by Earl Ekman

The annual Christmas Party is scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd, 6PM at the King Buffet (Directions on page 2). This is a wonderful way to wind up the year and enjoy the fellowship of the club members. There will be door prizes, games and election of officers. This has been a great year and the board has next year planned out and we'll be ready to go.

Don't forget dues for 2007 are now due. They will be the same as last year $35 for the paper newsletter, $30 for the electronic.

I would like to thank a lot of hard working people for all the help they provided this past year. George Buehler for this fantastic newsletter. Tommy McCurry, our treasurer for his work with workshops and sales. Earl Cormney as Vice President, he's always there when you need him. Gene Sewell our show chairman and beginner workshop director. Midge Goeth for More Than Just Tofu. John Callaway for his articles in the newsletter. Lee Squires for his help and advice. To my wife Sandy for all her help on every project we had. I would also like to thank Greg Hollander, who is not a member of the club, but who contributed greatly to the success of our society this year.

It's been a lot of fun.

Best regards, Earl

by George Buehler

2006 is almost over, and it is time to reflect on what we did or didn't do, how our bonsai progressed, and what we need to do next year. Although we put our bonsai away for the winter, are we ever really not "doing" bonsai?

It always amazes me when I look back at my bonsai "to do" list how much I did or didn't get done. One thing I did do this year was to get rid of some of my "stuff". For those who don't know about "stuff", this comes from an article by Mary Miller (Oct 2005) that talks about collecting plant material that will never be good bonsai. I looked over some of my collection and realized that several fit into this category, so I disposed of them. Of course, like any committed bonsai enthusiast I replaced them, so my total bonsai count remained about the same – maybe even increased slightly but don't tell my wife. Maybe in 2007 I can bring myself to dispose of several more and not get any additional.

Dave Bogan, editor of the Evansville club and a frequently featured author in this journal, recently decided to reduce his collection. Dave had about two hundred or so trees, some that he has been working on for over 20 years. He decided that he couldn't properly care for such a large collection with his work schedule, and he much prefers to do the initial design work of new material rather than the routine maintenance work of finished trees. When Dave decided to reduce his collection, he just couldn't put a for sale sign on any one tree. So he decided to put the whole collection up for sale and when the collection was reduced by 50%, he would take the collection off the market. This is a rather drastic way to reduce a bonsai inventory, but you have to know Dave's collection to understand his reasoning. I would be hard pressed if I had such a collection, to decide which tree to dispose of.

The point here is that sometimes we need to make the hard decision to lessen our tree inventory in order to spend more quality time with the ones left. Getting rid of the Mary Miller "stuff" is easy, but sometimes we even need to take a hard look at our total collection and decide if we should keep it. Over the winter, I plan on taking this hard look at the rest of my trees and decide if it would be better to donate them to another member or simply dispose of them.

On a more positive side, at our holiday party we will have our annual election. For the last four years, we have been fortunate to have Earl Ekman as our president. Although a number of us tried to convince him otherwise, Earl has decided to give up the presidency and devote more of his time to his trees, his new love – Koi, and his wife. That doesn't mean that he won't be just as active in club events and workshops, but he won't have to be responsible for gathering supplies, making sure we have a meeting place, calling people for help, etc. One other thing that Earl won't have to do for the club when he retires is write something for this newsletter each month (Just don't think that I am going to let him off the hook completely).

Not only has Earl served as president, he has also served as Vice President, club librarian, and show chairman, and has always been ready to lend a helping hand.

Earl has always had a positive attitude toward the GLBS and is quick to help other members with trees or "almost" anything else if asked. His positive attitude has helped a number of us over the years.

I think we all should give Earl our thanks for the years of service and wish him well in his "retirement".

Over the few years I have been writing this newsletter, I have learned a lot about bonsai from doing the reading needed to write the articles, to performing some quick research projects on my trees to fill in blank spots in other articles. I hope that our members have also learned things from reading this newsletter. I often use this editorial spot to put out my random thoughts, or to put out statements that would generate some discussion. Perhaps we should call this 'Bits and Pieces' rather than an editorial.

I hope you and your family have a happy holiday season!

by Kenny Popp

Tools for grafting

Knives

For propagation work, a well built sturdy knife of high carbon steel is essential. The knife must be kept razor sharp.

Grafting wax

Grafting wax has two chief purposes: (a) It seals over the graft union, thereby preventing the loss of moisture and death of the tender, exposed cells of the cut surfaces of the scion and stock. (b) It prevents the entrance of various decaying organisms that may lead to wood rotting.

An ideal grafting wax should adhere well to the plant surfaces, not be washed off by rains, not be so brittle as to crack and chip during cold weather, or so soft that it will melt and run off during hot days, but still be pliable enough to allow for swelling of the scion and growth enlargement of the stock without cracking.

For small scale operations, grafting waxes are available in aerosol applicator cans. Several repeated applications of this type of wax are generally needed.

Tying and wrapping materials

Some of the grafting methods, particularly the whip graft, require the graft union be held together by tying until the parts unite. Tying can be done in several ways-the simplest would be merely tying with ordinary string and covering with grafting wax. Waxed string is convenient because it will adhere to itself and to the plant parts without tying. It should be strong enough to hold the grafted parts together yet weak enough to be broken by hand.

A special nurseryman's adhesive tape is manufactured that is similar to surgical adhesive tape but lighter in weight and not sterilized. It is more convenient to use than waxed cloth tape. When using any kind of tape or string for wrapping grafts, it is important not to use too many layers or the material may eventually girdle the plant unless it is cut. It is best to observe such wrappings carefully and cut them after the graft has healed.

Plastic polyethylene, PVC, and masking tape are also satisfactory wrapping materials.

Approach Grafting

The distinguishing feature of approach grafting is that two independent, self-sustaining plants are grafted together. After a union has occurred, the top of the stock plant is removed above the graft and the base of the scion plant is removed below the graft. Sometimes it is necessary to sever these parts gradually rather than all at once. Approach grafting provides a means of establishing a graft union between certain plants in which successful graft unions are difficult to obtain. Approach grafting is usually performed with one or both of the plants to be grafted growing in a container.

This type of grafting should be done at times of the year when growth is active and rapid healing of the graft union will take place. As in the other methods of grafting, the cut surfaces should be securely fastened together then covered with grafting wax to prevent drying of the tissues.

Spliced approach graft

In the spliced approach graft the two stems should be approximately the same size. At the point where the union is to occur a slice of bark and wood 1 to 2 inches long is cut from both stems. This cut should be the same size on so that identical cambium patterns will be made. The cuts must be perfectly smooth and as nearly flat as possible so that when they are pressed together there will be close contact of the cambium layers. The two cut surfaces are then bound tightly together string, raffia, or nurseryman's tape. The whole union should be covered with grafting wax. After the parts are well united, which may require considerable time in some cases, the stock above the union and the scion below the union are cut, and the graft is then completed. It may be necessary to reduce the leaf area of the scion if it is more than the root system of the stock can sustain.

Tongued approach graft

The tongued approach graft is the same as the spliced approach graft except that after the first cut is made in each stem to be joined, a second cut- downward on the stock and upward on the scion –is made, thus providing a thin tongue on each piece. By interlocking these tongues a very tight, closely fitting graft union can be obtained.

Inlay approach graft

The inlay approach graft may be used if the bark on the stock plant is considerably thicker than that of the scion plant. A narrow slot 3 to 4 inches long is made in the bark of the stock plant by making two parallel knife cuts and removing the strip of bark between. This can be done only when the stock plant is actively growing and the bark slipping. The slot should be exactly as wide as the scion to be inserted. The stem of the scion plant, at the point of union, should be given a long, shallow cut along one side, of the same length as the slot in the stock plant and deep enough to go through the bark slightly into the wood. This cut surface of the scion branch should be laid into the slot cut into the stock plant and held there by nailing with 2 or more small, flat headed wire nails. The entire union must be thoroughly covered with grafting wax. After the union has healed, the stock can be cut off above the graft and the scion below the graft.

See figure 1

Inarching

Inarching is similar to approach grafting in that both stock and scion plants are on their own roots at the time of the grafting: it differs in that the top of the new rootstock plant usually does not extend above the point of the graft union as it does in approach grafting. Inarching is generally considered to be a form of "repair grafting," used to repair roots damaged by cultivation implements, rodents, or disease. It can be used to very good advantage in saving a valuable tree or improving a root system.

Seedlings planted beside the older, damaged tree, are grafted into the trunk of the tree to provide a new root system to supplant the damaged roots. A satisfactory procedure for inarching is to plant seedlings of a compatible species around the tree during the dormant season. Then the grafting operation can be done as active growth commences in early spring.

A long slot is made on the trunk of the older tree by removing a piece of bark the exact width of the seedling and just as long as the cut surface made on the seedling. A small flap of bark is left at the upper end of the slot, under which the wedge end of the seedling is inserted. Then the seedling is nailed into the slot with four or five small, flat headed wire nails. The nail at the top of the slot should go through the flap of bark and through the end of the seedling. If any of the bark of the tree along the sides of the seedling should accidentally be pulled loose, it is necessary to nail it back in place. After nailing, the entire area of the graft union should be thoroughly waxed.

Most of the above information applies to commercial operations, but the techniques can be adapted to enhance our Bonsai.

I have seen in a Bonsai article some years ago where a limb may be allowed to grow very long and bent around to be inserted in a hole drilled through the trunk to come out the other side in a desired future limb position. The cambium must be removed and the limb fit to the hole very snug. This type of graft will most likely leave the most natural appearance. I have not tried this yet. The article was about this procedure on an American Hornbeam. You will need to taper the cambium on the limb so as not to remove it all as you pull it through the hole. Hopefully it will grow back. It may need to be waxed. Deciduous trees should take faster. I would think it would be the best approach as the limb angle would be your choice. As with anything you are not familiar with, you should try this on a tree that is in your yard or in a wooded area.

I have successfully completed 2 Inarch grafts on a Western White Pine (Pinus monticola) by removing the cambium on both the limb and the trunk, and bending the limb up against the trunk. The sap from the pine closed the wound. I wrapped the limb to the trunk with electrical tape and copper wire. I then monitored the growth. In one season I loosened the wire, but kept it on for another year to protect the limb from birds breaking it off. I made the graft in the spring and kept it out of the full sun. I did remove the tape late in the season as it seemed to get too tight.

In this case the limbs were not cut off, which is what allowed the trunk to heal and taper quickly. See photos.

If this were done with the limb base to be removed, as in a more distant limb location, I think I would cut off parts of the limb over time, maybe 3 to 6 months, or 1/2 each season. Deciduous trees will need a grafting wax, over the tape.

Remember, Patience and not being afraid to learn something new can be very rewarding.

Ref:
Plant propagation Principles and Practices Hartmann and Kester
Bonsai Its at Science, and Philosophy Deborah Koreshoff
Bonsai techniques John Naka

by George Buehler

This is the last in this series of bonsai tools. In the first part, we listed what I considered the 'must have' tools. In the second part, we listed the 'nice to have' and what I call the miscellaneous tools. If you have followed this series, and if you purchased all the tools I listed, you would have any where from $200 to over $500+ invested in all the tools depending on the quality of tools purchased. As I have mentioned several times, all the tools listed are not needed. My preference is to spend my money on trees, not on the tools, but some tools are necessary. Before we cover the care and sharpening of tools, I thought I would give you an idea of alternate tools – those that can be purchased from a hardware or big box store at substantially cheaper prices.

ALERNATE TOOLS

Some of the tools listed in the first two parts of this series can be substituted by tools found at other sources. These generally will be substantially cheaper and will serve the purpose plus they can be used for other applications also. For some, you may need a little construction skill.

• Tweezers – As an alternate, a pair of needle nose pliers will serve most applications. In additions, they can be used to manipulate wire when applying or removing it. I purchased a set of "miniature" needle nose pliers at Sears. There were three pliers – a thin needle nose, a regular needle nose and a wire cutter. There are also sets at Sears that contain 4 or 5 different types of needle noses – straight, bent, etc. In most situations, the set of pliers work almost as well as the bonsai tweezers. Don't however, use the wire cutters for removing wire from trees. They can be used for cutting wire from the roll but can do real damage to a branch if they are used to remove wire so caution must be used.
• Soil Screens – Many bonsai artists make their own soil sifting screens. A method of cutting wood and nailing it together will be required. A 1 x 2 board can be purchased at a lumber yard, sawed into 10 to 12 inch portions, and then nailed together to form a square. The sides and edges should be sanded slightly to round the sharp edges of the boards. For the screen, hardware stores can supply wire mesh with 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, and ¼ openings. Each individual screen is nailed or stapled to the wood square previously made. This works just a well as the purchased bonsai soil screens. A distinct advantage of making your own screens is that they can be made any size that is desired.
• Shears – As previously mentioned, a bonsai shear has a tapered cutting edge and a normal scissors shouldn't be used. I found a very useful replacement for the bonsai shears at a big box store in their garden section. This tool is manufactured by Fiskars and is a floral snip (Softouch Micro Tip Pruning Snip). It has a length of about 6 inches with the cutting blade about 1.5 inches long. It cost $9.99 when I bought it and it was the same price during a recent visit to the same store. This tool can be used as a replacement for most shears. I have used it on rather large branches and get clean cuts. The only problem with this alternate tool is that it is difficult to get into the tree canopy to trim out growth. This is due to the floral snip size. For some of these trimming tasks, I use my regular bonsai trimming shears.
• Root Hook – One fellow workshop participant pulled a mean looking tool from his tool box that caught my eye. He had taken a large awl purchased at a hardware store and bent the shaft making his own root hook. He said he purchased it on sale for $3.00. Of course, you have to have the ability to bend it at a 90 degree angle, which most of us don't have the capability to do. It does show you that a little inventiveness can save a lot of money on tools.

The above is just to illustrate that there are some ways to save on tools. As you attend workshops, watch what other participants are using. There is a lot of creativeness out there.

CARE

One of the keys to keeping your tools in top notch working order is the normal care you give them both in use and in storage. It's quite easy to finish a tool task and to throw it back into your tool box. If you give your tools a little TLC after a session of use, they can last a lifetime. Probably the most important factor in tool upkeep is cleaning. As you cut branches or roots, the tool edge is coated with the sap/resin from the tree. If this is allowed to remain on the tool, it hardens over time or it picks up dust and grime making a sticky mess. In addition, the sap can get into the hinge making the tool hard to open of close. Actually, if the sap does get into the hinge and it is allowed to 'set up' the hinge can be frozen so that the tool doesn't work properly.

If you purchased the Lysol liquid disinfectant and use it between trees as mentioned last month, the cleaning job will be shortened. When all bonsai tasks are done for the day, the tool should be dipped in the liquid disinfectant, swirled around, opened and closed while the cutting edge and the pivot joint is under the solution and then carefully wiped with a cloth or paper towel. Special attention should be given to the cutting edge of the tool. Also make sure to remove all the liquid from the hinge or it may rust shut.

Some hobbyist use turpentine or mineral spirits at the end of the day to remove the sap. Unless you are working on a very resinous tree, like a pine, this is probably unnecessary. Even working on a resinous tree, if you use the liquid cleaner routinely during the trimming process, most if not all of the sap can be removed from the tool. If you do use a hydrocarbon cleaner, the tool should be cleaned with a good cleaning solution after the hydrocarbon is used.

After the tool is clean, it should be thoroughly dried to remove all traces of water, and it should be wiped with an oily rag to deposit a light coating of oil over the entire tool. Once again the cutting part of the tool should be given special attention to ensure that there is a light film of oil on it. Sewing machine oil which is a general purpose oil should be used. Heavier grades oil, such as motor oil is not generally used, since it is harder to uniformly distribute the oil and it leaves a thicker layer of oil on the tool. I know of several hobbyists who use WD40 or similar penetrating oil to spray on their tools. Since I have not tried this, I only offer it as an option.

Normally, a lot of bonsai tools are used throughout the growing season. There are some, such at the root cutter that are used in the spring and not used until the next transplanting session. There are some that are used once a month or so, others every week. The storage of these tools is handled differently.

For those tools used only in the spring, after it is cleaned, dried, oiled and wiped down, I add an additional drop of machine oil to the pivot. I then wrap the tool in a thin cotton cloth and store it in its original box. Over the years, the cotton cloth has become covered with oil, which also protects the tool from rust during its storage.

For those tools used monthly, they are cleaned and oiled, then either wrapped with a paper towel or simply stored in a tool pouch. The tools used routinely, are cleaned and usually oiled after use. Because these tools are used so often, I don't always oil them after every use – but they are cleaned after each use. I do try to make it a point to oil the pivot at least weekly.

For my tools that I use routinely – concave and wire cutter, trimming shears and knob cutter, I store them in a tool roll. These tool rolls come in a number of designs and are made of polyethylene, leather, or cotton. Mine is a polyethylene material with individual compartments to slip the tools in. For the less used tools, I store them in a different tool roll. The seldom used tools, I store on a shelf in my basement in their original boxes. If I will be attending a workshop, I pack the tools I think I need in the polyethylene tool roll for easy transporting

Some thought should be given to how the tools are transported to workshops. There are a number of options to consider. Some hobbyists use a normal fixed sided tool box, others use a soft tool bag, and some use a 5-gallon bucket equipped with a holding mechanism on the outside, while others simply use the tool roll. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. The fixed sided tool box is of course not expandable; therefore it is important to find the right size. Dimensions of about 12" by 5" by 6" will hold a lot of tools. The 5 gallon bucket, although I haven't used it, seems to be rather awkward. Transporting the tools in the storage tool roll works well as long as the tool roll has a 'flap' to keep the tools from sliding out. The soft sided tool bag is what I use since it is "slightly" expandable, it is light weight, and holds a lot of tools. Mine was purchased at a big box store and cost about $15. It has side pouches both on the inside and outside, making it convenient to hold last minute supplies, keys, etc.

Probably the most important thing in tool storage or transportation is to ensure that the tools don't hit each other, especially the blades or tips of the blades. If the blades hit, the can knick or even break. Depending on the tool quality or supplier, some are supplied with a plastic cover which goes over the blades. If this is the case, always put the cover back on the tool to help prevent damage.

Bonsai tools are often used out of door and are subjected to large amounts of moisture, and often perspiration. Under these conditions, they are therefore prone to rusting. The stainless tools will not rust unless they are exposed to a moist acid environment which is a definite positive for their purchase. The tools that are plated also have a good corrosion resistance.

There will be times, no matter how careful, when a tool will start to rust. Because bonsai tools are used often, rusting normally is slight. When there is rust, the tool often can be cleaned of the rust by simply rubbing with a tooth brush or other stiff bristled brush dipped in a dish detergent, dried thoroughly, and then wiped down with an oily rag.

If the tool has major rusting from being left outdoors or by other abuse, 4 aught steel wool or a fine synthetic steel wool may be used to rub off the rust. A gentle pressure should be used to prevent scarring the metal of the tool. Although I have not had this problem with my bonsai tools, I have had an occasion when another tool was left outside by mistake. When I found the tool, it had a good layer of rust on it. I used synthetic steel wool moistened with machine oil to clean it off, thoroughly washed it with mild soap, dried it and then oiled it down and thought nothing more about it. I did find that this tool had to be routinely treated because it had a propensity to again rust even stored in my 'real' tool box. The key here is to make sure the tool is dried and oiled before storage.

SHARPENING

If bonsai tools are used properly, the cutting surfaces will last for years without the need for sharpening (grinding an edge). Concave cutters and knob cutters have a fairly complex blade geometry which makes proper sharpening beyond the scope of this article. You can 'touch up' the edge of your tools if you do it on a routine basis. If you wait for the tool to get completely dull, this method will not work. If the tool is dulled by abuse such as cutting wire with a concave cutter, it may be better to simply purchase a new tool. Professional sharpening, if you can find a sharpening shop to do it, will be expensive. They may charge more to sharpen the tool than the cost of a new one. If you purchased stainless tools, then by all means look for a local sharpening shop that will work on them. For straight edge blades, like a shear, professional sharpening shops will generally sharpen the tool while you wait.

Another problem with bonsai tools is that they generally are riveted together, making sharpening more difficult. In addition to the complex geometry of some of the tools, the straight blade tools, like shears, are short bladed making getting a sharpening stone over the entire cutting length almost impossible.

My technique for touching up the edge of my tools starts with a set of diamond pocket stones. This is a real misnomer since they are similar to a fingernail file but are made of plastic and one side is coated with diamond grit. They come in coarse, medium, fine, and extra fine grades. They are manufactured to sharpen the edge of woodworking tools, and as such, they can remove a lot of metal quickly – especially the coarse one. If the tools are touched up routinely, the fine and extra fine stones are sufficient.

Since the straight blades are the easiest to touch up, you should start with one of these first. Open the blade to its fullest extent – remembering that even though the tool may be dull for cutting a branch, it probably is still sharp enough to cut skin – then using a black magic marker, color the cutting edges of the tool – this is the beveled portion of the blade. Using the fine stone, hold the stone firmly to the blade making sure that the stone is flat on the cutting edge angle. Make one or two passes from the pivot end to the tip of the blade holding the pocket stone firmly, but not with a great amount of pressure, against the blade. Look closely at the edge of the blade. If the stone is held at the correct angle, most if not all of the magic marker ink should be removed. If only part of the coloration is removed, the stone is not being held at the correct angle and more attention should be given to holding it flat against the blade. Make sure each blade receives the same number of 'strokes'.

Some people believe that they should touch up the back side of their shears – the flat portion of the blade. This is not generally recommended. If too much of the back side is taken off, the contact between the two halves will be reduced and the cutting ability will also be reduced.

For concave cutters the procedure is much more complicated and care has to be exercised. Describing the method to use is harder than the actual sharpening. Remember that the tool is only being touched up not really sharpened.

First look at how the blades close. They should just meet with the amount of closing being controlled by the "stop pin". This pin, which is in one handle, bumps up to and stops the other handle when the tool is closed. When the one handle just meets the stop pin, the blades should "just barely" touch. If the blades touch each other before the one handle meets the stop pin, the pin will have to be nudged over so that the moveable handle meets the pin before the blades touch. With a "small" hammer, gently tap the pin toward the opposite side. Tap the pin only once and check the closing. If the blades touch before the handle hits the pin, repeat the tapping until the handle hits the pin just as the blade touches. If the handle hits the pin before the blades close, either the pin has to be tapped the opposite way or the pin can be touched up. This is done by using the course diamond stone and grinding a little off the mating surface. I have only had to do this adjustment once and that was because the tool was dropped and apparently bent the pin slightly.

Now for the sharpening, hold the concave cutter with the blade CLOSED. Look at the tool carefully and notice that one of the blade halves just slightly (about one millimeter) overlaps the other. Carefully run an index finger over the mating surfaces and the slight overlap can be felt. The blade that crosses over is called the upper blade, and the one underneath is called the under blade. Remember, this crossing over is very slight.

Once again, mark both of the edges with a magic marker. The technique used is to ensure the diamond stone follows the outside contour of the blades. Open the cutter to its widest opening with the under blade away from you but the cutting edge facing you. Hold the fine diamond stone so that it will follow the blade opening. Check that the stone meets the blade uniformly, and then stroke the blade with the stone from one side of the blade to the other. Look at the magic marker ink left on the blade. Most if not all of the ink should be removed. Make four or five strokes across the blade.

Now close the cutter and hold the tool so that the upper blade is toward you with the cutting edge away from you. Keep the tool closed. Hold the diamond stone on the upper blade and push it away from you and going from one side of the cutter to the other. Make four or five strokes.

After I wrote the above, I followed the instructions and noticed that one of my concave cutters had a second bevel on it – a very thin angle where the blades met. This required running the diamond stone over this angle a couple of times.

If you 'touch up' your tools routinely they will make a very clean cut. Shears and concave cutters may need to be touched up once a month or even once a week depending on the amount of use. Unless you are extremely skilled at sharpening, you should not try to use an electric sharpening machine on your bonsai tools. They can be quickly ruined by taking too much off a blade. However, using the manual diamond stones can lengthen the life of those favorite pair of shears you use and give a very clean cut.

FINALLY

Over the last several months, we have gone over the tools a novice needs to be a successful bonsai artist. I have continually mentioned that all the tools listed will not be needed immediately and should be purchased as needed. As more skill is gained additional tools not covered in these articles will be needed but that is information left for another article.

Whether novice tools or stainless steel tools are purchased, protect your investment by taking proper care of the tools.

by Earl Ekman

Bonsai show and tell, November 14th, Bon Air Library at 7PM. I don't think we have ever had a show and tell meeting before, at least that I remember. What we would like is for everyone to bring one or two trees and tell us about the tree. Fill us in on the history of the tree, how you acquired it or came by it, where it was found growing, how it was dug up, changes in its life history such as it started out as an upright tree and was later changed to a cascade, who owned it previously, is it an indoor tree, outdoor, does it flower, when, tips on how to grow this type of tree. In other words, anything of interest you can think of about your tree.

Maybe Tommy McCurry can tell us how to grow azaleas. Perhaps Lee Squires will discuss pines or junipers. Wouldn't we like to know how Gene Sewell raises those beautiful trees? Bring your trees and tell us about them. I'm sure we will learn a lot and have a lot of fun. If you have time and think of it, please bring a small dessert and the club will provide coffee and drinks.

On Oct 10th, we had a beginner workshop and 20 people attended. It was a great evening and I want to thank all the club members who were there to help make this a huge success.

George has started a series entitled Bonsai 101 and the first in a series of articles was about tools we use in bonsai. It was a very informative article and I'm looking forward to subjects he is going to discuss.

Midge Goeth has started a mentoring program and this is something we have needed for years. If you can help out, please give Midge a call (425-3929) and volunteer. Thanks Midge for starting this useful program.

Our Christmas party will be Saturday December 2nd at 6 PM. The location will be at the King Buffet, 1801 Priority Way, 266-8890. This is in back of the old Sam's discount store. We've had our party here before and it works out extremely well. They provide us with a private room and we get to eat all we want. Hope to see you there.

Best regards,

Earl

by George Buehler

The year is coming to a close, the tropicals have been put away for the winter, and I am waiting for several frosts to bury the evergreens and deciduous trees. It is not time to dream of sugar plum fairies, but it is getting close. It seems that as I get older the time goes faster. I enjoy this time of year because I don't have to work on trees and can catch up on my reading. I have already started my list of things I have to do next spring and, as I put away the trees, I will examine each to determine what needs to be done - wiring, transplanting, etc.

Midge Goeth proposed a mentoring program in last month's More Than Just Tofu article. At the last beginner workshop, each member present was assigned one or two people to check on. This doesn't take a lot of time - a follow up telephone to see if there are questions or to find out if the tree they worked on at the workshop has been put away for the winter. I think this will keep the novice bonsai artist interested in the hobby and hopefully get them to join the club. If you weren't at the beginner workshop, give Midge a call to volunteer to be a mentor.

In this month's newsletter, Linda Kossmann gives us a procedure on styling without making cuts on the tree. See page two for this informative idea.

On page 8, Kenny Popp presents a more advanced article on grafting a new branch on a tree. Midge Goeth recruited Kenny to write this article for her More Than Just Tofu column, but I decided to list this as Bonsai 201 since the topic is somewhat more complex. Even if you are a beginner, read the article since it will show you some of the techniques that can be used to enhance the appearance of your tree.

I have put the complete 2007 schedule in the calendar on page two. Why don't you pencil it in on the calendar on your refrigerator? I say pencil since sometimes we have to change dates due to meeting room availability or other factors. Most of the time these dates are changed several months in advance; but, if it is a last minute change, it will be listed in the calendar that "always" appear on page two.

I am also including (to local members only) a section with our financial status that was supplied by our treasurer, Tom McCurry. Our bank account is in much better shape now due to the generosity of Greg Hollander who supplied us with the plant material and pots used in last month's yard sale.

Now the good news - or bad depending on your perspective. The GLBS has the opportunity to host the 2011 ABS/BCI convention in Louisville. I know this is 5 years away, but that is how far in advance these conventions are scheduled. What does this mean to the GLBS? It is quite simple-we will have approximately 300 bonsai hobbyist from around the world in Louisville. It also means that we will need help from all the members to set up, stuff portfolios, water trees, etc. At the last combined convention (St. Louis in 2003), there were almost 100 specimen trees on exhibit. This gives everyone the opportunity to see some fantastic trees. There will also be about 15 vendors from around the country with some high quality trees and supplies for sale. Of course this event will also help build our bank account. I am really excited about this but also a little apprehensive since it will require a lot of work. As the time progresses, you will be reading more about this event.

At the Christmas party, we will vote on the new slate of officers for the club. This will be your opportunity to voice your opinion and perhaps serve the club. The club always needs people to fill the various positions. Give Earl a call if you want to serve.

Speaking of the Christmas party, this is a club event where we enjoy good companionship, have lots of laughs, get some neat door prizes, and of course have a fine meal. Plan on attending. It will be on December 2 at 6 PM. Directions and details will be in the next newsletter.

One final thought for this newsletter, It is time to send in your 2007 dues. They will still be $35 for a family membership if you want the paper version of this newsletter and $30 if you want the electronic version. Please consider getting the newsletter electronically since it will save both you and the club money.