Hello All,
A big thanks to Brad from BSQ and Steve from the Redlands club for coming along to our meeting. The presentations were very informative and well received. It was good to hear the plans that the two clubs have for the upcoming year. I encourage all members to support the bonsai events held by the local clubs. The next big event for the local area is BSQ’s bonsai horizons to be held in March (21 & 22). See the BSQ website for further details. This should be a great weekend and I am looking forward to it.
As advertised in this newsletter, the next meeting is an all-day workshop. We hope you will take advantage of this meeting, especially to prepare trees for our upcoming show in April. We will have experienced helpers for members wanting assistance. If you are unsure of your tree’s show-worthiness, bring it along for discussion with our helpers. It may only need a tweak to be put in the show.
Over the holiday period, the family and I went to Europe to visit relatives. The ice and snow were a cold pleasure. In Germany, the climate encouraged moss to grow everywhere (see pic left) and it was nice to see after the struggles we have to obtain it for our displays. In a garden centre in Spain I saw some imported bonsai trees such as crab apples, citrus and cherries all in fruit. They also had our local bunya pines (Araucaria Bidwilli) with sizeable trunks (see pic right). I have not seen this species used locally very often.
The rain has been a welcome to our gardens as well as down south where it has helped get the bush fires under control. In our gardens and on our benches, the extra rain should be making everything go well, including the creepy crawlies. Keep an eye on the new growth for any insect damage and treat accordingly. The days are still hot, so keep an eye on the soil moisture if we get a day or two without rain. Any trimming or styling you do now should give enough time for the tree to grow into the style (and maybe set branches) for the April show. Now is a good time to repot most natives and figs, but aftercare is key with the hot days.
AG