June 2007 Newsletter
CONEJO VALLEY BONSAI SOCIETY
June 2007
June is a busy month for bonsai. Several of us attended the 50th anniversary of the California Bonsai Society. Descanso Bonsai Society is having its annual show on June l5-l7 at Descanso Gardens in La Canada. This is a great show; there is an exhibit, demonstrations, a great sales booth, and Saturday evening a reception with food and drinks. Oh yes there is also a great raffle. Don’t forget Descanso has been our sponsor and we should support them.
Thursday, June 21, is our meeting. We will have a workshop so please bring something to work on. Before the workshop we will have a meeting to discuss the future of the club. I would like you to bring ideas of what direction you would like to see us go.
Following is a list of what to do with our trees during the month of June. This is taken from Jim Barrett’s column in the Descanso Bulletin. He has given us permission to use it.
Pomegranates and Olives may be from nursery containers to bonsai pots during June and early July. Protect any new newly potted plants from direct sun for a week or so. Black Pine should have their candles pruned by the end of this month and certainly by the middle of July.
Deciduous trees such as elm, Japanese and trident maples, etc. should have slowed down by now. Trim all new twigs to one or two sets of leaves. Pay attention to the way new buds point and trim for direction. Established bonsai should be developing the ramification needed to create the illusion of a mature tree. Remember that most deciduous trees in nature develop soft outlines and rounded apexes. Trim accordingly.
Fertilize trees that develop flower buds in early summer, such as crab apple, quince, ume, and wisteria with low nitrogen, rich phosphate fertilizer. Repeat throughout the summer at least two more times.
Powdery mildew is already showing up on maples, crepe myrtle, and quince. Spray with Benomyl or a good fungicide that is recommended for mildew.
Pine tip moth has been active again. I noticed it last year. The grub eats the center o new pine candles. If your black pine candles turn brown at the very tip, chances are that pine tip moth grubs are active. Pick off the brown end and inspect the inside. You should find the grub, a pupae, or the pupae case. Destroy a critter and dispose of the candle tip. Since this grub lives inside the candle, only a systemic poison would be effective. Cygon-2, Boror Control, or a systemic rose insecticide in granular form might work. Let me know if you are having this problem and what you have done to solve it.
Pay special attention to water schedules. Gloomy June days can be deceiving when it comes to watering needs of our plants.
REMINDER – Evans Thomas and Vicky Albin are bringing refreshments this month and hopefully Ken Fuentes is bringing Starbucks refreshments.
REMINDER – We are meeting at Westlake Village City Hall and the schedule for the remainder of the year is:
July, August, and December, we will meet the Third Thursday
September Second Thursday, September 13
October Third Monday, October 15
November the Fourth Thursday, November 29
News Editor
Ilse Stein
