Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS): January 2008

Saturday, January 19, 2008

January 2008 Newsletter

A work session is scheduled for the Huntsville Botanical Garden Railway on the fourth Saturday of each month. This will fall on January 26 this month. The work session begins at 9:00 AM, but you may come at any time that is convenient for you, and work as long as your schedule allows.
Tuesday, February 5, at 7:00 PM in the Education Room at Huntsville Botanical Garden. Dennis Coad will lead a hands-on program to assist us with the proper methods of sharpening and maintaining our tools. Bring your tools along with the items you use for sharpening them, and Dennis will provide guidance on how to keep them in good working condition.
A repotting program is planned for our March meeting.
Tony George is consulting with Kathy Shaner and Guy Guidry regarding workshops for our members this spring and summer.

BONSAI SHOW:

Bob White has contacted Huntsville Botanical Garden staff to learn that The Arbor has been reserved for our annual spring show on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, with plans to set-up on Friday, April 25. Tony and Dennis have agreed to co-chair the show again, and Tony is also consulting Botanical Garden staff to schedule dates for our 2009 annual spring show. We have been informed that events in The Arbor must be scheduled well in advance. I have provided contact information to Botanical Garden staff for LABS executive committee members to facilitate more effective communications in the future.

If any of our members do not have a copy of LABS Constitution and By-Laws, please let me know, and I will provide a copy for you.

Hope to see you at the February meeting.

Joyce White (Maam)

Secretary, Living Art Bonsai Society

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, January 19, 2008

January 2008 Newsletter

Go To:

Meetings

Bonsai Web Sites and Online Bonsai Suppliers

Blog Archive

Huntsville Botanical Garden

2008-2009 Living Art Bonsai Society (LABS) Officers

Club Information

What is a Bonsai?