With the summer month of August here now, we should have guessed that we would be experiencing this type of extended hot weather with the high temperatures and dry air. I know that city water will be a continuing issue in the coming months.

So members, watch your trees carefully, and water as often as needed—daily or even multiple times each day. Extreme temperatures can be seriously destructive to the bonsai trees that we have worked so fervently on to develop and enjoy.

August Club Program Change

We will be changing up our meeting for the first Thursday this month with John Thompson instead of the trio of members originally proposed.

JT, as he is known, will be sharing his professional skills to help us see how the large but ordinary nursery material he purchased the day of our nursery tour can be used to get a jump start on a mature-looking bonsai. JT picked out a 20 gallon sized olive tree as we were all gathering out front of the nursery that morning.

And yes, we were all very impressed with his choice, so much that we will be having him bring it in for our demonstration the first Thursday meeting this month.

Olives make for a wonderful bonsai; they are hardy and very forgiving of the harsh environmental conditions we are experiencing these days.

So plan on being there with us this Thursday evening as JT does his magic with this very wonderful tree. This is your chance to see the before and after as it evolves into something very special. It would be very exciting to see everyone there that evening!

Our Third Thursday Workshop Change

You asked for it, you got it! We will be having our time-honored Silent Auction (postponed from June) instead of our normal workshop program that evening.

Silent Auction Form

So club members, this is a call for everyone to clear out everything you don't need at home bonsai-wise, and bring things in for others to purchase and enjoy. Tung will be including the silent auction form that you'll need to fill out for every item you want to sell, unless you want to group similar items together on one form.

I have had many in our club beg us to reschedule this event, and auctions are only as good as the items brought in for others to purchase. So the call goes out for those who have trees, pots, tools, books, soils, fertilizers and you name it, if it relates to bonsai it is all game! Bring it in, and we will move it! Remember, the club gets a percentage of all sales!

Please refer to our June newsletter for all the details regarding the Silent Auction procedures.

Our Club's Yearly Show is 100% On! October 1st, 2022

After discussing and considering the many issues our club is experiencing today, our board of directors came to a clear resolution to make the commitment to cover the many jobs we need to do and provide the quality trees we want to display at our show this year.

Putting on a one day show requires many volunteers, and in the next few months we'll need to get focused and have everyone sign up for the various jobs needed along with trees they want to display. I'll be passing out a sign-up form for everyone who wants to participate.

Keep in mind that many of our club members have never experienced a bonsai show and what is required to bring it all together. You new ones, maybe you don't have a tree you feel will qualify to be a part of our bonsai show, and that's okay. But you can still play an important role, supporting others who need help with the various jobs that need to be accomplished that day.

We'll need plenty of help setting up Friday along with tearing down the show at it's completion on Saturday at 5pm. Plus, an important part of our show is an area called our Trees in Training area. This segment of the show is ideal for those who have young trees in development, an area where newbies especially can enjoy and display their trees.

And for the month of September, our club will be having programs directed towards how to prepare a bonsai tree to be shown, along with the proper way to set up a traditional bonsai display. We all can benefit from this yearly, so now is the time to start grooming your trees, making sure you have a solid plan that will insure you have trees there you can be proud to display.

By the end of this month, the club will have printed handouts that advertise our show and the various programs included. There will be two sizes for your use and everyone should be enthusiastic and excited about inviting friends and posting our handouts wherever possible at work or other places that people congregate. This is an easy, painless task that doesn’t take long to do, but can make a real difference in attracting a good crowd to our show.

Our Calaveras Nursery Tour

What is it about a nursery tour that excites me? For me, it's like setting out on a new adventure, always looking for something new and exciting to purchase and work on.

And yes, I think many of our club members did just that, that Saturday morning. We had a group of about eight along with senior members to assist and direct them to the various areas of the nursery.

Everyone came away with well selected material that they can now work on at our third Thursday workshops.

I want to thank JT and others that assisted that morning!

A side note

Gerry Fields has asked club members who would like to purchase many of his trees that he will be selling throughout this month and next. Gerry is in the process of moving, and many of his trees are for sale and need to be gone shortly. I'm sure that they will be priced nicely for your benefit. So give Gerry a call to set up a time to stop by at (408) 893-5870.

Thanks Juan Cruz for your program you did on Shohin bonsai last month, you shared the best of what you truly love!