Master Gardeners doing some demonstrations, plenty of plants to look over for potential bonsai, an open jam of music,  and food.  We would like to thank all the members who were able to attend. Here are a few pictures of the BSA club members and trees on exhibit:

Presentations: We would like to thank BSA President Boyd Snellgrove for his presentation on “Bonsai Fertilizer – The Real Poop”. He provided a two page handout of information that members could keep as a reference tool when finding what works best.  Boyd’s presentation began with a word of encouragement that various opinions exist on what fertilizer works best, but the most important point is to take all the opinions and products and find what works best for you and your area. 

Opinions aside, what we know is that most of us under fertilize due to time constraints.  So finding the right combination is essential so that when you are able to fertilize, you make the most of it.

The handout provided to members gave great information on how to understand that fertilizer is to plants as vitamins are to humans. In nature, plants absorb nutrients from rain water and soil, but in bonsai pots, the soil drains better, but causes poor retention of nutrients.  Boyd also provided information on NPK of fertilizer. N stands for Nitrogen – helps with new growth, shoots, leaf size, internodes, and color. This number is usually low for bonsai since we prefer leaves to remain small. P stands for Phosphorus – helps root growth, bud formation and disease protection. K stands for Potassium – which supports flowers and fruits, and provides disease protection.

We learned the differences in micronutrients and general fertilizer, organic versus inorganic fertilizers, how and when to fertilize sick, young, or recently transplanted trees, and about balanced fertilizers.  And were provided a list of most commonly used fertilizers for bonsai. 

The presentation provided new and seasoned members important information to add to their” tool box” of bonsai knowledge.

We would like to say Thank You to BSA Director Johnny Hardcastle for providing food at the May meeting.

BLOG/USEFUL INFORMATION:    Check http://www.acadianabonsai.blogspot.com for any updates on upcoming events, current information on BSA, and a list of vendors/companies that sell quality materials.  This is your best source for information you might have missed if you are unable to attend meetings each month. You may need to use a Google search to connect to acadianabonsai. blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS:                     

June 1^st, 2013                                                     Annual Daylily Festival in Abbeville, LA   8:30am-4:00pm

June 5th, 2013                                                   BSA Monthly Meeting

July 3rd, 2013                                                     BSA Monthly Meeting  

BSA Notes May 2013

The Bonsai Society of Acadiana (BSA) will meet on Wednesday May 1st at 7:00pm. BSA meets on the First Wednesday of each month at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Bldg., 2206 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA.

NEW BUSINESS - We would like to welcome New Members Lauren Daspit and Sandra Creswell to the Bonsai Society of Acadiana.

BSA was contacted to do a display at Stokes Nursery on Moss Street on Saturday May 4^th from 10am -4pm  for the nursery’s Spring Fling . There will be music and food. BSA Members are asked to please check your email for details concerning arrival time and set up assistance for our display.

               

RECENT NEWS –  

We would like to thank BSA Director Johnny Hardcastle for his presentation on “The Need for Patience in working with Shimpaku Juniper”. He demonstrated with a Shimpaku juniper he had purchased in May 2012, and on which he had done some brief wiring a month earlier. Here are some of the highlights of the presentation:

Johnny stressed the important of “patience” in making decisions about style, pruning, and wiring on this shimpaku juniper to avoid stressing the tree.  Despite some current opinions and experience that suggests it is a tolerant tree, he suggests that to avoid the pitfalls of branch and foliage loss, a slow and steady approach has provided the best results.

Johnny’s asked BSA members opinions and suggestions for what each of them saw as potential concerns with the tree, styling options, repotting time frames, and where and when to include jin or shari. He also opened a discussion on leaving stubs on cut back or pruned branches in order to avoid die back close to the trunk, as well as leaving stubs for anchor points as the tree is styled over a course of time.

Johnny’s presentations provided a much needed “slow down and be patient” approach for old and new members alike in dealing with junipers which heal slowly. He also provided some details on the amount of sunlight preferred by junipers as well as information on leaving old growth on the ends of branches to stimulate interior growth.

We would like to say Thank You to BSA Member Dario Billiot for providing food at the April meeting.

BLOG/USEFUL INFORMATION:    Check http://www.acadianabonsai.blogspot.com for any updates on upcoming events, current information on BSA, and a list of vendors/companies that sell quality materials.  This is your best source for information you might have missed if you are unable to attend meetings each month. You may need to use a Google search to connect to acadianabonsai. blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS:                     

May 1st, 2013                                                    BSA Monthly Meeting

June 5th, 2013                                                   BSA Monthly Meeting  

April 2013 BSA Notes

BSA Notes April 2013

By Jane Hebert, BSA Editor

The Bonsai Society of Acadiana (BSA) will meet on Wednesday April 3rd at 7:00pm. BSA meets on the First Wednesday of each month at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Bldg., 2206 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA.

NEW BUSINESS -

Annual membership dues are due and being collected for all active BSA Members. Dues are $20.00 for Individuals or $30.00 for family.

               

RECENT NEWS –  

Following discussion to begin finalizing locations and dates for LABS and a brief business meeting,  we had an open workshop with several trees to work on and show. All BSA Members are encouraged to provide input or suggestions for LABS.

We would like to say Thank You to BSA Member Dottie Burleigh for providing food at the March meeting.

BLOG/USEFUL INFORMATION:    Check http://www.acadianabonsai.blogspot.com for any updates on upcoming events, current information on BSA, and a list of vendors/companies that sell quality materials.  This is your best source for information you might have missed if you are unable to attend meetings each month. You may need to use a Google search to connect to acadianabonsai. blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS:                     

April 3rd, 2013                                                   BSA Monthly Meeting

May 1st, 2013                                                    BSA Monthly Meeting  

BSA Notes March 2013

BSA Notes March 2013

By Jane Hebert, BSA Editor

The Bonsai Society of Acadiana (BSA) will meet on Wednesday March 6th at 7:00pm. BSA meets on the First Wednesday of each month at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Bldg., 2206 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA.

NEW BUSINESS - Annual membership dues are due and being collected for all active BSA Members. Dues are $20.00 for Individuals or $30.00 for family.

                As BSA will be hosting LABS this year, we are asking for BSA Members input and opinions on dates and locations.

RECENT NEWS –  Following a short business meeting, BSA Members had a re-potting workshop which is an annual event at the February meeting. BSA President Boyd Snellgrove repotted a Maple which was collected in 2010, BSA Member Dario Billiot potted a Japanese Boxwood, BSA Director Johnny Hardcastle repotted 2 mames, a Saunders boxwood and Seiju elm, while BSA Member Dottie Burleigh pruned her Brazilian raintree and an elm.  We also welcomed 2 members of the Abbeville Garden Club.

We would like to say Thank You to BSA Members Debbie and Bruce Broussard for providing the burgers and King cake at the February meeting.

BLOG/USEFUL INFORMATION:    Check http://www.acadianabonsai.blogspot.com for any updates on upcoming events, current information on BSA, and a list of vendors/companies that sell quality materials.  This is your best source for information you might have missed if you are unable to attend meetings each month. You may need to use a Google search to connect to acadianabonsai. blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS:                     

March 6th, 2013                                                BSA Monthly Meeting

April 3rd, 2013                                                   BSA Monthly Meeting  

BSA Notes February 2013

BSA Notes February 2013

By Jane Hebert, BSA Editor

The Bonsai Society of Acadiana (BSA) will meet on Wednesday February 6th at 7:00pm. BSA meets on the First Wednesday of each month at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Bldg., 2206 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA.

NEW BUSINESS - Annual membership dues are due and being collected for all active BSA Members. Dues are $20.00 for Individuals or $30.00 for family.

                As BSA will be hosting LABS this year, we are asking for BSA Members input and opinions on dates and locations.

RECENT NEWS –

Presentations:

BSA President Boyd Snellgrove presented “Winter Bonsai Care” on our first monthly meeting of 2013 on January 2^nd.  He provided information on reducing the nitrogen component of fertilizer as this can stimulate growth and hardened off growth should remain, not grow during winter; as well as pointers on reducing watering depending on each trees requirements. The presentation included information on keeping bench areas and pots cleaned off and void of dead leaves and debris as this can promote fungal infections and insect infestations. He also suggested that this is a good time to get a head start on insect control using a 3 in 1 (fungicide, miticide, and insecticide) since you have clear access to trunks without foliage.

Boyd reminded us that this is the best time for wiring deciduous trees, evaluating design and style, making branch choices, and checking for wired trees for “biting in” and unwire – all without risk of damaging new budding. Finally, he suggested that you may consider marking and making a note about any trees that are close to needing to be unwired as soon as spring arrives.

In closing, Boyd suggested now is the time to get pots ready, find new pots, and get soil mixtures ready for spring transplanting. Elm, maple, and bald cypress can be repotted beginning the 2^nd week in January and continue until February, provided our temperatures remain cold.  Continue with frost and freeze protection depending on  hardiness of trees.

We would like to say Thank You to Boyd for providing the snacks at the January meeting.

 News:  Johnny Hardcastle, BSA Director and a Board Member of Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation gave us a brief update on the early stages of planning for Gulf Coast Bonsai Foundation.

BLOG/USEFUL INFORMATION:    Check http://www.acadianabonsai.blogspot.com for any updates on upcoming events, current information on BSA, and a list of vendors/companies that sell quality materials.  This is your best source for information you might have missed if you are unable to attend meetings each month. You may need to use a Google search to connect to acadianabonsai. blogspot.com

UPCOMING EVENTS:                     

February 6th, 2013                                          BSA Monthly Meeting

March 6^th, 2013                                                 BSA Monthly Meeting