Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS): August 2007

Saturday, August 18, 2007

August 2007 Newsletter

24 attendees were present for the August 7th LABS meeting. Two new members: Essie McElveen and Stacey McIntyre. Also Linwood Curry and his family were visitors. Welcome, All!

The door prizes donated by Phil Terry were a pair of scissors won by Maam and a pine won by Stacey.

Minutes of the previous meeting and the Treasurer’s report were approved by the members.

Old Business:

A general description of the activities at the 2007 Middle Tennessee Regional Bonsai Show was given.

Bob and Maam White sponsor a work session at their home on the 3rd Saturday of every month during the summer months from 2-6. Contact Maam at jmaam6226 at yahoo dot com for directions.

Reminder that the next railroad bed maintenance work session, 9:00 a.m.- NOON is August 25th. This is a good opportunity to meet with other members, play (without any risk) with someone else's plants and bonsai tools and contribute to the Botanical Gardens.

Richard Wiley has created LABS membership cards for 2007 members. These cards when shown at purchase will allow you to receive a 10% discount at Brussels Bonsai Nursery. You may pick up your card at the September meeting.

New Business:

LABS Fall Plant Sale during the October meeting. Club receives 10% of sales. Have your bonsai and bonsai-related items marked in whole dollars, no cents, mark your items clearly.

John made the suggestion to invite a new bonsai artist for the LABS Spring Show in 2008, Guy Guidry. Tony is to contact him to inquire about his availability.

Carol made the suggestion to make a club bonsai DVD purchase. LABS currently has 5 VHS tapes donated by a previous member. Phil is to research possible DVDs and report back suggestions.

The August program was presented by Steve Lorenz regarding his peach tree bonsai. Very entertaining presentation. Thank you, Steve!

Program for September 4th: Preparing for Fall and Winter; repotting; switching fertilizers; cold frame designs, etc. Everyone be prepared to discuss their successes in a round-robin format.

2008-2009 Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS) Officers

President is Phil Terry and he may be contacted at pnterry2 at mmm dot com. Vice President is Tony George and he may be contacted at Tony George georgeaj01 at comcast dot net. Secretary is Joyce White and she may be contacted at Jmaam6226 at yahoo dot com. Treasurers are Char & Wes Harris and may be contacted at Wharris945 at yahoo dot com. Show chair is Dennis Coad and Tony George. Dennis may be contacted at dlcoad at knology dot net. Work Sessions are scheduled by Maam (Joyce) White and she may be contacted at jmaam6226 at yahoo dot com. Note: To prevent online data harvesting by spammers and junk mail companies, the above addresses are presented without symbols. Substitute "@" for at and "." for dot when trying to contact an officer.

Club Information

Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS) is the place to learn the art of bonsai and to share the joys of this ancient art. Membership in the club is available to anyone interested in bonsai. Annual dues are $20 per person or family, payable on or before the meeting in January. The dues for new members joining after the first quarter of the year are reduced by $5 per quarter, and the full membership dues become due again in January. Monthly newsletters, bonsai programs, exhibits and other activities as well as a web site are provided to members. Bonsai is an exciting and rewarding hobby. Membership in the Society will allow you to share that excitement with others.

What is a Bonsai?

Bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh), the art of growing miniaturized trees or shrubs in containers, is a living art, constantly changing throughout the seasons. The bonsai artist may choose from numerous species of trees or shrubs to create a design to resemble a mature tree in nature. Through the practice of bonsai training and maintenance techniques, the tree improves with each year in culture, and the grower advances in knowledge and skills with each year of study and experience. From its beginning in China and its later refinement in Japan, the art of bonsai has spread around the globe. To qualify as a bonsai, the trained tree must be planted in an appropriate bonsai container. Bonsai are usually grown in shallow containers, though some styles are best displayed in deep containers. Bonsai can also be planted on rocks or slabs. It is very important to have adequate drainage holes in all bonsai containers and a planting mix that drains well. Most small leaved trees and shrubs that tolerate pot culture make good bonsai subjects. Bonsai created from tropical plants may be grown indoors. Hardy evergreen and deciduous trees require a cold dormant period to remain healthy, therefore they must be grown outdoors most all year. Some winter protection may be necessary during severe cold periods. Miniaturization is accomplished by restricting the growing area to a small container, regular trimming of foliage and roots and applying appropriate watering and fertilizing techniques. The position and direction of trunk and branches are controlled with the use of aluminum or annealed copper wire which is coiled around the trunk or branches before bending them to the desired position. As wired areas expand with growth, the wires should be removed to avoid damage to the trunk and branches.

Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS)

Saturday, August 18, 2007

August 2007 Newsletter

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Huntsville Botanical Garden

2008-2009 Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS) Officers

Club Information

What is a Bonsai?