AusBonsai Shohin Progression Competition 2013-2014

[kcpoole]

Hey Mo, Once you have submitted your contest entry and the initial pics then go for your life. It's not like there is a absolute start date
Just now updates till then and then updates every 3 months minimum.

Ken

Hi Ken,

So we can start as soon as we submit our stock in raw form ?

The way I read the rules was that work can only commence from the 1st April, that way it allows all entries to be submitted first before any work can be carried out. Sorry to be a pest, but could you clarify that please.

Also thanks Steven for clarifying my question earlier in this thread.

Cheers

David

it has been pointed out, the comp starts 1st April, So maybe we all oughtta try to work to that date just to be safe

Ken

[kcpoole]

OK, so I answered my own question by paying more attention when I read the rules no limits to entries.

Another question - do the "rules" for Shohin (not the rules for the comp.) impose limits/ratios re the length of cascade on a Shohin?

Jan.

the is now width limit for Shohin, only height as far as I am aware. you could have a Seikei 1 M wide of you like, but as long as the tallest trees were less than 250mm above the pot rim then it will still be shohin.

Ken

[Steven]

G'day everyone,

I apologise for any confusion that may have been caused by previous incorrect answers supplied by others. If anyone has breached a rule because of this please contact me via PM and we will work something out so you are not unfairly put out.

From now on only I will officially answer questions and where possible answers will be supported by quotes from the rules.

I’ve noted the 250mm “high” for the comp, but would like to clarify if there is a “width” limit as I’m considering entering a couple of Callistemon rafts,
Jan

Good question Jan.
Im planning on entering a cascade so what is the restriction on that style also?

STYLE AND SIZE
Size is measured from the top of the pot to the tip of the tree/s. The finished height must be under 250mm. There is no minimum height restriction..

Additionally, there is no restriction on width or length on cascade. If a root over rock is submitted, height is still measured from top of pot to tip of tree or top of rock - whichever is higher.

Hey guys
According to the rules - no updates before 1st April. I'd like to slip my Kunzea now and give it a prune before I allow more cold weather to settle in so it has a small window to get comfortable in its new home... is this okay?
Or is it just no updates on the forum but I can do work on my trees?
Thanks,
Mo

TIME-FRAME AND COMMITMENTS
• Entry posts and/or commitments must be made no later than Midnight EDST on 31st March 2013. No new entries will accepted after this date.
• Work can be done between 1st April 2013 and 30th September 2014.

Any work performed before 1st April will result in disqualification. To police this rule we may insist that a photograph is submitted on the 30th or 31st March with a copy of that days newspaper or other publication in the shot as verification.

Hope this clears things up.

Regards,
Steven

[MattA]

Hey Steven,
Great to see the trees from the last comp going for round 2, none of mine survived so am starting afresh with new ones. All have been ground grown purposefully so I hope they are allowed.
viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14711 viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14710 viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14678
Really like Pat's pots so am going all out

Steven, I know you have answered me via PM but a number of people have since questioned why I have withdrawn my entries, might be good if you could give your response here aswell. I would but the last time I posted content from a pm.............

[lackhand]

Hey Steven,
Great to see the trees from the last comp going for round 2, none of mine survived so am starting afresh with new ones. All have been ground grown purposefully so I hope they are allowed.
viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14711 viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14710 viewtopic.php?f=148&t=14678
Really like Pat's pots so am going all out

Steven, I know you have answered me via PM but a number of people have since questioned why I have withdrawn my entries, might be good if you could give your response here aswell. I would but the last time I posted content from a pm.............

Yes, I have been curious about this. Hopefully my curiosity doesn't cause any trouble, but I would like to know.

[Olivecrazy]

Packs shovel saw an snips an of to find something

[Olivecrazy]

Yay forgot i collected a twin trunk elm 10 days ago from my elm patch checked it over to see its covered in buds good chance of getting some wiring done in mid april will post picture shortly

[Steven]

Steven, I know you have answered me via PM but a number of people have since questioned why I have withdrawn my entries, might be good if you could give your response here aswell. I would but the last time I posted content from a pm.............

Sorry for the late reply on this. Matt, you sent me a PM with a link to your entries asking if they were okay. I checked them out and responded;

G'day Matt,

It looks like there has been branch pruning? If this is the case then they would not be eligible. Unless you were to cut all the branches off and start again?

The idea is to try and have everyone start from a similar position of just trunks and roots. What is your judgement on your entries?

Regards,
Steven

I just clarified what is written in the rules. Root work, trunk chopping and removal of branches is okay. Trimming branches, training or styling is not okay.

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. If we were to extend the rules a bit further and allow trimming of branches also, then where would we draw the line?!

For those of you who are questioning this years rules, please stop because these rules will not change. I do however welcome your input into next years competition and rules to help make them clearer and better. Actually, I really encourage and would appreciate someones help! It's not an easy feat and takes me considerable time.

Speaking of time, I will be out of the country from Friday for 2 weeks and will have limited access to the internet. I will check the forum and entries when I can but if anyone has any specific questions, please post or PM me soon.

Thanks and regards,
Steven

[lackhand]

Thanks for clarifying, Steven. I think somebody will always disagree with the rules, no matter what they are, but at least they are pretty clear, and fair for all. I only caught last year's after it was over, but I'm really excited for this year's. Thanks for all the hard work it takes to out this on.

[k2bonsai]

Trimming of branches.... I have a question:

I have some yamdori japanese box trees i wanted to enter. They were dug out last year and as a result of the removal i needed to chop the tree back in order to ensure survival of the plant by not over taxing the roots. Since this time i have placed it into pots and done no work to it but let all the nearly bare trunks/branches grow new shoots to gain health. To the letter of the law this would constitute branch trimming? however it is a neccesity of yamadori and the branches were not cut back to final desird length etc, merely hacked back to ensure survival.

Your thoughts please Steven? I can post some pics if you like to see what was done, or rather not done.

[Jan]

Thanks for the clarification, Steven.

Know that your efforts, and those of the others that make AusBonsai possible, are much appreciated. I’m sure that most of us realise that there is soooooo much work that goes on behind the scenes to make it all happen.

Thanks, and have a good trip,

Jan.

[MattA]

Steven, I know you have answered me via PM but a number of people have since questioned why I have withdrawn my entries, might be good if you could give your response here aswell. I would but the last time I posted content from a pm.............

Sorry for the late reply on this. Matt, you sent me a PM with a link to your entries asking if they were okay. I checked them out and responded;

G'day Matt,

It looks like there has been branch pruning? If this is the case then they would not be eligible. Unless you were to cut all the branches off and start again?

The idea is to try and have everyone start from a similar position of just trunks and roots. What is your judgement on your entries?

Regards,
Steven

I just clarified what is written in the rules. Root work, trunk chopping and removal of branches is okay. Trimming branches, training or styling is not okay.

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. If we were to extend the rules a bit further and allow trimming of branches also, then where would we draw the line?!

For those of you who are questioning this years rules, please stop because these rules will not change. I do however welcome your input into next years competition and rules to help make them clearer and better. Actually, I really encourage and would appreciate someones help! It's not an easy feat and takes me considerable time.

Speaking of time, I will be out of the country from Friday for 2 weeks and will have limited access to the internet. I will check the forum and entries when I can but if anyone has any specific questions, please post or PM me soon.

Thanks and regards,
Steven

Steven,
I respect & admire the amount of work & thought that went into getting the rules written & comp organised. At the end of the day I didn't want to have to justify how I saw the material fitting the rules as I read them. If you read my reply to Mojo's question on thread you will see that its a case of people having differing views of where stock is at.

I know of atleast 1 entry that has had considerable time & work done on branch development in its early years but no work done by its new owner & hence is elligable... whereas the same material if I grow for myself is not...

Enjoy your time away.
Matt

[Steven]

I have some yamdori japanese box trees i wanted to enter. They were dug out last year and as a result of the removal i needed to chop the tree back in order to ensure survival of the plant by not over taxing the roots. Since this time i have placed it into pots and done no work to it but let all the nearly bare trunks/branches grow new shoots to gain health. To the letter of the law this would constitute branch trimming?

G'day K2b,

Please post pictures so I can see what you mean.

I know of atleast 1 entry that has had considerable time & work done on branch development in its early years but no work done by its new owner & hence is elligable... whereas the same material if I grow for myself is not...

G'day Matt,

Please post a link to the entry in question or send it to me via PM.

Thanks,
Steven

[MattA]

Steven,
I have found this whole controversy over stock & what is & isnt allowed a bit funny given the winner last year was a tree that was dug from the ground on the start day! The reality is, unless its general nursery stock, any stock raised for more than 1 yr with the intentions of shohin will have had some pruning of branches and it takes several years to develop a good trunk.

I will not cite any entrant but can example one of my own trees not in the comp, from the rules as they are now being explained would this layer have been acceptable with the branching it has? No! viewtopic.php?f=130&t=11326
I saw it as raw untrained stock others saw finished tree, now its barely begun Btw its powering away as if I did nothing to it

I am looking forward to hooking into the trees I do have entered, one in particular is a real challenge as I see it, the others are going to be lots of fun & thats what its all about at the end of the day.
Matt

[Bretts]

I thought I better update my last years entries and then decided to have a quick look around the benches to see if I had anything fresh to enter, not acquiring another tree yet, Hmm there is a couple of olives I have promised to sell on
Then I checked in here, Holy crap the soap opera never stops around here
I must say the rules issue was much the same last year, I can't help but think the rules suit one type of purchasable stock and leaves little room elsewhere.
If you want help with the rules Steven I thought the literati comp was close to perfect