AusBonsai Shohin Progression Competition 2013-2014

[Andrew Legg]

woo VERY excited by this one. watched last years with great interest, well from when I joined the forum anyway and have learnt a lot from reading back over the updates for everyone's entries.

No 1 Buxus harlandii

Buxus harlandii.jpg

This one came from a bonsai nursery and has had a previous trunk chop. My next move with it would be another trunk chop. Is this regarded as styling? I think probably yes but like everyone I want to get into it.

Ces.

Hey Ces,

I'm no guru on Buxus, but I think they are really slow, so given Ken's response, and this fact (please correct me if I'm wrong guys), you may want to reconsider. The key to this compo is having material that grows quickly as it presents the best opportunity to make progress. That's what the compo is all about - progress.

Food for thought mate.

Cheers,

Andrew

[kcpoole]

Just to clarify Ken,

The fine print part of the conditions of entry state that you can give advice but are you saying you connot give styling advice. You probably need to be specific on what advice you are allowed to give. I only bring this up as I had caused some confusion in last years comp with a similar incident.

Please clarify for all.

I cannot wait to get my entries in and intrainning. I loved the comp last year and I learnt plenty from it.

Cheers

Squizz

ahh Shoot My Bad
You are quite correct that comments and advice are allowed in this one. Previous comps had been different and I assumed the same applied here
Serves me right for not reading and understanding the Entire fine print!

Yes last years was what i was thinking too.

Ken

[izzykay]

Not really a fair contest when I can enter a ror fig and someone else has to search bunnings for stock Cool contest though just puzzled by the rules. Thanks for organising it Steven

[Damian79]

Thanks for making that point Izzykay.
Maybe I dont know exactly what to look for as I am new at this, but bunnings and Masters are the easiest place to buy from where I live.I did manage to fine some ok stock at one nursery, but the dont really cater for the bonsai enthusiest.
Just some premade "bonsai starter" kits.
But I guess that makes it more of a challange

[squizzy]

Izzykay and damien 79.

remember that you dont have to have the best stock at the end you could always win it by showing the greatest result for what you had started with. I think someone in last years stock started with a root cutting and I was equally amazed at what he/she acheived as I was with the winner. For your benifit a well placed airlayer springs to mind . Dont be beaten before you start Damien. Why dont you consider some urban yamadori?

Squizz

[lackhand]

Not really a fair contest when I can enter a ror fig and someone else has to search bunnings for stock Cool contest though just puzzled by the rules. Thanks for organising it Steven

It would be hard for rules to overcome the difference in stock. Root over rock prep aside, how do you compare yamadori and nursery stock? What about price of nursery stock? Even if you spend the same, what is available in one place would be different than in another. Seems like you either have to be extremely restrictive, which would limit participation, or do what the current rules have done and leave it pretty open.

[Ces]

Hey Ces,

I'm no guru on Buxus, but I think they are really slow, so given Ken's response, and this fact (please correct me if I'm wrong guys), you may want to reconsider. The key to this compo is having material that grows quickly as it presents the best opportunity to make progress. That's what the compo is all about - progress.

Food for thought mate.

Cheers,

Andrew

you're probably right mate. From what I know (which I admit is very little) and from your comments, I believe they're slow growers. But I'm aiming for a mini with this one, maybe 10 cm tall when finished, so I might be alright.

Anyway, going to give it a go and see what happens. At least there'll be a mini in the collection. AND good news, Ken. Its only ever been trunk chopped, so I'm good to go I'll post a clear picture of its previous trunk work in the entry post.

Now. To find a few more entries....

[Dario]

Ces, while there are for sure faster growing species than Buxus and there is a definite time frame to consider regarding the comp, I find they put on new growth reasonably quickly. But it is true that they take a long while for branches and trunk to thicken.
Tony entered a harlandi into the last shohin comp.
Andrew I am just putting forth a different point of view and I am not saying I am right or taking issue with anything you said I guess I just really like Buxus harlandi (especially for shohin)
My
Cheers, Dario.

[izzykay]

my point isn't about quality of stock so much as it is about having years of training before the comp making it a bit unfair for people who are actually making a shohin in 18months. How is training roots over a rock for two years not counted as training? Just my opinion, not having a go.

[Damian79]

Hi Squizz
Im not beaten mate Im very excited about the comp and what ill learn from participating in general.
I have some great yamadori stock that I have been collecting, im just holding out till the last minute to see if they have enough life in them to use.
As for the stock I have already entered, im confident that they will make great trees, Its the experience that Im lacking (for now ). My point was (speaking purely for myself)
I dont have a Bonsai nursery here to find the nice purpose grown trees that you can get from the metro areas.
Im going to have a good old crack with what I have though

[squizzy]

Go Damien.

I misread that sorry. I thought you had buzzings and maskers as your only options and I was just trying to point out some other free options. From my experience its easier to build the top than the bottom in a short time frame

Squizz

[Mojo Moyogi]

my point isn't about quality of stock so much as it is about having years of training before the comp making it a bit unfair for people who are actually making a shohin in 18months. How is training roots over a rock for two years not counted as training? Just my opinion, not having a go.

That's a valid point there izzykay. In my case it's not a shortage of trees, but I have so few few trees that haven't had branches worked on or trunks wired. Especially by this time of year.

It's a stacked deck all round, The Queenslanders have climate advantages, the Sydneysiders can just wander into Nescis and buy a show quality shohin for a few bucks, over in the WA they produce natives that the AusBonsai faithful cant get enough of and in Victoria we are just plain talented

Bummer.

My advice is identify your advantage and exploit it.

Cheers,
Mojo

P.S. Some of what I have written above is intended to be amusing. If it doesn't appear that way to some, don't have coronary, rest assured, tomorrow will still be Friday........even in Adelaide.

[Damian79]

Thanks mate
Im just a bit worried that digging now might not be enough time to produce something comp worthy in 18 months.
Dont have anything to lose though I guess

[Damian79]

MMMM you didnt mention SA Mojo



OOp no. there it is

[squizzy]

Mojo us Sydney siders have a double advantage. We have rays and we just edge out Victoria for talent.

Squizz