This Saturday, March 6th at 10am will be the second meeting of 2010 for the Matsu Bonsai Study Group.  If you're interested in attending, please contact me.

For this meeting we will focus on the proper technique for repotting bonsai.  We'll work with established bonsai as well as young trees in training.  Bring plenty of trees to work on, soil, and tools.  If you run out of things to work on or simply wish to work on some of mine, please let me know.

Here's a list of the tools we'll be using for this workshop:

- root sickle
- bent nose tweezers
- 3-pronged root rake
- root cutters
- root scissors
- wire cutters
- wire pliers
- small broom
- chopsticks

I'll have some to borrow if you're missing or in need of a specific tool.

Please RSVP and do your best to be on time.

Last Saturday the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society hosted Chris Summers of Summers Nursery & Landscape (website coming soon) for a grafting lecture and demonstration. Chris has quite a bit of experience in the nursery industry and was a very knowledgeable speaker. I had the opportunity to meet up with Chris the follow day and work with him one-on-one for grafting of some Japanese 5-needle pine (Pinus parviflora) and Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii). He was kind enough to show me his setup and I was quite impressed. He also has some of the best grafted Japanese Maples that I've seen in the nursery industry.

The first meeting of the Matsu Bonsai Study Group 2010 will be this Saturday, February 27th at 10am.  For this meeting we will be focusing on Grafting for Bonsai.  This will be a good follow up for anyone that attended Chris' lecture.

Tools needed for the workshop will be a grafting knife, sharp scissors, tape, plastic bags, etc.  If needed there will be extra tools on hand that can be borrowed.  

Be sure to bring plenty of trees to work on.  If you don't have enough to keep you busy or just want to practice there will be material on hand.  

We'll be practicing inarch and approach grafts.  Discussions will be had regarding adding of branches, replacing foliage, adding to or replacing root systems, seasonal timing, and after care.

Please RSVP and do your best to be on time.

This weekend (Jan 16-17, 2010) marks the 11th Annual Bay Island Bonsai Exhibit at the Hall of Commerce, Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend this year, but I'm looking forward to seeing reports from the show:

Bay Island Bonsai
Bonsai Tonight
Bonsai Sashi-no-eda
Peter Tea Bonsai
Scott's Bonsai and Peppers

And I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion at:

Bonsai Study Group

I attended the 10 Anniversary Exhibit last year, and I have a feeling this year will be even bigger and better. I can't wait to read all of the reports. Maybe I can make it out in 2011 for the next Exhibit.

Matsu Bonsai Study Group dates for 2010 have been posted to the Bonsai Study Group page.  For 2010 the meetings will be more focused on specific topics.

Topics for 2010 include:

• Grafting for Bonsai
• Repotting
• Show Prep
• Decandling
• Wiring 

Items needed for the Bonsai Study Group meetings:

• Trees
• Tools
• Wire
• Soil 

As always, if you need to borrow a tool or a tree to work on, plenty will be available. 

Congratulations to my friend, Peter Tea, winner of this year's Joshua Roth New Talent Competition.  This event is normally held at the annual American Bonsai Society (ABS) Learning Seminar.  But, unfortunately this year's ABS event was cancelled.  Luckily the Golden State Bonsai Federation (GSBF) stepped in to host the event at the GSBF Convention.  I was unable to attend this year, but the reports I'm getting are that the event was a complete success.

To see the results of Peter's New Talent Competition tree, click here.

Peter is a great bonsai artist and fellow graduate of Boon's Bonsai Intensive program.  He was also one of the workshop instructors at the GSBF convention working on Hokkaido Elms. I'm trying to convince Peter that he needs to move to Louisville, so if you run into him be sure to mention it.  :)

This Saturday, November 7th from 10am until 5pm will be the next meeting of the Bonsai Study Group.  For this meeting we'll be discussing care for Fall and Winter preparation.  We'll also spend some time discussing fertilizer and wiring techniques.  Work will primarily revolve around fall cut back, soji cleanup, and Winter preparation.  If you run out of things to work you're free to work on some of mine.  We'll break for lunch around noon, so bring a treat or join us for nearby fast food.

Items needed for this meeting:

• Trees
• Soil
• Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Scissors
• Concave cutters
• Bent tip tweezers

Please RSVP and do your best to be on time.