Create the best possible Shohin sized bonsai from raw, untrained stock over a period of 14 months between 1st August 2011 and 31st October 2012. Entry posts must be made by 31st August 2011.
As the voting is being done by the members of AusBonsai and I have no say in the winners, here is my first entry into the Shohin Progressive Styling Comp.
If anyone take issue with me being involved, please let me know.
Species: Casuarina torulosa Height: 680mm from top of pot Origin: Bonsai South Price: $20.00
2011 August A.jpg
2011 August B.jpg
2011 August C.jpg
2011 August D.jpg
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All I can say is "Bout Bloody Time!" and the gloves are off, torulosa have such great bark that is going to come up a treat real quick.
Matt
on second thoughts How do I protest your entry
42 Mice ~Imperfection
"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~ Vernon Sanders Law
"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goeth
"Bonsai becomes great when growers start trees they know they will never see in a pot"
Not the first Contest we have got Steven into viewtopic.php?f=121&t=7190
Seems to be missing a final entry though
Hope ya have better luck here Steven
It's too bad your in such a hurry cause the stories I could tell you, Bushels and baskets of stories, hole crates full of stories. But if you can spare a moment I will tell you one story.
Casuarina tend to get a lot of new growth from the trunk around existing branches which results in swelling if left alone. This morning I trimmed off some of the unwanted growth and will now leave it so the remaining branches can thicken further.
The large straight trunk is a sacrifice that will be removed once it has thickened the base further. This will be left to grow rampant.
2011 September A.jpg
2011 September B.jpg
Regards,
Steven
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Hi Steven, I will be watching this tree with interest, I have been wondering for quite a few years whether this species has shohin potential to accompany it's other favourable attributes for use in bonsai culture.
Cheers,
Mojo
Last edited by Mojo Moyogi on September 1st, 2011, 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
...Might as well face it, I'm addicted to Shohin...
"Any creative work can be roughly broken down into three components- design, technique and materials. Good design can carry poor technique and materials but no amount of expertise and beautiful materials can save poor design". Andrew McPherson - Furniture designer and artist
I would be tempted to take this down to the lowest branch straight away but will be interested to see where you get in the 14 months your way.
It's too bad your in such a hurry cause the stories I could tell you, Bushels and baskets of stories, hole crates full of stories. But if you can spare a moment I will tell you one story.
I trimmed the new leader and 3 branches today then put a bit of wire on them. After looking at the pictures, I think I need to bend the branches down a bit more. You may notice that I've left the sacrifice branch in place .
2011 November 4th (before).jpg
2011 November 4th (after 1).jpg
2011 November 4th (after 2).jpg
I'll let the branchletts on the new leader thicken a bit then will wire them into shape. I'll start to pluck the foliage on the branches with the view of building up the mass.
Regards,
Steven
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It's been a bit over a week since the last work I did on this one and today I noticed that all the lower foliage was deteriorating in health. It was looking dull and weak yet the sacrifice branch was booming and healthy.
So I decided to remove the sacrifice and hopefully that will help put the energy back into where I want it. I might start a trial to experiment with sacrifice branches on another Cas or 2.
Here it is after the chop...
2011 November 14th (1).JPG
2011 November 14th (2).JPG
Regards,
Steven
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Looking really nice Steven!!
I also love the bark on this species...looks superb!...it is very delicate though. Infact the bark is similar to Quercus suber.
If you experiment with other Allocasaurinas re the main leader as a sacrifice branch etc, please document your findings.
It is a hard balancing act it seems, perhaps when experimenting you may have to keep pruning the sacrifice for the best part of a season to get the future lower trunk line healthy enough again, and then, once balance is restored let the sacrifice go for broke again to help thicken the trunk.
It is tricky though as doing that sort of defeats the purpose of using the main trunk line as a sacrife when the tree is at this stage due to its apicial dominance.
It makes me wonder which is the better technique...the above, or growing a new sacrifice branch from as low as possible on the new trunk line to thicken that part so that the taper between the two sections is even? Perhaps using both techniques at the same time may balance vigour?
Once again, if you do experiment please document your findings.
Cheers, Dario.
