June 2024

With summer here now, with its warmer weather and longer days, we as bonsai enthusiasts have a great opportunity to get our trees up and growing once again, always preparing them to be cut back and restyled. For me, it's the most exciting time to be busy at work with the trees we've developed and nurtured over the many years we have shared with the club.

For those of you who are newer and have just begun your journey with bonsai, you face a new frontier ahead of you. Starting your bonsai collection and learning the horticultural skills necessary to develop the trees you'll need for applying your newly taught bonsai skills is an exciting challenge. The key now is to be patient, and don't be overly disappointed with the first challenges presented to you this year. Much of what you're learning now is a lifelong pursuit that takes time to develop and nurture, especially with the successes we see from members who have honed their skills over many years.

Small achievements with your trees can be very exciting, especially if you take your time and don't overwork your trees in a single session. Happy trees are ones that get the right amount of water, temperature placement, and foliage that is adequate for the tree to continue growing successfully with new growth. Never underestimate what you can do if you truly stay with it! And stay involved with the club, as it can help you achieve the bonsai collection you've always desired.

And You Thought You Could Never Learn to Wire a Bonsai Tree!

Hallelujah, our savior is on the way! Yes, John Thompson will be our first Thursday meeting presenter who is convinced that everyone can and will learn to properly wire their bonsai trees—given time and patience. I have personally been inspired by those few craftspeople out there who make it a form of artistry, with the beautiful way they apply the wire with such ease and symmetry.

Well, everyone needs to start somewhere, and JT will be dedicated to helping you learn the wiring techniques necessary to give your trees the proper styling and movement of those branches you've always wanted. Without wire and wiring application, you have no control, so the motivation to learn these skills that JT can help you with is necessary for proper bonsai.

For the evening's activities, JT plans for you to come up front and follow along as he demonstrates some of the basic techniques of wiring application. This will be followed by newer members breaking up into groups of two, where you will be given a plastic artificial branch and wire to practice wiring as demonstrated by JT. All newer members will be given a chance to work together, with one holding the branch and the other applying the wire. If certain ones would like to take home their branch and wire to practice more, they will be allowed to do so.

We're also asking senior members who are there that evening to please assist those newer members as they get started.

For Our Third Thursday Program

Juan Cruz will continue with the beginners' class after club announcements have finished that evening. Juan has asked for all new members to please bring in your newly acquired trees for the class. Along with whatever bonsai tools you have, a close examination of all your trees will be necessary that evening in order to form a styling plan for their future.

Otherwise, all others will bring in their trees for seniors to help you move your trees along with our monthly workshop.

A Heads-up for July's First Thursday Meeting

We will not be having our normal programming that evening. Instead, we'll be having our annual Silent Auction that will require all members to bring in all things bonsai to sell to fellow club members. So start gathering together whatever you have now! Bonsai trees, pre-bonsai trees, pots, soils, fertilizers, wire, bonsai books—all things bonsai will be accepted. The club gets 20% of all sales, and you get the rest. Just another opportunity to support our club finances!

A Nursery Road Trip to Remember

Once again for the month of June, our club plans a nursery trip on Saturday, June 22nd, to Calaveras Nursery in the town of Sunol. Everyone must provide their own transportation or carpool. This nursery has many plants that others do not, providing a great opportunity to get pre-bonsai material that has a good future for bonsai.

I have personally ventured to this nursery twice this past year, picking up plants that are now in my collection and that I'm very proud of as they progress to their potential.

Our club is trying to get new members and others material that they can work on and develop, which will get you more excited about doing bonsai and staying with it! Without material to work on, you're not regularly doing bonsai that keeps you excited at every turn with this hobby.

So please join us that Saturday morning. Details for the trip will be announced later this month.

Have a great month doing bonsai, everyone! 🌳