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MAILBAG #10 - OCTOBER 2013 This month we received several notes that weather throughout the country was not typical and those who try to get some extra growth by growing the trees outdoors whenever night temperatures are above 55°F were out of luck! In late September, Jerry Johnson of Oakdale, Minnesota (see www.fukubonsai.com/3c4.html) wrote:
"I am afraid I
won't be able to write an article on getting superior growth as this
summer was the one of the worst we have had for growing conditions.
We started out with a late spring and then a long session of cold,
wet weather, then went into extreme heat and dry weather, and now we
are into danger of early frosts. I even had trouble getting cuttings
to grow. I now have all of the schefflera inside. I did do an
elevated potting with extremely long roots and will send pictures
when I get a chance, also shaped some with wire and tried some new
potting mixtures with ground coconut husks. Maybe next summer will
be better, at least the plants did not get smaller.
- - - Jerry |
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I had a phone call last year from John Steinmetz
of Orinda, California and talked a bit. Later, an email he'd
be visiting in October and other emails to clarify the date and
time. I asked him to send a photo of his bonsai and received
the top one. The desk size was doing well with nice white
roots. But I teased him: "Do you like being average?"
He was in Kona which was going crazy with the Ironman Triathlon and decided to seek some sanity at Fuku-Bonsai. So they left early and arrived about 9AM or so. We had a nice talk on a wide range of bonsai subjects. Now although I'm proud of our Hawaiian Lava Plantings that are easy-care and great for gifts, when anyone talks bonsai, I encourage them to try potted bonsai and especially the Introductory Workshop Package. So they did with Edison Yadao as teacher. I think John went home fully filled with information as he wrote in his comment sheet: "It will take awhile to digest it all!" Barbara Riley seem to have no problem. Our comment sheet asks the question: Did it give you enough confidence and information to begin bonsai on your own after you get home?" She wrote: "Yes!! Just the right amount of information and hands-on planting! Perfect, thank you --- |
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