Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
INTRODUCTION: Congratulations to all who participated in this contest! It was a ton of fun, and a great way to learn and share experiences. I am looking forward to seeing how all of these contest trees continue to evolve in the future! There were ten contestants who submitted trees for judging. Once I received the entries, I resized them so they all fit similar dimensions, and then randomized the names using percentile dice so that Walter viewed the images in random order with no indication of who the artist was.
JUDGING: Our judge was the incomparable @Walter Pall - who in addition to being a member of the site, is one of the top bonsai artists in the world. He is based out of Munich, Germany, and is particularly well-known for his work with native alpine species. If you are not familiar with Walter, I highly recommend you look at the amazing work he regularly posts to this site. He can also be followed on Facebook and Instagram. He volunteered his time to not only review the entries but provide detailed commentary for each one. Thank you Walter!
AWARDS:
The top three finishers will be receiving awards from our Bonsai Tool Affiliate Partner - Wazakura Japanese Bonsai Tools!
Finally, I am including the account names for each entry in this final judging. This will be the first time Walter will be seeing who submitted each tree. All the rest of this post will be Walter's. Enjoy! - Greg
=======================================================
Walter Pall:
I was assigned the enjoyable task of evaluating this amicable competition and instructed to choose my top three preferences in order, and if I wish, provide a few comments. This is an honor for me, and it's a delightful experience given my past judging experiences. However, it's not as straightforward as it may seem. Six years ago the judging criteria were set like this:
"Trees will be judged on quality and trunk caliper at the highest surface roots. The fattest tree will not necessarily win, but the contest focus is on getting maximum growth and development out of JBP in 6 years, so no skinny literati trees (for example)."
What criteria should I use now ? How do we define „quality“? Do I prefer „quality today“ or „future potential“? Should I prioritize thickness, height, flexibility, straightness, the potential to become the best masterpiece, an already established masterpiece, or simply personal preference? It's more challenging than it appears, and it will always be subjective. Well, I decided to find „the best bonsai right now“ according to my subjective taste. but with the original judging criteria in mind.
A general lesson that will be surprising to many can be learned of this contest.: Many beginners think that a straightforward, most natural and cheap approach to get to a good bonsai is by starting from seed. Fact is, that this is definitely not a good idea. To start from seed and get a good bonsai is very difficult and requires a lot of skill and experience. Only folks who have done bonsai seriously for a long time have chance to get good results. Surprisingly to many this is definitely not a game for beginners
This is the result:
1) 0221 (@Ryceman3 - note this is an entry from Australia who had six months less time to develop his tree)
This is an outstanding bonsai for only 6 years from seed. It is already in a presentable state, but still has potential for a lot more . The caliper is very good, the taper as well. The ramification is very good, the branch thickness is good, could be slightly thicker on the lower limbs. Foliage is very fine, even,short and compact. The nebari is fine for such a young tree, but it is the weakest point I bet that there are more good surface roots under the moss which will have to get uncovered. Anyway, now the nebari has to be worked on. It will not get better just by itself. Otherwise it will be a most impressive shohin bonsai eventually. I like the fact that the very top is not straight up but bent to the right, into the direction of the main branch. Otherwise it would have had this commercial Christmas tree- appearance. I think the tree is now thick enough. If one continues to fatten it it would get grotesque. The pot is very fine, just two numbers too large - too long and too high. But it is good for growing. One could consider to now stop the fat growing part of development and take a similar pot, but much smaller.
2) 8256 (@Eric Schrader )
It is a very good result considering the short time it took. The tree is already in a presentable condition although it can be improved still a lot in the next years. The trunk caliper is very good, the visible aerial roots to my taste create a lot of interest. In the long run they will fuse together and create an enormous nebari. This means that the crown has to become much larger, about three times the present volume to fit to the future mighty trunk (and avoid making the tree look grotesque). There is not much of a conventional nebari. So this has to be worked on from now on. The foliage looks very nice and healthy, short and compact, just slightly uneven. But it will get better over time. The crown at the moment is a round green ball. There will have to be be a lot more structure in visible branches in the future. The pot is very good and just the right size and character for this outstanding tree. I like it personally because it is different, and does not look so much like a commercial mainstream shohin.
3) 0655 (@Dav4 )
This is also a very good result for just six years from seed to a presentable bonsai. The trunk is not so fat, but has nice curves and character. The aerial roots will fuse over time and create an enormous nebari. I like the fact that they are curved and of variable sizes. The youngish crown is well planned and will develop into an elegant canopy eventually. It should be about two to three times the present size in the future to complement the evolving fat nebari. The pot is very good, but three times too large. It is, however good for developing the crown within the next years. This will become an outstanding bonsai soon.
Runner-ups: all the other trees fall under this category
To make this clear again: judging is as to the state the tree is in NOW. Every single one of the trees can be improved tremendously within the next years. Most of the runner-ups can well beat the winners in five or ten years from now. So don't be disappointed - just go on and finally you can succeed.
The trees are in no particular order other than their file names
8085 (@Bonsai Nut)
The trunk is quite thick and has some good taper. The top ends a bit abruptly, but the jins are OK . To correct the top one could bring the wired highest branch up and just cut off the slim long top which is not of much use . Then let the new leader grow a lot. But remove the wire soon before it bites in. The lowest branches should also grow uninhibited to get girth. The tree could look fine after five more years. The pot is good.
7027 (@Underdog )
This tree did not get the thick trunk nor the taper of the other trees. But it got very nice roots. The nebari is very promising. The branches are fine at the moment. The top should grow uninhibited for at least two seasons . And then can be cut back severely or even cut off down to the branch which is the highest at the moment. The potential of this tree could shine after a few more years.
6958 (@Fonz )
This tree might get underestimated at the moment, but was developed well. The trunk has good movement. There must be a good nebari buried under the gravel. The branches are in good positions. The momentary top should grow very high for two to three years. Then it should be totally cut off down to the branch which is the highest at the moment and which then gets bent up to be the new leader. This tree can get quite good over time. The pot is fine for training.
6100 (@evanjt )
The trunk is thick and fine with some taper. The nebari is buried and the top gravel should be scratched off to uncover the surface roots. One of the two lowest branches should go completely. I would take off the left one all at once. The right one should grow uninhibited for a while to fatten it, but take the wire off soon. The other branches cannot be seen well, but they seem to be in good positions. This can be a good looking bonsai in a few years.
4668 (@hemmy )
All is not lost on this tree. It will be underestimated by many. To let a tree grow high uninhibited for a few years and then brutally cut down to the lowest branch is good professional work. This has created girth and an impressive nebari. The drastic change in taper at the top which is really bothering at the moment can be overcome by letting the top grow very high again for a few years and then cutting back brutally again. In about ten years this can look quite good, despite the momentary challenging look.
3059 (@mwar15 )
This one at the moment cannot beat the winners but it has very good potential. It might even be my favorite in the long run. The positioning on the rock and the bends on the trunk are very good. Now let grow the leader much higher . Do not forget to cut the wire over the rock off before it bites in. After a couple of years you cut off the leader completely just above the branch which is fourth at the moment. From the four little branches a nice crown can be styled over the years,. This one I really like from an artistic point of view.
1307 (@thomas22 )
This one has a good trunk with fine girth and good taper. The nebari is good. The top branch in the middle can be removed completely. While it does not look like it at the moment, a nice crown can be developed from the remaining four branches. This will be fine eventually.
JUDGING: Our judge was the incomparable @Walter Pall - who in addition to being a member of the site, is one of the top bonsai artists in the world. He is based out of Munich, Germany, and is particularly well-known for his work with native alpine species. If you are not familiar with Walter, I highly recommend you look at the amazing work he regularly posts to this site. He can also be followed on Facebook and Instagram. He volunteered his time to not only review the entries but provide detailed commentary for each one. Thank you Walter!
AWARDS:
The top three finishers will be receiving awards from our Bonsai Tool Affiliate Partner - Wazakura Japanese Bonsai Tools!
Finally, I am including the account names for each entry in this final judging. This will be the first time Walter will be seeing who submitted each tree. All the rest of this post will be Walter's. Enjoy! - Greg
=======================================================
Walter Pall:
I was assigned the enjoyable task of evaluating this amicable competition and instructed to choose my top three preferences in order, and if I wish, provide a few comments. This is an honor for me, and it's a delightful experience given my past judging experiences. However, it's not as straightforward as it may seem. Six years ago the judging criteria were set like this:
"Trees will be judged on quality and trunk caliper at the highest surface roots. The fattest tree will not necessarily win, but the contest focus is on getting maximum growth and development out of JBP in 6 years, so no skinny literati trees (for example)."
What criteria should I use now ? How do we define „quality“? Do I prefer „quality today“ or „future potential“? Should I prioritize thickness, height, flexibility, straightness, the potential to become the best masterpiece, an already established masterpiece, or simply personal preference? It's more challenging than it appears, and it will always be subjective. Well, I decided to find „the best bonsai right now“ according to my subjective taste. but with the original judging criteria in mind.
A general lesson that will be surprising to many can be learned of this contest.: Many beginners think that a straightforward, most natural and cheap approach to get to a good bonsai is by starting from seed. Fact is, that this is definitely not a good idea. To start from seed and get a good bonsai is very difficult and requires a lot of skill and experience. Only folks who have done bonsai seriously for a long time have chance to get good results. Surprisingly to many this is definitely not a game for beginners
This is the result:
1) 0221 (@Ryceman3 - note this is an entry from Australia who had six months less time to develop his tree)
This is an outstanding bonsai for only 6 years from seed. It is already in a presentable state, but still has potential for a lot more . The caliper is very good, the taper as well. The ramification is very good, the branch thickness is good, could be slightly thicker on the lower limbs. Foliage is very fine, even,short and compact. The nebari is fine for such a young tree, but it is the weakest point I bet that there are more good surface roots under the moss which will have to get uncovered. Anyway, now the nebari has to be worked on. It will not get better just by itself. Otherwise it will be a most impressive shohin bonsai eventually. I like the fact that the very top is not straight up but bent to the right, into the direction of the main branch. Otherwise it would have had this commercial Christmas tree- appearance. I think the tree is now thick enough. If one continues to fatten it it would get grotesque. The pot is very fine, just two numbers too large - too long and too high. But it is good for growing. One could consider to now stop the fat growing part of development and take a similar pot, but much smaller.
2) 8256 (@Eric Schrader )
It is a very good result considering the short time it took. The tree is already in a presentable condition although it can be improved still a lot in the next years. The trunk caliper is very good, the visible aerial roots to my taste create a lot of interest. In the long run they will fuse together and create an enormous nebari. This means that the crown has to become much larger, about three times the present volume to fit to the future mighty trunk (and avoid making the tree look grotesque). There is not much of a conventional nebari. So this has to be worked on from now on. The foliage looks very nice and healthy, short and compact, just slightly uneven. But it will get better over time. The crown at the moment is a round green ball. There will have to be be a lot more structure in visible branches in the future. The pot is very good and just the right size and character for this outstanding tree. I like it personally because it is different, and does not look so much like a commercial mainstream shohin.
3) 0655 (@Dav4 )
This is also a very good result for just six years from seed to a presentable bonsai. The trunk is not so fat, but has nice curves and character. The aerial roots will fuse over time and create an enormous nebari. I like the fact that they are curved and of variable sizes. The youngish crown is well planned and will develop into an elegant canopy eventually. It should be about two to three times the present size in the future to complement the evolving fat nebari. The pot is very good, but three times too large. It is, however good for developing the crown within the next years. This will become an outstanding bonsai soon.
Runner-ups: all the other trees fall under this category
To make this clear again: judging is as to the state the tree is in NOW. Every single one of the trees can be improved tremendously within the next years. Most of the runner-ups can well beat the winners in five or ten years from now. So don't be disappointed - just go on and finally you can succeed.
The trees are in no particular order other than their file names
8085 (@Bonsai Nut)
The trunk is quite thick and has some good taper. The top ends a bit abruptly, but the jins are OK . To correct the top one could bring the wired highest branch up and just cut off the slim long top which is not of much use . Then let the new leader grow a lot. But remove the wire soon before it bites in. The lowest branches should also grow uninhibited to get girth. The tree could look fine after five more years. The pot is good.
7027 (@Underdog )
This tree did not get the thick trunk nor the taper of the other trees. But it got very nice roots. The nebari is very promising. The branches are fine at the moment. The top should grow uninhibited for at least two seasons . And then can be cut back severely or even cut off down to the branch which is the highest at the moment. The potential of this tree could shine after a few more years.
6958 (@Fonz )
This tree might get underestimated at the moment, but was developed well. The trunk has good movement. There must be a good nebari buried under the gravel. The branches are in good positions. The momentary top should grow very high for two to three years. Then it should be totally cut off down to the branch which is the highest at the moment and which then gets bent up to be the new leader. This tree can get quite good over time. The pot is fine for training.
6100 (@evanjt )
The trunk is thick and fine with some taper. The nebari is buried and the top gravel should be scratched off to uncover the surface roots. One of the two lowest branches should go completely. I would take off the left one all at once. The right one should grow uninhibited for a while to fatten it, but take the wire off soon. The other branches cannot be seen well, but they seem to be in good positions. This can be a good looking bonsai in a few years.
4668 (@hemmy )
All is not lost on this tree. It will be underestimated by many. To let a tree grow high uninhibited for a few years and then brutally cut down to the lowest branch is good professional work. This has created girth and an impressive nebari. The drastic change in taper at the top which is really bothering at the moment can be overcome by letting the top grow very high again for a few years and then cutting back brutally again. In about ten years this can look quite good, despite the momentary challenging look.
3059 (@mwar15 )
This one at the moment cannot beat the winners but it has very good potential. It might even be my favorite in the long run. The positioning on the rock and the bends on the trunk are very good. Now let grow the leader much higher . Do not forget to cut the wire over the rock off before it bites in. After a couple of years you cut off the leader completely just above the branch which is fourth at the moment. From the four little branches a nice crown can be styled over the years,. This one I really like from an artistic point of view.
1307 (@thomas22 )
This one has a good trunk with fine girth and good taper. The nebari is good. The top branch in the middle can be removed completely. While it does not look like it at the moment, a nice crown can be developed from the remaining four branches. This will be fine eventually.
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