Bonsai Continued from Page 8
Agricultural Market Review
He reminds people that bonsais require the same maintenance care as any trees, such as pruning, watering and fertilizing. “Plants grow, they produce new shoots, flowers and fruit and it’s not good for them to grow wild,” Nagatoshi said. “Just like with the hair on our heads, we have to go have it trimmed from time to time or we’re going to become good old ’70s hippies. It’s the same with plants.” Because bonsais are kept in contain- ers, they eventually will become root- bound. “On average, every two to three years, we have to take the tree out of the container and remove some of the roots, and we replant it, usually with a fresh soil mix,” he said. For beginners, Nagatoshi recommends joining a local bonsai club or attending workshops at a bonsai nursery, where they can get pointers and other resources. “With proper care, a lot of these trees can be handed down from one generation to the next,” he said. “I have one plant that was my father’s first bonsai that he exhib- ited in a show, I have a tree that used to belong to my father’s master and I’ve got one wisteria that used to be owned by my grandfather—and they’re all doing great.” (Linda DuBois is assistant editor of California Bountiful ® magazine, where this article first appeared in the November/ December 2023 issue. She may be contacted at ldubois@californiabountiful.com.)
He is not a fan of bonsais that look overly sculpted. “To me, the real quality of creating a bonsai is you do only maybe the first 10% of it and leave the rest for nature to mold into the beautiful tree.” Nagatoshi said he sometimes has to re- mind students not to compare their work with other students.’ “People tend to think, ‘I want to create a better bonsai than his.’ I tell them, ‘Once you get trapped into com- peting, you are in the wrong place. You’re not really enjoying the art of bonsai.’” Students are drawn to his classes for a variety of reasons. Often, they simply think bonsais are pretty and would like to create their own. Others are recently retired and seeking a hobby, or, like Nanson, they need a distraction from stressful lives. Classes draw all different ages, but about 70% are male. Two mistakes bonsai beginners often make are choosing the wrong tree and try- ing to grow it indoors, Nagatoshi says. “There are so many different climate areas in California, so it’s very important to make sure you have a plant that will do well in your area,” he said. “Also, customers come and they say, ‘I want to buy a little bonsai tree so I can put it on my coffee ta- ble or on my desk next to my computer,’ and I tell them, ‘If you’re going to keep it indoors, forget it. You’re wasting your money. Trees do not grow indoors. They need sunlight and fresh air.’”
Quotations are the latest available for the week ending March 8, 2024 Year Ago Week Ago Latest Week Livestock
Slaughter Steers – 5-Area Average Select & Choice, 1150–1390 lbs., $/cwt. Hogs – Average hog, 51-52% lean, Iowa-Minn. market, $/cwt. Slaughter Lambs – $ per cwt. 125–175 lbs. National weekly live sales Field crops – basis prompt shipment Cotton – ¢ per lb., Middling 1 3/32” Fresno spot market Corn – U.S. No. 2 yellow $/bu. trucked Alfalfa Hay – $ per ton, quality * , FOB Region 1, Northern Inter-mountain
165
182-183
185
78.43
79.73
80.18
124-145
168-204
191
78.17
82.95
80.89
8.31
5.98
6.09
17 (G/P, per bale)
275 (S)
275 (S)
Region 2, Sacramento Valley
No quote
17 (P, per bale) 18 (P, per bale)
Region 3, Northern San Joaquin Valley 23 (G/P, per bale)
No quote
200 (P)
Region 4, Central San Joaquin Valley
No quote
25 (P, per bale) 25 (P, per bale)
Region 5, Southern California
25 (P, per bale) 20 (P, per bale) 20 (P, per bale)
Region 6, Southeast Interior
318 (S)
220-225 (P)
200-225 (P)
Rice – Milled #1 Head, FOB No. Calif. mills Medium grain, $ per cwt.
No quote
40-42
40-42
Provided by the California Farm Bureau as a service to Farm Bureau members. Information supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market News Branch. * ADF=Acid detergent fiber; (S) = Supreme/<27%ADF; (P) = Premium/27-29; (G) = Good/29-32; (F) = Fair/32-35.
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March 13, 2024 Ag Alert 17
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