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ISSUE #9. September 2013
BONSAI
IS A BRIDGE TO INTERNATIONAL
FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE!
Following the devastation after World War II, Saburo Kato
helped to organize and rebuild the bonsai community of Japan. In
those bleak days when the beautiful cultural pastime was a low
priority for most, Kato's efforts continued to grow and the
unity of Japanese Bonsai was celebrated in an impressive
long-term exhibit at Expo 70 Osaka that captured the imagination
of the world and resulted in the formation of the World Bonsai
Friendship Federation in 1989!
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and
Hawaii is proud to have been a part of that journey which
continues. Now with the heavy reminder of a decade of war
depressing everyone, we have a opportunity for bonsai to become
a small beacon for international friendship and peace.
Through the heroic efforts of Burton Flake, we may be able
to introduce True Indoor Bonsai to a part of the world that
seems to be crying out for friendship and peace! Burton is a
part of a deployment in Bahrain and while he has military
responsibilities, his "civilian" efforts are to introduce
True Indoor Bonsai to his associates and perhaps one day to the
residents of Bahrain and neighboring countries. This is
summarized on the
BAHRAIN PORTAL PAGE.
The MPBF Study Groups have been an impressive success! Not
only is it possible to teach basic bonsai, the leaders of
the study groups are now mastering "Root-Over-Rock" bonsai!
They are learning and sharing it from several different
directions. Jerry is encouraging us to take the lead as
there is relatively little in print about this major form of
bonsai. It's difficult, but very possible for those who
are willing to learn and work as part of the study group.
With the addition of several Intermediate Study Group members,
the subject matter quickly advanced and I was hard pressed to
provide the basic collateral information for them to complete
their workshop assignments. This resulted in me producing
several major "Lessons" that are included in the issue, as well
as a few others that will be inserted into future issues.
Several of these are related to rock plantings and this is an
area that Fuku-Bonsai has excelled. Our original Hawaiian
Lava Plantings are still the easiest care most successful gift
bonsai. They are very slow growing and ideal to give as
gifts for those without any bonsai skills. But if you want
the trees to develop, root-over-rock is superior!
This is largely due to the combinations of Fuku-Bonsai
innovations that include: 1) Utilizing a sphagnum moss
"water distribution channel" so moisture can be distributed down
throughout a hidden system directly to the roots rather than
washing out the roots when trying to water the tree directly.
2) The tactic of first extending the roots prior to
rock-planting tall rocks. 3) The use of an aluminum foil
collar to temporarily aid the tree while establishing. 4)
The use of thin paper-covered bindwire that rots away after the
plant is established rather than bonsai aluminum or copper wire
that will injure the roots. 5) The use of
non-water-soluble, citrate-soluble, controlled release
"on-demand" Nutrient Granules™ to provide long-lasting
non-burning nutrients.
There are several articles on Rock Sculpturing and
Root-Over-Rock Planting in this issue and there will be many
more in the future as the techniques are applied nationally and
internationally. This will result in several "LESSONS"
that attempt to be major teaching efforts including
LESSON #12C
written in collaboration with Ryan Chang, the who joins us
as a Journal Contributing Editor! Ryan invites you to email him
directly. As you can see, we are
continuing to expand our editorial staff with the hope and goal
that the Journal will become a major vehicle for education
beyond the current generation as we build the Tropical and True
Indoor Bonsai Community. We invite everyone interested to
support and join the Mid-Pacific Bonsai Foundation and to join
our efforts! Welcome aboard!
To become an effective teacher and supplier of optimum
high-success, hiqh-quality plants, Fuku-Bonsai specializes
in Dwarf Schefflera which is clearly the most successful gift
bonsai for anyone, anywhere who can grow houseplants. But
although it may be the only suitable plant for those who grow in
ordinary homes and offices throughout the year, tropical
bonsai (and True Indoor Bonsai) are grown outdoors whenever
night temperatures exceed 55°F!
For those who grow tropicals outdoors whenever weather permits,
the Ficus family is ideal and a lot easier than temperate
climate traditional outdoor bonsai. We are fortunate to
have Jerry Meislik, author of the major ficus bonsai book and
ficus authority. We will be including more ficus (and other
tropical outdoor bonsai) in future issues. You're invited
to write to Jerry directly to give feedback on his articles.
REPLACEMENT FOR MAGAMP TO BE AVAILABLE SOON!
Fuku-Bonsai provides a complimentary packet of MagAmp with every
plant shipped (packaged under our Nutrient Granules™ label).
MagAmp is the trademark of a product no longer made in the
United States. If you put that name into a Google search,
Fuku-Bonsai comes up before the owner of the patent and
trademark! This is a rare controlled release / non-water
soluble low nitrogen high phosphorous fertilizer that is ideal
for True Indoor Bonsai, but also for house plants, orchids,
flowering and fruiting plants, and rare and valuable plants!
It is expensive but will not burn and will not leach in high
rainfall. We will be running trials in the coming months and
invite all interested to contact me.
CONCLUSION. When we began the Journal in January, we wanted to
create a vehicle to help build a Tropical and True Indoor Bonsai community. It
has been far more successful that we dreamed and the articles in this issue are
amazing! Teaching bonsai by website and email was the goal and the
successes have been impressive. In a relatively few months, we are working
on rock sculpturing and rock plantings. We have ideas for improvements and
thank everyone for their assistance and support! Exciting times are ahead!
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