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My name is Eric. I’m a dork who loves bonsai…
by Eric SchraderStop Accumulating, Start Growing
Apr 23rd: It is a common theme heard among bonsai enthusiasts that they already have too many trees to take care of and not enough time. There is something in bonsai that makes it like collecting baubles or trinkets. People think, maybe I need a Crabapple, I don't have one in my collection, or "I need a cascade style tree." Before long our yards are filled with material and we start selling the trees that we don't like to make some room... read more »
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by Eric SchraderThe Story of Two Show Trees
Jan 21st: This year I had two trees in the Bay Island Bonsai exhibit and in each case a lot of work and time went into getting the trees to show quality. But the trees are only one part of the story.
Four years ago, only about a month after I had become president of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco, club members went on a collecting trip to Tiburon where an old Japanese Garden was being removed to make way for a large house and swimming pool... read more »
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by Eric SchraderMaintenance versus Show Prep
Nov 24th: I've been working on pine trees more and more in the last few years and after four years of care I finally have one tree that I have shown and now will be setting aside for a year for the sake of improving the tree further. Once a tree becomes refined enough to have a full canopy refinement doesn't stop. But if the canopy is allowed to remain full with no light penetrating to the interior and lower buds then the refinement will not progress but rather regress... read more »
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by Eric SchraderAn excellent article…
Oct 5th: I was looking around on the internet when I found an article like no other that I have ever seen...I highly recommend that you all read it despite the length:
Aims in Bonsai: A Psychological Perspective
Here is an excerpt; please click the link for the entire article:
Why do some trees in the wild look like bonsai?
I think there is often perhaps some confusion between the object (the tree) and the subject (our ideas concerning trees)... read more »
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by Eric SchraderOak Fungicide?
Oct 5th: I wrote about this last summer, because I have an annual battle against powdery mildew on maples and oaks in my yard. But I just wanted to update everyone since I have found that milk did more to attract yellowjackets than it did to deter powdery mildew. I was interested to find that it did make the leaves take on a nice sheen but otherwise didn't really slow down the spread of powdery mildew. This year I started using neem oil instead and I have had much better results... read more »
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by Lawrence LeClaireFog City Bonsai August 2007 Issue
Aug 2nd: Here is your online version of Fog City Bonsai for August 2007.
This issue features:
July Meeting Notes - Suiseki: A Skyline of Small Mountains
August Meeting Announcement - Tim Kong and Ficus
July Field Trip to Sonoma County
Pine Pitch Canker - What it means to me - Eric Schrader
Pieces of Bonsai - Sharp Tools and Bonsai Cuts - John Boyce
From the Prez - John Edwards
Upcoming Events, Meetings, and Announcements
Your Late Summer Bonsai Care Calendar BSSF
Download Fog City Bonsai August 2007 (5MB) read more »
Posted in Articles And Stories, Pieces of Bonsai, Eric's Blog, Observations, Newsletter Archive |
Tags: Beginner, Fog City Bonsai, infections, John Boyce, newsletter, tools | No Comments »
by Eric SchraderThe Bennett Juniper
Jul 24th: I had the chance to visit the Bennett Juniper, the largest western juniper currently living. The tree is located in the Stanislaus National Forest, approximately 12 miles on back roads from highway 108, east of Sonora, CA. The Forest Service has a handout which provides many details which I will reproduce here:
Background
The Bennett Juniper (Juniperus Occidentalis) is named after Clarence Bennett, a naturalist who devoted himself to the study of this specific species... read more »
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by Eric SchraderPine Pitch Canker - What it means to me
Jul 2nd: I have just, after some hours on the internet, realized that some of the pines I am growing have been infected with Pine Pitch Canker, which is a fungus infection that affects Knobcone, Monterey and Bishop pines as well as many other native California species.
The infection, which seems to be affecting about half my seedlings, is concentrated right at the root base, where I cut the taproots off when they were six weeks old... read more »
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Tags: pests, Pines | No Comments »
by Lawrence LeClaireFog City Bonsai June 2007 Issue
Jun 11th: Here is your online version of Fog City Bonsai for June 2007.
This issue features:
May Meeting Notes - Kathy Shaner & Yasuo Mitsuya Transform a Juniper
June Meeting Announcement - Wiring & Review: a Workshop
Before Decandling: Sharpening - Eric Schrader
Bonai, Some Pointers for you Journey - John Boyce
From the Prez………….John Edwards
Upcoming Events, Meetings, and Announcements
Your Summer Bonsai Care Calendar BSSF
Download Fog City Bonsai June 2007 (2... read more »
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by Eric SchraderA Trip to Monterey
Jun 10th: I had the pleasure of making it to the Monterey Bonsai Club's annual show this year and I was not disappointed with the quality of the trees. A couple years ago I got a tour of Mr. Katsumi Kinoshita's yard in Pacific Grove and saw many of his wonderful and old trees; but I had never gotten a chance to see them in a show setting until now.
Congratulations to the Monterey club for putting on a great show and for some great hospitality... read more »
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