Which bonsai rule/guideline irks you the most?

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

Which so called rule/guideline or common practice in Bonsai irks you the most?

For me it is the non use of Jin on Pines!

It is quite natural for some pines to have quite extensive dead wood (the Bristlecone pine of America for instance; which can live 5 to 10,000 years and be 95% deadwood) yet because it isn't common on Japanese( or Chinese pines for that matter) it is taboo on Bonsai.

Sure in a humid or very wet climate it may be a sign of ill health or forthcoming death but in the controlled world of Bonsai I can see no problems with it.

Properly treated the jin could last for hundreds of years. I have one very old pine in mind that I will do in an extensive jin style and will be interested to hear your thoughts.

Your thoughts or other peeves?

Grant

[Dario]

Hi Grant, I think jins are fine on pines, but generally speaking I think they should be shorter when compared to say a juniper or a spruce.
It is an older guideline, but no deadwood on broad leaf trees (both deciduous and evergreens). Generally I love deadwood if it tells a story and is not just used for the sake of it without good reason...it has to add, not detract and also be done well and tastefully (not easy to do).
Cheers, Dario.
EDIT...PS I do understand the guideline that you refer to though, as pines are a softwood species and the main feature that gives them there antiquity is their bark, unlike a juniper which is their deadwood.

[Watto]

Branch placement of left, right, back. Boring!!!!

[Gerard]

If one of lowest branches is toward the back, it does not need to be removed every time

[Olivecrazy]

None really as i work with what works for the tree

[Ces]

no deadwood on broad leaved trees.

[Grant Bowie]

Good to see some input.

I hope those that are posting are also doing something about their pet peeves and will put their thoughts/likes/dislikes into action.

I don't mind big jin on pines as long of course it is artistic and also tells a story.

Grant

[fiveoffive]

OMG there's Rules ?

[golgotha]

Cockatoos + big pines = big jins
We have some awesome looking cocky riddled pines out this way. The dead wood certainly tells a tale of survival.
Some look majestic while others look rather sad.

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[alpineart]

Hi Grant , no offence to the masters of times gone by but all rule are out the window in my book . Times are a changing and i think it for the better . Trunks and trees are looking more natural than a lot of material made or designed 50 plus years ago .

More character and not the glorified Pom Poms as i call them .Enjoyed my visit to the NBPCA on the weekend , pity i missed out on catching up with you . Always next time . Cheers Alpineart

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant , no offence to the masters of times gone by but all rule are out the window in my book . Times are a changing and i think it for the better . Trunks and trees are looking more natural than a lot of material made or designed 50 plus years ago .

More character and not the glorified Pom Poms as i call them .Enjoyed my visit to the NBPCA on the weekend , pity i missed out on catching up with you . Always next time . Cheers Alpineart

I am now retired and only frequent the NBPCA as a volunteer; starting this Thursday.

I also agree about rules; what rules. I hope everyone loosens up.

grant

[Ash]

I am irked when the pointy topped 'triangle tree' left back right horizontal pad branches gets applied to fig trees. Ash

[kcpoole]

6-12 : 1 Ratio. You know if a tree looks skinny or not.

Use whatever looks nice to you. Does not matter if diameter measured across the nebari, or base of the trunk, it is only semantics that generates the arguments.

Ken

[bodhidharma]

I personally think that people who are too rule orientated, spend to much time checking to see if the tree is correct and miss the picture. If a tree takes your attention and you spend time looking at it then the tree has merit and deserves to be appreciated. Adhering to rules has stifled my imagination and i no longer worry about them. Oh, sorry, my pet hate rule, tree ratios, who cares.

P.s, Ken beat me to it, Onya Ken, tree ratios suck.

[Shane]

The rules that say: No more trees; You do not need that pot; Do not repot in the living room.

At least those are the ones I encounter most often.