Embedded Files
Foreword
Welcome back to a new year of Bonsai.
I would first like to thank the club for all your support and for entrusting me and the new committee members with the club management going forward. It is a great honor and one I am aiming to do justice. The following members make up the committee for 2025: Chairperson, Tammy de Kock; Treasurer/Librarian, Louis Roos; Show master, Janet Baxter; Secretary, Ronel Müller; Social-Media, Danie Conradie; Committee, Winfried Lüdemann, Madelain Househam, Ruida Pool-Stanvliet. I would also like to thank Willem Pretorius for all his work on the Literati.
At our first meeting for the year, it was wonderful to hear Rowan Dent honor and outline the amazing bonsai career of our outgoing Chairman Winfried Lüdemann. We have been truly privileged under his steady guidance and will continue to enjoy benefiting from his extensive knowledge and experience in the future. I would also like to extend a special thanks to Winfried Lüdemann and Willem Pretorius for their dedicated efforts for our club, in particular alternating hosting our monthly workshops that are an excellent recourse for practical skills, in-depth assistance on specific trees and tips and tricks of the trade. They both greatly deserve the honor of the lifetime achievement award in Bonsai presented at our first meeting this year. I look forward to another year of bonsai with all of you, we plan to do our utmost to gain some new members, share and enjoy interesting meetings and work on our trees together at the workshops. I will also be glad to host a tree dig again this year at Olive Glen Farm. We are also excited to host an exhibition in November.
Our next meeting will be on the 29th March where Willem Pretorius will discuss deadwood.
Please join us and bring a tree or a few along to discuss.
Tammy de Kock
Tammy de Kock in conversation with Fritz Joubert
Q: Since you are the new chairperson of Boland Bonsai Kai I think our members would like to get to know Tammy de Kock better. Where did you grow up and where did you go to school?
A: Tammy: I grew up in Cape Town with a family very keen on nature. My grandfather Walter Powrie was in the Mountain Club and my grandmother Ez Powrie did botanical drawing. They had an amazing garden and fish pond in Muizenburg as well as a huge pet tortoise. My parents had a farm in Rooiels where they farmed protea but were bought out by the defence force and returned to Cape Town. We often visited my aunt who lived in Tokai and went mushroom foraging in the pine forest. My parents bought the farm in Klein Drakenstein and we spent weekends and holidays there until we moved there in 2000. I attended Herschell preparatory and went to Bridge House for high school.
Q: What did you do after you matriculated?
A: Tammy: I moved to Stellenbosch to attend university for my BA degree and worked at Exclusive Books and then Palette Art Gallery part-time while studying. I did some committee work for the Paarl Mountain club while my parents were involved in it. I worked Palette full-time thereafter.
Q: What do you do for a living now and where is home?
A: Tammy: Since 2024 I work remotely for Palette Gallery in social media, online sales and supervising. I also do some online administrative work for a family company. Stellenbosch is still my home.
Q: When and how did you become interested in bonsai? Are you also a keen gardener?
A: Tammy: I have always been interested in gardening and love trees especially. My father is also a tree enthusiast and has a number of indigenous trees planted as a "forest" on the farm. I first saw bonsai though watching anime (Japanese comics) but didn't really have a way to get involved at that time.
Q: Who are the persons who influenced you to start bonsai? Perhaps your uncle Andre (Kokkie) de Kock who has been a member of our club for many years?
A: Tammy: I first encountered bonsai when I met my husband Charl de Kock at university. He had a few trees and worked on them with his uncle Andre. We had an unfortunate loss of the few trees we had in a heat wave and that set us back. After a few years, moving house and settling in where we live now, I was gifted a bonsai and that rekindled my interest. Charl and I built some shelving and set up some shade cloth, collected some starter trees to practice on. Kokkie gave us a number of trees, lots of advice and support, suggesting we join the club. We visited the 2023 Boland show at the Rupert museum and were inspired to refine and further our knowledge and skills, as well as to share and enjoy a wider community of bonsai enthusiasts.
Q: Is there a specific species you prefer to work with? If so, why do you prefer it?
A: Tammy: I enjoy working on a variety of species as each has strengths and challenges. I am particularly enjoying junipers, ficus burt davii, olives and elms. Thanks to my aunt I have a number of ficus natalensis, olives and celtis to work on as well.
Q: Also, is there a preferred style?
A: Tammy: Most of my trees are informal upright and cascade styles but I don't have a preference. Seeing the amazing variation of trees on show last year at ABC6 was very inspiring. I think interacting with each tree and working on it to let it reveal its own style. The most aesthetic trees for me are ones that have a real sense of age to them.
Q: What is it about bonsai, and perhaps the bonsai fraternity, that keeps you interested in this pastime?
A: Tammy: I enjoy the living art aspect and how there is a balance between the efforts you put into the tree and the trees own growth and energy. It's something that teaches patience, as well as that you can control some aspects but not all aspects of a situation and to be able to enjoy the process, the effort and the unexpected parts of trees and of life. The bonsai community is a group of especially interesting people with so much insight, curiosity and sense of wonder for nature, art and people. It has been such an amazing and positive experience to enjoy such a passion for learning, growth and sharing with each other.
Q: What are your ambitions for the future, e.g. the Boland Kai, as well as your own trees and your career?
A: Tammy: I hope to maintain the high standard we have set for our shows and tree quality, as well as work on growing our club community. For my own trees I will go on applying all the knowledge and experience gained from the club and with time hope to show their improvement as they mature. I am so fortunate to be able to work from home and spend time on my trees and garden until I can hopefully move somewhere with space to make a Japanese garden with a pond and ample space for our bonsai collection to grow.
Q: What other interests, apart from bonsai, do you have?
A: Tammy: I am studying Japanese, although it's very slow going, I still enjoy anime and the listening practice it gives, I hope to travel to Japan again in future as it was such an amazing experience. I also enjoy reading, drawing, knitting, board games, baking and cooking, especially making Japanese food. I also love animals and we have four cats, two pet snakes and a small outdoor gold fish pond.
Q: What is your favourite drink?
A: Tammy: Coffee for sure.
Q: Do you ever have time to read? If so, tell us about your favourite book
A: Tammy: I've always been an avid reader and working at a bookshop and art gallery gave me time and access to a wide range of genres; fantasy, sci-fi historical fiction, manga (Japanese comics) and some fiction as well. I mostly enjoy books that explore the human experience and give some insight into different times and cultures. Some of my favourites are The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twang Eng, The Guest cat by Takashi Hiraide, The Seed Collectors by Scarlet Thomas, Miss Benson's beetle by Rachel Joyce and The Thousand Autumn's of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchel.
Thank you for this opportunity to share some more of your life with the club and I appreciate the confidence to continue our club’s journey.
Fritz Joubert
Moringa as bio-stimulant vir Bonsai
Die geheim van goeie Bonsai-kweking is om sterk, gesonde groei te bewerkstellig wat die kweker dan kunstig kan bestuur om die gewenste uitkoms so gou as moontlik te verkry. Die proses behels dat die boom, naas goeie grond en gereelde besproeiing, ook so goed as moontlik gevoed moet word. Dis op hierdie gebied waar die raad wat ons mekaar gee,
dikwels na rate oorgaan, boererate! Daar is sterk menings oor grondmengsels. En dan is daar ook sterk oortuigings oor plantvoeding. Ek onthou hoe opgewonde ek was oor die klein botteltjie Superthrive wat ek by Rudi Adam gekoop het. Dit sou tog meer help as blote kunsmis. Daarna het ek geheg geraak aan die seewier produkte. Dit het ʼn bietjie meer belowe as bloot die gewone ou plantvoeders. En dan is daar wurmtee. Ek het nog nie dié teepartytjie bygewoon nie. Deesdae is daar ʼn nuwe kind in die speelpark: Moringa. ʼn Plant wat in die warmer dele van ons land gekweek word en goed is vir mense én plante.
Moringa is ʼn sogenaamde “super food.” Dis die mees voedingryke plant ter wêreld met 92 elemente, 46 anti- oksidante en 23 aminosure. Dit word wyd vir menslike gebruik as stimulant vir goeie gesondheid verkoop. Onlangs is Moringa ook as stimulant vir plante ontwikkel en geregistreer as ʼn Art. 36 klas 3 bio-stimulant. Moringa stimuleer die plant waarop dit toegedien word om sterker en gesonder te groei. Dit maak die plant meer bestand teen peste en siektes en verhoog ook die opbrengs van oeste. Dit aldus my vriend wat betrokke is by die vervaardiging van Moringa-produkte. Ek gebruik die afgelope paar jaar al Moringa as blaarvoeder of as grondtoediening saam met Nitrosol. Ek is baie gelukkig met die resultaat op al my boompies. Moringa het, na my mening twee nadele, nl. dat dit ook die groei van die onkruid verbeter en dat dit duur is in die kleinhandel.
Lees gerus meer oor Moringa op die internet. Die naam van die produk vir plante wat ek gebruik, is Phytostim Terpene Booster. Dit bestaan uit verpulpte Moringa blare met alkohol bygevoeg vir ekstraksie en preservering. Die verdunning is 30 mL per liter water.
Jy kan meer lees by www.phytostim.co.za.Daar is ook ʼn verspreider o.a. in Brackenfell. Soek vir hydroponic.co.za – Online Hydroponics shop.
Dis dan my ervaring vir wat dit werd is.
Sorg jy maar net goed vir jou bome op jou manier!
Jannie Hougaard
Voorsittersverslag: Algemene Jaarvergadering 25 Januarie 2025
Met hierdie jaarverslag kom my ampstermyn en die termyn van die bestuurskomitee tot 'n einde. Daarom wil ek ten eerste my hartlike dank uitspreek teenoor al die komiteelede wat oor die afgelope termyn tyd, energie en kundigheid afgestaan het om die belange van die klub te dien.
Baie dankie aan die ondervoorsitter Romano Samuels en versorger van ons nuusbrief. Dankie vir jou stiptelike diens en ook die kundigheid waarmee jy klublede dmv ons Whatsapp groep van raad bedien.
Tesourier en sekretaris Barend Ritter, 'n spesiale woord van waardering aan jou noudat jy ons klub verlaat. Dankie vir die hoogs professionele wyse waarop jy ons geldsake hanteer het.
Skoumeester Janet Baxter, in haar afwesigheid. Sy is 'n formidabele organiseerder, soos die sukses van ons skoue getuig.
Tammy de Kock wat ons mediasake behartig het. Many thanks, Tammy, for the skillful handling of your various duties.
Willem Pretorius, redakteur van die Literati en gekoöpteerde lid. Jou professionele ervaring as joernalis kom ons nuusbrief goed te pas en lig die gehalte daarvan tot een van die bestes van sy soort in die land.
Ons het wonderlik saamgewerk en daarin geslaag om die status van die klub te verhoog, sodat ons nou erkenning geniet as een van die toonaangewende klubs in die Wes-Kaap.
Die laaste aantal tentoonstellings, twee keer in die Rupert Museum en verlede jaar in die stadsaal, het wesenlik hiertoe bygedra. Elke skou het sy eie stempel gedra en sal deur almal wat bome uitgestal het, of as besoekers daar was, onthou word as aanbiedings wat die grense verskuif het. Waar in die wêreld is bonsaibome langs skilderye van die hoogste gehalte al uitgestal? Die hoogtepunt was seker die skou verlede jaar in die stadsaal, wat deur sommige deelnemers beskryf is as die grootste en beste skou wat nog in Suid-Afrika aangebied is. Ek sal nooit die gesig van meer as tweehonderd topbome in die vorm van 'n labirint vergeet wat ek van bo-op die stadsaal se galery aanskou het nie .
Saam met die skou was dit natuurlik die ABC6-konvensie as geheel wat ons energie vir meer as 'n jaar geverg het. Dit was die grootste projek wat ons klub nog aangedurf het en ons het dit baie suksesvol tot 'n einde gebring. Hiervoor moet ons veral aan Willem die eer gee wat hom toekom: Hy was die meesterbrein en die dryfkrag agter hierdie projek en sonder sy visie en diplomatieke vaardighede sou dit nooit gestalte gekry het nie. Van al die hoogtepunte wat die konvensie opgelewer het was die keuse van buitelandse aanbieders en hulle optredes seker die noemenswaardigste. Dat die konvensie egter so glad verloop het, ten spyte van heelwat wind van voor wat ons deurentyd mos trotseer, het ons ook te danke aan Barend se voorbeeldige finansiële bestuur, Janet se klokslag logistieke reëlings, Tammy se netjiese voorbereiding van naamplaatjies en deelnemerlyste, Romano se hoogs professionele oudio- en videofasiliteite, Denise se artistieke aanvoeling by die plasing van die skoubome, Charl, Oliver en Louis en hulle werkers se hulp by die opstel van die skou, en aan Ruida, Elsabe, Pietman, Madeleine, Ronel, Derek en Johan Viljoen met die registrasie van bome, verwelkoming van besoekers en algemene ondersteuning en diens gedurende die dag.
As ek terugkyk oor die afgelope termyn dan kan ek met tevredenheid sê dat ons maandvergaderings vlot verloop het, dat ons goeie aanbiedinge oor 'n groot verskeidenheid onderwerp gehad het, dikwels met sprekers van buite, dat Louis Roos uitstekende biblioteekdiens gelewer het, dat ons maandelikse werkswinkels in Stellenbosch en Somerset Wes 'n waardevolle toevoeging tot ons aanbod was, dat ons maandelikse nuusbrief van hoë gehalte was en ons lewendige gesprekke op Whatsapp hoogs interessant en insiggewend was, dat ons geldsake knap bestuur is, dat ons vier suksesvolle boomjagtogte gehad het, geslaagde deelname aan die jaarlikse bonsaifees in die Kompanjiestuin, 'n wonderlike jaareindfunksie op Mooiplaas kon geniet, en bowenal dat daar 'n merkbare toename in die gehalte van ons bome was. Laasgenoemde is tog eintlik waaroor dit gaan en ek dink ons sukses as klub moet veral hieraan gemeet word. Die deelname van ons lede aan die kompetisies vir nuwe talent oor die afgelope jare, in die Wes-Kaap en landswyd, en die prestasies wat hulle behaal het, getuig ook van ons klub se vordering. Johan Raath, Tammy en Ronel verdien spesiale vermelding in hierdie verband.
Die onderskeie skoue het na my mening bevestig dat ons bome nou op gelyke voet met ander klubs se bome kan meeding. Ek het ook groot waardering vir die wonderlike sosiale interaksie en sin vir lojaliteit en vriendskap wat in ons vergaderings heers. Hieraan het Elsabé se koffie en Denise se mosbolletjies nie 'n geringe aandeel nie! Die maandvergaderings en werkswinkels is telkens hoogtepunte in my weeklikse program en ek sal ook vorentoe nie een daarvan wil mis nie.
Die saal hier in die kerk wat ons elke maand gebruik het homself na my mening as 'n baie geskikte vergaderplek bewys. Ek het dit reeds vir die komende jaar bespreek.
Ek wens die nuwe voorsitter en die nuwe bestuur alle voorspoed toe en is seker dat hulle die klub na nuwe hoogtes sal lei.
WINFRIED LÜDEMANN
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