AusBonsai Shohin Progression Competition 2013-2014

[Neli]

Thanks Matt,
I want to make mine in between... Most of the roots in the holl of the rock . The holes goes through to the ground...and drop some roots over the edge into the soil of the pot...want lots of aerial roots also...reaching down. Will tie it in a plastic like a mini green house for them to develop. So I am not sure if that will be OK since...the stone is a bit tall...it will remain only 5cm for the tree...he he he!
I dont think I can make a tree that small. So I need to know on time before I start.

DSC02800 (450x245).jpg

[MattA]

Nice stone, you may only have 5cm above the top of the rock but you have lots of space to go sideways & down

[Neli]

He he he! 5cm =1cm trunk and 4cm leaf...without counting the branch.
Can I join your bonsai club? I am the biggest expert in killing trees. You badly need me!

[Steven]

Good afternoon Steven, I would like a bit of a general ruling if I can.

I have a few Tridents and other deciduous trees that I would like to enter, which have had shoot pruning (not for design purposes, but pruning nonetheless and I accept that this is outside the rules and must be removed). I am quite prepared to remove the offending branches and shoots, which would enable back-budding at the base of the branch, and start over, but I am understandably reluctant to do so in March/April for the trees to comply at the 31st March deadline. Am I able to enter the tree in the competition, retain the offending branch until winter, then remove it?

Cheers,
Mojo

Sorry Mojo, we are not going to split hairs. If the branches are removed before you enter it should qualify.

Just a quick clarification, is deadwood to be included in the height limit or is it allowed to be slightly taller as long as the canopy is within the 250mm? I have 2 trees that will require extensive carving and I will need to factor this into a final design for both.

Bring on April 1st & let the fun begin

G'day Matt,
We are measuring from top of pot to tip of tree. Doesn't matter if the tip is deadwood or foliage.

I dont understand the logic in ROR rules. I have to abide by them but it is a bit strange to me.
Imagine a penjing...a tall rock...with a tiny tree on it....It is the tree that matters and not the rock...since rock can be viewed as part of the ground/soil/strata=top of pot.
It means that if you want to do a ROR the stone has to be real flat and uninteresting in this case....Does this promote good design?
I would like some clarification in this issue if possible.
I would also like to know how the rules apply to root in rock, where there is soil in the rock...and part of the tree roots are growing in that hole (some outside over it). Will the rock then be considered as top of the pot...since there is soil in it. The whole arrangement was planned to be on a slab. I would not post it yet until it is clarified as acceptable. Have a little fig and a stone with a hole in it...wanted to plant the tree in the hole with some of the roots coming over the stone.The stone is a bit high...close to 15cm...so I will not manage a tree of 5cm final height...
Please let me know.

G'day Neli,
It doesn't mean you should use a flat, uninteresting rock at all. Good stones come in all sizes.
If you plant in a rock then the rock would be classified as your pot. If it is a root over rock on a slab then it is taken from the slab. The height restriction is 250mm so if your rock is 150mm then your tree could be 100mm, not 50mm.

Regards,
Steven

[Neli]

Thanks Steven...My fig will be planted in the hole of the rock...most of the roots...but I want to let some hung out over the stone too...So where does that put me???? I want to make an experiment...develop lots of aerial roots that will hung down...over the stone...Where do we measure in this case? And it will be a penjing.
Here is the plant:

DSC05062 (640x480).jpg

[dansai]

It seems to me that it is important to do what is best for our trees and the vision we have for them and trying to fit them into a competition is not always the best course. If it fits within the rules of the comp, give it a go. If not, give it a to anyway and enjoy your tree for what it is. This comp is a wonderful inspiration for doing work on trees, and a great resource for beginners to advanced artist to gain info and that is what it should be.

Do what's best for your tree and what's best for your enjoyment of the tree.

[Neli]

I need clarification...since I know I can not make a 10cm bonsai...so I know if I should enter it or not.

[thoglette]

This year we relaxed the rules a bit and allowed prior work on roots and shaping of trunks by chopping or removal of branches. This was done so that the quality of stock entered would be of a higher caliber.

I have observed that one of the differences between Anglophone and Japanese bonsai practice is that we want to start training TODAY whereas the Japanese approach is to do nothing but grow roots and trunk for several years. And only then consider whether the result is worth training.

So if the nett result of this year's competition is that all of aus.bonsai run off and start generating better stock (for next year), then that can only be an extremely good outcome.

[Neli]

c

[Neli]

Sorry it is me again Steve.
By penjing I mean a little hill on the left with a running water falling into a small grotto... With fully operational waterfall. On the right there will be my hillwith some rocks and this tree coming out of it...
I want to get some little trees...tiny ones and plant onn the left around the grotto and style them. But the center piece will be the rock with the fig...
Do I need also to submit the little trees that I will plant around the penjing on the left...
I never used styled trees for this penjing...I am a newbie...But now I want to style all the trees.
And is penjing allowed.I have made one already...for another competition. Here it is:

DSC02938 (450x254).jpg

DSC02915 (450x274).jpg

[Mojo Moyogi]

Good afternoon Steven, I would like a bit of a general ruling if I can.

I have a few Tridents and other deciduous trees that I would like to enter, which have had shoot pruning (not for design purposes, but pruning nonetheless and I accept that this is outside the rules and must be removed). I am quite prepared to remove the offending branches and shoots, which would enable back-budding at the base of the branch, and start over, but I am understandably reluctant to do so in March/April for the trees to comply at the 31st March deadline. Am I able to enter the tree in the competition, retain the offending branch until winter, then remove it?

Cheers,
Mojo

Sorry Mojo, we are not going to split hairs. If the branches are removed before you enter it should qualify.

No worries Steven, thanks for taking the time to respond. As a suggestion, for future comps, would they be able to start in winter, to be a bit more practical for those that would like to enter deciduous trees?

Cheers,
Mojo

[Steven]

So if the nett result of this year's competition is that all of aus.bonsai run off and start generating better stock (for next year), then that can only be an extremely good outcome.

Well said thoglette!

Sorry it is me again Steve.
By penjing I mean a little hill on the left with a running water falling into a small grotto... With fully operational waterfall. On the right there will be my hillwith some rocks and this tree coming out of it...
I want to get some little trees...tiny ones and plant onn the left around the grotto and style them. But the center piece will be the rock with the fig...
Do I need also to submit the little trees that I will plant around the penjing on the left...
I never used styled trees for this penjing...I am a newbie...But now I want to style all the trees.
And is penjing allowed.I have made one already...for another competition. Here it is:

DSC02938 (450x254).jpg

DSC02915 (450x274).jpg

Just make your tree/s, setting, bonsai, penjing, grotto under 250mm tall. Don't unnecessarily complicate it Neli. It's not meant to be this hard

No worries Steven, thanks for taking the time to respond. As a suggestion, for future comps, would they be able to start in winter, to be a bit more practical for those that would like to enter deciduous trees?
Cheers,
Mojo

Thanks for the suggestion Mojo. It's also about being practical for the organiser and prize giver/s
Now that this comp is running for 18 months, it will mean the start season will alternate each time. That is if it continues to be a successful event and not too taxing to run.
Looking forward to seeing what you enter Mojo,

Regards,
Steven

[Mojo Moyogi]

Looking forward to seeing what you enter Mojo

I had a good look through a weed inundated part of my growing area yesterday and found trees I had completely forgotten about that are eligible and should have been styled long ago, I should have plenty to choose from.

Cheers,
Mojo

[lackhand]

How is April 1 still SOOOO far away? Keep looking at my entries and forcing myself to just keep looking and thinking.

[Damian Bee]

its raining here today, I may just have the time to enter a tree or three into this comp
With 400+ to choose from it should not be to hard right?
When the sun comes up I will take the umbrella out and have a look
By then it will probably have cleared and I will have to go to work