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| A Newsletter from MBP Bonsai Studio |
Classes Have Started
Beginning Bonsai Class
Once again our beginners started the new class year off well. Eleven students embraced bonsai with great enthusiasm and set the pace for all of the classes to follow. On top of that everyone had fun while they learned the not so intimidating art of bonsai. The pictures in the album speak for themselves. Click here to see photos.
If you missed the first Beginning Bonsai Class, we are taking registrations for the second Beginning Bonsai Class scheduled for April 5 & 6.
Hiro Yamaji puts on a Stunning Demonstration
He began at 12:30 PM sharp with the process he calls, "clean up the tree."
After taking
time early in his demonstration to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the japanese black pine
and his plan for its new design, Mr.Yamaji still provided serious
shock to the audience when he proceeded to split the trunk from just
above the first branch to the base.
The entire transformation from a 35 year old imported stock plant completed bonsai was inspiring, educational and just plain interesting. The four plus hours from start to finish passed quickly partly because Hiro seemed to have a new idea or new technique to show us every time he touched another branch.
Elaine White won the tree in a benefit raffle
for The Texas State Bonsai Exhibit. Elaine immediately donated the tree to the Exhibit and it remains on temporary display at the MBP Bonsai Studio garden.
Over all Hiro topped his previous best this time. We will all be anxious to see what he does next year.
Click here to see more photos of Hiro's Demonstration.
Trident Maple Dig Feb. 9 & 10
and dug trident maples.
We will be digging
our first 500 trident maples this year and we would like to invite our
customers to have first chance at digging one or two for themselves. We
collected about 20 of various sizes and they all have good taper and great
nibari. The sizes range from one inch to 5 1/2". There will be a per tree charge
of $19/in. of diameter, measured at ground level before digging. This
is 75% off the regular price.
There are only two days
available for the dig, Feb. 9 & Feb. 10. from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM each
day This is like any other dig. Bring your own collecting tools, etc. Please
R.S.V.P. by e-mail to: mike@mbpbonsai.com before you come.
For directions to the studio go to
the Maps and Directions tab.
What’s new at MBP Bonsai Studio?
Well this website for one. This is a project has been several years in planning. After two failed attempts to produce an acceptable website using outside contractors we are doing this one ourselves.
Already we can see many benefits. Every year we meet hundreds of people at bonsai shows across the US and in response to their requests we have the beginning of our online store. We carry over 1000 products most of which will eventually be advertised in our online store. Right now we are experimenting a little and taking it slow trying to get it right for you.
Another benefit is our ability to get information about our classes out early and not have to wait for printing and mail delivery. Better yet you can register online which is a real help when you want to assure your place in a workshop or class. We do our best to provide quality materials and high quality instruction with each class and workshop. If you have not tried one yet keep looking for one with the right material and schedule yourself in.
Please give us your feedback by writing to us at mailto:newsletters@mbpbonsai.com .
Sometimes something old
becomes new again.
Such is the case with Aoki Brand organic fertilizer. We have been transitioning our bonsai nursery toward all organic for the past several years. During that time we imported organic fertilizer from Japan and we were satisfied with results. Then three years ago the manufacturer nearly doubled his price to us which made it just too hard to justify continuing their product.
 | On one of my trips to Japan I asked a good friend what he used in his nursery. All of his trees looked great. He laughed and said that he was just using a very old traditional fertilizer made from rape seed meal. With more urging on my part he introduced me to the Aoki company. This is a small family owned and operated firm that makes rape seed fertilizer cakes the old fashioned way, by hand. They would not tell me everything but I was impressed with depth of understanding they have and how little details like sun drying instead of oven drying preserves essential volatile oils that benefit our bonsai. I took a sample home, put the cakes on a few of my trees and in about three months wow! Pine trees that were always a little pale |
perked up to a vibrant dark green. The same held true for the deciduous trees.In addition, the deciduous trees produced consistently smaller leaves and shorter internodes.
Well that was the good news. Later, I found out when I placed a large order for export that all of that hand making and sun drying takes time. We have ample supplies in stock now, we just had to readjust our expectation for just-in-time delivery for this handmade truly quality fertilizer. If there is something you would like to see in this column please write to us at newsletter@mbpbonsai.com .
by: Mike Hansen posted 10-2-07