illawarra newsletter bonsai 2011, no.1 …cbs.org.au/pdfs/ibs/illawarra_feb_2011.pdf · ·...
TRANSCRIPT
A Member of the Bonsai Federation of Australia Inc
A Member of Australian Associated Bonsai Clubs A Member of the Garden Clubs of Australia
HOLIDAY MUSINGS
Welcome back to all of our members for the beginning of a new
decade and hopefully to enjoy and participate in another year of the
bonsai spirit.
The last couple of months have been nothing short of tragic for our
farmers and city folk not only here but in Queensland – the floods,
cyclones and the extreme heat and humidity. Our poor trees have not
only been flooded they were then cooked! Our sentiments go to all of
those who have lost lives and property and knowing the Australian spirit
we will all bounce back from this and rebuild and make new. I received
these photos of Uluru that was also affected by the heavy rains so
obviously not many parts of Australia escaped the wrath of Mother
Nature.
For those of you who were not at our Christmas Party in December, it was decided by the committee
that Noel Summerell be awarded a Life Membership for his continued support and outstanding
achievements for Illawarra Bonsai over a 27 year period. Congratulations Noel! Also Noel had the
pleasure of awarding his first annual perpetual award for the Best New Talent for the Year, and the
honour went to Joan Harvey for her outstanding saikeis (landscapes) that always bring a lot of attention
at our club meeting nights. An inspiration for all of our newer members to aspire to and maybe at the
end of this year you could be the next winner of this great award. Our congratulations also go to Phil
Rodriguez for winning the Elaine Chee Perpetual Trophy for the best trees on display for 2010. In the
photo is also our special presenter, John Cross, who is also a Life Member of Illawarra.
Editor/Secretary:
Jamie Milner
0415 440 807
President:
Brenda Parker
0412 384 834
Mail:
PO Box 294, Jannali, NSW, 2226
Web:
www.illawarrabonsaisociety.org
Meetings:
7.30pm third Monday night each
month, except January & December
at Gymea Community Centre,
Gymea Bay Road, Gymea, NSW
ILLAWARRA
BONSAI
SOCIETY
INC
NEWSLETTER
2011, No.1
FEBRUARYNEXT MEETING 7.30PM MONDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2011
(Workshop)
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The combined Bonsai and Suiseki Show that was held on Australia Day at the Merrylands RSL Club was a
resounding success. The tally of visitors exceeded 700 and to say that it was great for bonsai was an
understatement. Non bonsai people and bonsai club members from 8 Sydney clubs that were involved
attended and the interest in bonsai was phenomenal. Talking to a lot of people, I was absolutely
amazed that not many of them knew that bonsai clubs existed. I was also amazed just how many
people do bonsai on their own in their own backyards. This event was a great opportunity for the clubs
to advertise their club’s information and hopefully gain some new members and to promote bonsai in
general.
Overall the display of trees was very well supported and professional. All of the vendors were very happy
with their sales as were the people attending the 3 demonstrations by prominent identities. Our very own
Janet Selby had her pottery wares there for sale and was amazed at the amount of visitors to the venue.
While speaking to the visitors I was still shocked by the same old questions that keep coming up- (1) How
old are the trees? (2) How often do you water the trees – do you just spray the foliage or the soil? (3)
Where are they kept – indoors or outdoors? (4) And the obvious one – how much are they worth?!?!
The biggest drawback was when we had to dismantle the displays with the searing heat outside. When
we walked out of the comfort of the club’s air conditioning it hit us like a furnace blast and whilst packing
the cars the heat was unbearable. Some member’s trees were actually burnt on their long journey home
and there was one beautiful white pine that actually had the whole top of the tree burnt which was a
great loss.
I would like to thank all of those members who volunteered their Australia Day holiday and presenting
with some beautiful trees to represent Illawarra. It was a great effort from all of you. Thank you!
Remember the survey that was circulated later in 2010, well the committee has compiled all of the
information and there will be some changes to our program this year, with thanks to our members, and
this information will be relayed to you at our first meeting. We had such a great response to our request
and it shows that you are all very interested in the future of the club. This is your club and any changes
for the good will be listened to. Thank you to those who participated.
Looking forward to renewing the friendships and hopefully we can learn more, do more, participate
more and of course enjoy more of our little trees.
See you then,
Brenda
FINAL THOUGHT
‘I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things.
You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.’
- Harold Green
HANDY HINTS
• The most important thing to watch out for is the health of your trees with this terrible heat and
humidity that we are experiencing. Check your trees often and if this is not possible, maybe move
the more sensitive trees to a more shaded and sheltered position until the worst is over and keep
well watered.
• The new growth that the trees have put on has been staggering, so pruning and pinching back is
most important, not only to keep the tree in proportion but also to encourage the most important
thing to happen and that is the ramification that is just so important especially to give the trees
age. The basic rule is to let 4 leaves grow, then cut 2 off on every branch and continue to do this
while there is active growth.
• Insect and fungal attacks are very prevalent also at this time as the conditions have been perfect
for their growth. Watch out for ants’ nests when and if the soil becomes very dry. Prodding and
poking with a chopstick will disturb them and then soaking the whole pot in a basin of water for
about an hour will make them pack up and move out. Also to watch out for are caterpillars,
spiders nesting in the thick foliage, snails, mites, lace bugs and chewing insects like grasshoppers
and preying mantis. Ants especially like to burrow under the trunk area to get some relief from
either the searing heat or from the rain. They tend to undermine the potting mix and only leave
air bubbles, so after soaking in water fill up the hole with fresh mix and put on a layer of pebbles to
obscure the hole.
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• Clean out black pines of all the old needles and thinning out the healthy ones. Cutting back the
candles to just a few millimetres from the point of attachment is ideal to promote smaller needles
and shorter internodes. Aeration and sunlight are beneficial to stimulate new buds and more
compact growth and also to keep mealy bug and mite attacks to a minimum.
• There is still time to cut back figs to 2 leaves on each branch and fertilize and also in fact any tree
that has put on excessive growth.
• Fertilizing fruiting and flowering trees now with higher potassium and phosphorous levels will
stimulate more fruit and flowers during the coming seasons. Do this every 2 to 3 weeks to be
beneficial.
• Keep fertilizing all trees to keep them healthy, to put on healthy new growth and to help them to
resist these attacks and also to prepare them for the colder months ahead.
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EVENTS
As you know, club members were surveyed last year and from the survey results a new yearly program
has been devised. The yearly program includes an increase in demonstration meetings from 3 to 4. As
well as that a number of meetings have been designated for an open market place – a time when
members are able to buy and sell bonsai and bonsai related items. More information will be provided
about market place meetings in the next newsletter. The yearly program and events listing is below.
Club Meetings
21 February 2011 Workshop
21 March 2011 Workshop (Market place)
18 April 2011 Demonstration
16 May 2011 Workshop
20 June 2011 Demonstration
18 July 2011 Demonstration
15 August 2011 Workshop (Market place)
19 September 2011 Demonstration
17 October 2011 Workshop
21 November 2011 Workshop (Market Place)
12 December 2011 AGM and Christmas Party
Club Events
27 August 2011 – 28 August
2011
Illawarra Bonsai Society Annual Show, Sutherland Tradie’s, Kingsway,
Gymea
16 September 2011 – 18
September 2011
12th Annual Workshop Weekend at the Tops Conference Centre,
Stanwell Tops, presented by Illawarra Bonsai Society.
Other Events
19 March 2011 – 23 March
2011
Australian Native Plants as Bonsai, Australian National Botanic Gardens,
Canberra
26 March 2011 – 27 March
2011
Bonsai Society of the Central Coast, Annual Show
3 April 2011 Nepean Bonsai Society, Annual Show, PCYC Hall, Penrith
7 May 2011 Bonsai Study Group , Annual Show, Pymble
20 May 2011 – 23 May 2011 24th AABC Convention – Come Together – Hosted by Bonsai Society of
Western Australia, Perth. Featuring Min Hsuan Lo.
(www.bonsaisocietywa.com/convention.html).
20 August 2011 Bonsai Society of Sydney, Annual Show, Terry Hills
15 October 2011 – 16
October 2011
Canberra Bonsai Society, Annual Show
29 October 2011 Urrimbirra Bonsai Society, Annual Show
18 November 2011 – 21
November 2011
11th Asia Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention and Exhibition,
Takamatsu, Japan (www.aspac-takamatusu.jp).
26 November 2011 – 27
November 2011
Campbelltown Bonsai Society, Annual Show
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TREE COMPETITION –2010 Competition Results
Open Large 1st Ric Roberts
1st Phil Rodriques
3rd Noel Summerell
Open Medium 1st Laurie Carroll
1st Roc Roberts
3rd Noel Summerell
Open Mame 1st Ric Roberts
2nd Bruce Domrow
3rd Lee Wright
Intermediate 1st Phil Rodriques
2nd Laurie Carroll
3rd Neville Althaus
Novice 1st Hector Bottaro
2nd Rupert Mathews
2nd John/Jenny King
The Elaine Cheer Perpetual Trophy was won by Phil Rodriques.
The Noel Summerell New Talent Award was won by Joan Harvey.
Tree Competition for 2011: The member survey from last year has also resulted in some changes to the
monthly tree competition. A new tree competition class has been introduced to expand the tree sizes in
competition each month. The new classes for size will cover Mame (miniature bonsai), Shohin (small
bonsai), Medium Bonsai (Kifu and Chuhin in Japanese) and Large. The Novice class will remain, but
unfortunately the Intermediate class will no longer be held.
In the past there have been questions on eligibility within the classes. The review of the tree competition
will hopefully clear up any interpretation issues. A comprehensive outline of the rules for each class is
included with this newsletter. All members should note that our tree competition coordinator, Serge, will
be checking trees at each meeting, and any tree not meeting the eligibility requirements will be listed
“Not As Scheduled”, and no prize will be awarded.
Thanks to Tony Lopes from Insanity Streak for some light entertainment for our members.
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TREE COMPETITION RULES GENERAL
• Each member can only exhibit ONE tree in each section at each meeting.
• Evergreens and conifers may be exhibited only ONCE in any one calendar year.
• Deciduous and flowering trees may be exhibited a maximum of TWICE in any one calendar year, but
in different seasons (e.g. a maple may be shown once in its deciduous state in winter and in a
different season when it has leaves).
• A tree purchased as a bonsai is ineligible, the exhibitor must have worked it on the tree for at least 12
months.
HEIGHT BASED SECTIONS (Size Gauges Will Be Made Available To Make Measurements)
Large
• This section is open to ALL members.
• Any tree may be entered in this section, subject to meeting the general rules and the dimensions
below:
Height: may be greater than 40cm.
Width: no limit.
Length: no limit.
Medium Bonsai (Kifu and Chuhin)
• This section is open to ALL members.
• Any tree may be entered in this section, subject to meeting the general rules and the dimensions
below:
Height: may be greater than 25cm, but no greater than 40cm.
Width: must be no greater than 50cm, except forest, saikei and other multiple tree/trunk settings
where there is no width limit.
Length: must be no greater than 50cm.
Shohin (Small)
• This section is open to ALL members.
• Any tree may be entered in this section, subject to meeting the general rules and the dimensions
below:
Height: may be greater than 15cm, no greater than 25cm.
Width: must be no greater than 30cm, except forest, saikei and other multiple tree/trunk settings
where there is no width limit.
Length: must be no greater than 30cm.
Mame (Miniature)
• This section is open to ALL members.
• Any tree may be entered in this section, subject to meeting the general rules and the dimensions
below:
Height: must be no greater than 15cm.
Width: must be no greater than 20cm, except forest, saikei and other multiple tree/trunk settings
where there is no width limit.
Length: must be no greater than 20cm.
In the height based sections:
• "Height" is the distance measured from the apex of the tree to the soil level where the roots enter the
soil. For root over rock style, the height of the rock must be included in the height. For exposed root
style, the height of the exposed roots must be included in the height.
• "Width" is the widest measurement between the ends of any branches across the tree.
• "Length" is the distance measured from the apex of the tree to the underside of the lowest branch of
the tree, where the lowest branch is below the soil level where the roots enter the soil. (Generally,
"length" applies to cascade and semi-cascade styles only).
NOVICE SECTION
• This section is open to all INEXPERIENCED members. The experience of the members is the sole
criterion by which trees may be entered in this section.
• Once a member has won this section, the member is no longer eligible to enter trees in this section.