President’s Message
Those of you who didn't attend our first Thursday meeting for our Tree Improvement program last month missed a great opportunity to have your trees reviewed and suggestions made by all in the club. Even though our attendance was fewer than normal, we still had a vibrant group that sent everyone home with some compelling and creative ideas for future bonsai work. Gerry Fields made the evening thoughtful and entertaining for everyone who attended.
The month of January was completed with our Third Thursday workshop, starting with the board of directors meeting at 6:30 followed by the group workshop with fellow club members. We saw fewer club members at each of the meetings which I had expecting with the COVID virus at its peak this month.
We appreciate that the church is still allowing us to keep meetings going at this time. I'm sure that in February we'll see a drop in the infection rate that so many are concerned with presently. All the more reason for our club to maintain all the suggestions the CDC is recommending for everyone’s safety and protection.
get your trees repotted
Our first Thursday meeting in February will be presented by John Thompson. He'll be covering all aspects of repotting for this important, timely procedure. For those of you who are new members and have never repotted your bonsai, this will be a must for you.
JT will cover the complete process of getting your tree out of the pot, working with the roots, tying it down and carefully applying the appropriate soil that finishes the full operation. There's much to be learned by all in the club when repotting your trees, don’t overlook the necessary steps that JT will review and demonstrate.
Getting your repotted trees off to a great start during these winter months is key to seeing good vigor and healthy new growth this spring.
Keeping you moving forward
Over the past few months in our club's monthly workshops, I have seen the need for both new and old club members to add to their collection of potential bonsai trees.
Why am I saying this? In order to maintain a vibrant interest in this hobby, you need to have enough trees to excite your interest, develop your skills and want to learn more. We all need our minds and passions to be stimulated progressively, moving forward with new things that keep us growing with the desire to become the best at what we do and how we do it.
Our bonsai club is here for you, keeping you moving forward with this amazing hobby we all enjoy. But how can you maintain a strong foundation and interest if you only have but a few trees to work on and from which to learn? Keep in mind that you should be willing to extend yourself financially at times for better material that you'll be much happier with in future years.
An opportunity
Midori Bonsai Nursery Tour
Saturday May 7th, 2022
Details to be announced
So with that premise in mind, our club plans to get everyone out on the road together, looking for new bonsai material at a few Bay Area nurseries. On Saturday May 7th, our club is planning a nursery road trip for everyone to two different nurseries which have proven to have plants with good potential for bonsai.
In addition, senior members of the club will accompany the group in order to offer suggestions and advice when selecting pre-bonsai material that will have a good future for your collection. All the details will be coming in future newsletters that will explain the times and how we can carpool together for this special event.
The importance of making our meetings
As this epidemic is tailing down in the coming months, keep in mind that having a desire to make our meetings regularly is really important for us all. Where else can you be encouraged by fellow club members as we share our love of this dynamic hobby? Where else can you gain the knowledge about these trees in order to learn and progress together? If bonsai moves your spirt, then let's join together and keep our club moving forward with serious dedicated members!
Have a great time doing bonsai this month everyone! 🌳
