Monday, December 12, 2011

CLUB MEETING DEC 11

Our Club always has a year end party on the second Sunday in December. We used to have a Santa Maria style Bar-B-Q, but we lost our BBQ organizer Henry last year. We all miss seeing him each month. We had our first pot-luck this year.

As you can see we had quite a selection of wonderful food. With another table filled with appetizers and desserts.

We had three tables of happy diners.



We had our customary gift/raffle after eating. Every one brings a gift. The Club and the Muranaka Nursery also provide some gifts. In the Japanese tradition gifts are not wrapped.



George conducting the raffle.



Since I am the Blog Master I get to feature my gift. Each year I create a 5x7 miniature oil painting. This year Kanemi won my painting. He was very pleased to receive it, but not any happier than I. He is a long time friend who has helped all of us with our trees, and continues to be an inspiration.

Monday, October 10, 2011

CLUB MEETING OCT 09

It's hard to believe I have not been to a club meeting since May. I will try to attend more often.


Kanemi is helping style this Olive tree in a nursery container


Brandon has this young Juniper in a clay garden pot. They make terrific inexpensive training containers.


George is helping to shape this wind swept Juniper.


The interesting container on the right is hand made.


Jeff''s juniper cascade has full dense growth on the top and at the lower tip. But the growth between these two areas is thin and week. This is a typical problem with cascades.


I love the taper on the trunk of this Japanese Black Pine. I understand this tree was in the ground for more than 20 years.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

CLUB MEETING FEB 12


I believe this tree is a Japanese Yew. It was a very bushy nursery plant but has just had its first pruning. It will be interesting to see the progress on this specimen.

A very nice double trunk California Juniper. These trees are generally collected inland at higher altitudes. We used have club digging expeditions to the east side of the Tehachapi Pass, but have not done this in a long time.

A small juniper.
Wonderful taper on the trunk of this Oak tree. The top has been cut and a smaller branch has been wired up to create a new apex. This branch will thicken in time and help to enhance the trees taper. Tapering a trunk like this tends to make the tree look older.


This is a Japanese Black Pine.
Father and Son team working on a couple of trees. Y0u can compare this young Oak on the left with the one above, and see how the taper help with the appearance of age.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

CLUB MEETING Jan 11


We have an annual grafting work shop. This year Kanemi demonstrated the grafting of a Yatsabusa Pine shoot to a Black Pine. This is an effective way to get a Yatsabusa Pine noted for it's Short needles.


The first step is to make a fresh long diagonal cut on the stem of the shoot. Followed by a second short cut on the reverse side of the shoot. The cut end of the shoot is held in the mouth to keep it damp until you you are ready to graft it.


The next step is to make a diagonal cut close to the root on the Black Pine.



The shoot is now inserted at the base of the Black Pine. One side of the cambiun layer of the long cut of the shoot is aligned with cambiun layer of the the base of the tree (not the flap). Only one side of the cambiun layers can be aligned because the tree is much wider than the shoot. Here the cambian layers are aligned on the left side so you can see the white strip of the tree on the right.






Now a rubber band is wrapped around the shoot and tree, and tied. This rubber band will hold the shoot in place while it grows to the tree.


Finally the tree is placed back in the container, watered very well, and tented with a plastic bag. A rubber band is used to hold the plastic bag.

Your tree is kept under you bonsai bench or in a shaded area until October. No watering will be required while the plastic bag is over the tree. As water that evaporates will condense on the plastic and return to the soil. When you see new buds growing on the shoot the bag can be removed. Keep the tree in the shade and start watering as you do your other plants. When the buds begin to mature you can place the tree in the sun.

When your graft looks strong and healthy you can cut off the Black Pine at the base of the shoot.

CLUB MEETING Oct 11


What looks like a root structure on steroids is really a rock with the tree growing out through a hole.


Notice how healthy the canopy is on this tree, and the green Moss that covers the trunk.


This California juniper is in for a little hair cut. "A little more of the top please."



This Olive tree has a very nice base.



Many of the trees you will see on Our Blog will be in nursery containers. These inexpensive pots are use while the young tree is being developed.

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These last three group pictures show member working on their trees.