A True Renaissance Man—Japanese Style

Did you know there is a place, right here in Dix Hills, where you can learn all about the art of bonsai from a true bonsai artist? John Capobianco is not only a bonsai artist, he is also a martial artist, a former tennis instructor, a Farmingdale BOE trustee, and he was a candidate for the assembly this past November, but lost to longtime incumbent Jim Conte.

He said he was always a fan of "things Japanese, from godzilla to jiu jitzu," but he got interested in bonsai when he saw The Karate Kid movie in 1984. After seeing a sign for a bonsai place in 1990, he started taking classes, so that he could learn more about this "horticultural art form." 

One thing he learned is that it's important to find out what each plant needs and what conditions you can provide. Capobianco said that most people are not honest with themselves; some plants need a lot of care and people underestimate what the bonsai needs and think they have the time to provide it.

He used to own his own nursery in East Farmingdale, but it was "sold out from under me" in 2006, he said. At that point he got the job as a bonsai artist at Suburban Water Gardens. He hand manicures all the plants around the ponds, and also all the bonsai. 

There are three greenhouses full of bonsai right now at Suburban, since all the bonsai have been brought indoors for the winter. And Capobianco has to make sure they are all organized properly, so each plant gets the right amount of sunlight that it needs and the right amount of water. 

"We need to protect the plants from the wind, and we need to avoid the freeze/thaw cycle that happens in the winter. So it's a big job. They can't be overwatered and they can't be underwatered and they have to be put in the right place. It's just like with real estate: location, location, location," he said.

There are workers at Suburban who help and Capobianco likes to utilize some of his students, as well. He teaches bonsai classes for all levels, from beginners on up. 

"With bonsai, it's hurry up and wait," he said. There are three times a year when you can safely work on the roots of the bonsai: the end of winter, end of summer, and if you're working on a tropical plant, the heat of summer.

"February is a very hectic time for me. I will work six days a week, preparing the roots for the spring," Capobiaco said. It seems that it's all about how you treat the roots. "We want root spread, to make the bonsai strong. We want bonsai to look like it can lift concrete. The roots are very important. You want to make it look like a massive old tree in miniature." He uses what he called "squat pots," to make the roots spread. 

It's definitely a passion and Capobianco has an attention for detail. 

He also teaches martial arts in Hewlett and he taught tennis from 1979 through 2008--when he was elected to the Farmingdale Board of Education. "I taught on the Farmingdale Youth Council and also adult ed, but once I was on the BOE, I had to stop. I couldn't hire myself."

Capobianco is very passionate about politics and about trying to help the residents of Farmingdale, where he's lived his entire life. "How we get state aid scares me. The state doles it out based on the value of the real estate. If the prices of homes are high in one area, they get very little state aid. It's called the CWR--the combined wealth ratio, and it's wrong. I agree with Marc Alessi on that. We need to change the law. That's why I got into the assembly race."

He said that his father, who is 74, is retired from Fairchild Aviation and gets less than $100 a month in pension and about $1200 in social security. "He can't survive on that. And he's not the only one in that boat," Capobianco said. 

He got 36% of the vote on November 3, and was not happy with that number, although others told him he did well. He's not sure if he's going to try to run again, but many people are urging him on. His BOE term is up in June 2011. He's also not sure if he will run again for the BOE. "But I do think that everyone should have to serve at least a year on their BOE to see what goes on, how things are run. It's important."

Capobianco is a busy man with many passions. I wouldn't count him out of the picture anytime soon.

Capobianco meets with the Bonsai Society of Greater New York, Inc. (www.bsgny.org) on the second Friday of the month at SUNY Farmingdale or on Saturdays at Suburban Water Gardens, depending upon the topic and speaker schedule.  He is scheduled to present the second Friday in January on the topic of "Bonsai Styles - Informal Upright."  The presentation will be geared toward beginners.

His own website is: www.capobiancocreations.com; it focuses right now on the "Making of Chrysanthemum Bonsai" DVD series that he produced last year.  He will be spending this winter updating the site to reflect more of the landscape gardening that he does.