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Text Box: Fall is here as a calendar affair but not so much a reality. Today was hot, muggy, misty very summer-ish. The cool days will arrive with low humidity and a bit of breeze making the urge to get out in the bonsai area and so some real work but Azalea and Camellia certainly don’t like to be worked on as winter creeps near. Most deciduous species will flush new growth if they are pruned hard just in time to be harmed with the first freeze so take care not to prune too much and create a problem. Low nitrogen fertilizer is the one to use now. It will not promote a lot of new growth.

Text Box: The first number in a 13-13-13 fertilizer is the nitrogen amount. If you are using a chemical fertilizer for Fall fertilizing keep the first number as low a possible. You can find something like 5-15-15 that would be ok. The last two numbers are elements that help build strong cell growth keeping the plant healthy for winter. If your Juniper are still putting on light green growth hard wiring and hard bending could slip the bark and kill a branch. Best to let them have some cold weather and stop all green growth before any hard work. It is a good time to clean up your jin and shari , apply some new lime sulphur taking care not to let it drip into the soil.

Text Box: Pull all weeds from your pots. Remove any wire that has began to get tight on the branches. Branches can swell in winter and get wire marks or you will forget the wire is on a tree, Spring will push a flush of new growth, hide the wire and ruin the bonsai before you notice the problem. If you have a bonsai that has pushed out a lot of new leaves unless we get a very early freeze they should harden off just fine if we get our normal first freeze late November or middle of December. Joe Day

Text Box: We will need one member to help keep the coffee made and the refreshment area neat. The funds we raise at the auction pay for our masters, rent on our meeting place, rent for the Day of Bonsai and rent for the Auction location, refreshments at the summer social, Christmas dinner and the auction. The funds also pay for our show display repairs. A lack of money would bring a reduction of events.

Text Box: ACBS will need members to help set up as donations arrive at ST Lukes. We will need members to move plants off the tables and on the auction stand, then over to the purchased items area. Some members will be needed to help clean up after the auction. None of these jobs are difficult but they don’t need to be done with the same few members. Home made cake, brownies and cookies are always welcomed on the refreshment table.

Text Box: The cost of “everything” increases each year. If everyone pitches in with donations and help and the weather doesn’t become the topic of the day we should have another great auction. All the auction in the past have been fun events that brought us the needed funds to operate and pay for our ACBS events. Joe Day

Text Box: Don’t let the great days fool you

Text Box: The only thing not to bring is plants with disease or insects in the pot. Plants that are more dead than alive. ACBS members will be at ST Lukes from 3:30 until the end of the auction. You can bring your donations any time before 5 P.M. The viewing begins at 5 P.M. so all the donations need to be on the tables

Text Box: with numbers on the item. If an item can be used in any way to do bonsai ,to eat , or just to enjoy it’s a good auction item. It ‘s a fun night so invite a friend or neighbor. Leave you pets at home. They can’t bid or do bonsai so they wouldn’t enjoy the night. Refreshments will be available. Joe Day

Text Box: Plants, pots, tools, soil, wire, books, magazines, cakes, cookies, wine, flowers in pots, landscape plants, house plants, pictures, cigar boxes, candy, art supplies, fertilizer, insecticides, plastic drink cases, bonsai stands, flower vases, wood grow boxes, Pans of moss, 5 gallon plastic buckets, calendars, accent plants,