Fall 2016 Contest....Who's in?

How about if you have the tree given to you?
Not collected but a tree grown in a nursery bucket?

It really doesn't matter how you obtain the tree...
As long as you haven't had it to study forever.

Vin's Home depot stock, (which I own now too), isn't gonna go up if people don't buy trees!

I could add a "time owned" section in the entry.
But I'm trying to pull in a Master Judge, so I don't want the bane to be immense.

Either way....

Prizes ARE looking like a good possibility.

It will be fair.

Anyone can win!

Sorce
 
Here's what I know....

I have been blessed with rain...
So I don't have to water....
Don't have to work....

I have time to pop this off!

Honor System above all.

Karma is real.

I don't care if one tries to "play the system".
My system, and Karma, will fully negate any benefits of cheating!
(not that anyone will)

Need I say.....

We are doing this to have fun!?

What are we up to? A rough 20?

That is not Epic!

Sorce
 
I'm pretty sure I've already snagged up anything good left at the box stores, I don't have the receipt for this yew but I did this work about 2 weeks ago, any chance it can slide in? If not I'll scower around for something new.... Just let me play dammnit, its not like I'm going to win
 

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I'm pretty sure I've already snagged up anything good left at the box stores, I don't have the receipt for this yew but I did this work about 2 weeks ago, any chance it can slide in? If not I'll scower around for something new.... Just let me play dammnit, its not like I'm going to win

No offense but I don't think this tree should be allowed as you've had a head start of sorts, the contest rules stated purchased between certain dates and you've already worked on it.

Its up to sorce though.

Also @sorce used my tree as an example. Please note, the tree should absolutely NOT be repotted now.

Honestly, I think repotting should not be part of this contest. Just leave it to styling only. Let's have some consideration for the health and well being of the tree, not just a wham, bang, style, repot and insta-dead tree.
 
No offense but I don't think this tree should be allowed as you've had a head start of sorts, the contest rules stated purchased between certain dates and you've already worked on it.

Its up to sorce though.

Also @sorce used my tree as an example. Please note, the tree should absolutely NOT be repotted now.

Honestly, I think repotting should not be part of this contest. Just leave it to styling only. Let's have some consideration for the health and well being of the tree, not just a wham, bang, style, repot and insta-dead tree.
I was not saying to not take health into consideration. Of, course you should... I am not into to Art to kill trees, nor do I want to win a competition on a Internet web site that bad...

But, there is plenty of material that can easily receive a first style and a repot at the same time, without the tree even skipping a beat, and in fact is done all of the time. The biggest concern really with doing this is more with Conifers...

Now, with that said, of course you should not have to repot, nor should this be something in my opinion, that should be a requirement... but, I see no issue with when someone is deciding on what type of material to choose, that they also try and consider as well, if they can also transfer the tree into a pot.

This, is a critical point when deciding and choosing material as well, whether for a contest or not... There is no point picking a piece of material to make a shohin, or a bunjin, or even a slab planting, etc... that cannot possibly ever fit into a pot that matches the style you choose for the material. As well should be the decision of how long it will take to do so.

Now, before the whole "Instant Bonsai " discussion gets started... This is all part of picking and choosing "good" material. If you have a piece of material that it will take 20 years to sort out the roots, or the trunk, or even foliage, etc. And the material is not worth spending that much time on, this was not a good choice.

So, I have all the consideration in the world for the material I choose to work on... in fact I have more... I am also considering not only the logistics of what I can artistically do wirh the tree, but as well the health and it's time frame to bring the tree to a finished product.

This is Bonsai, and this is what I do with every choice of material I make, regardless of if it is a competition or not.
 
No offense but I don't think this tree should be allowed as you've had a head start of sorts, the contest rules stated purchased between certain dates and you've already worked on it.

Its up to sorce though.
no offense taken @Paradox , my jump start really wouldn't amount to much since there's not much more I can do to it. Maybe some more refined wiring, and if I'm lucky I could get.it.into a smaller pot without much root disturbance. But rules are rules and I'm just here to have fun and learn. I'm excited to see some late summer/fall transformations for some notes and projects for myself next year.
 
The most important thing I learned from the 2014 contest, is that I'll never sacrifice the health of a Damn nice start just to win a contest again.

That has helped me keep more trees alive...
So you can learn that lesson now, and sacrifice a contest win to have a nice tree down the road, or hack it to bits and learn how I did!

We will learn either way!

In that spirit.

How hard is it going to be to get the few of you to obtain new trees?

Please?;)

We must to keep it fair.
The date this thread started will be the date after which a tree may be obtained.

Apologies for the New Comers.
This thread is about interest headcounting.
There will be a full "rules" thread later, an entry thread, Yada Yada Yada.

Good News?

Got confirmation of our first prize!
Yes....Prizes!

Look for all.....
Fall 2016 Contest.....threads.

Sorce
 
@sawgrass

There may be plenty of trees in your area, in your climate that can be styled and repotted in the fall. In my area, and my climate and further north, not so much.

I just don't think this is something we should be fostering.

I also think, that in the sense of keeping things even, the trees should be judged on an apples to apples basis. A tree in a bonsai pot is not on an even keel with one in a nursery pot.
 
Went hunting at one of the nearby nurseries while I was in town. FYI if you're ever in Chillicothe Ohio, Ingle-Barr nursery has nice plants, nice people, and clearly care about what they do. They aren't a bonsai nursery (last time I was there the guy was surprised I was even looking to bonsai any of the plants there) but I found quite a few plants there today that had potential but limited myself to one today.
 
@sawgrass

There may be plenty of trees in your area, in your climate that can be styled and repotted in the fall. In my area, and my climate and further north, not so much.

I just don't think this is something we should be fostering.

I also think, that in the sense of keeping things even, the trees should be judged on an apples to apples basis. A tree in a bonsai pot is not on an even keel with one in a nursery pot.
Yes, but now you are arguing a different scrnario, and with all due respect, This then begs the question of doing "any" styling work for those up north, going into fall, correct? Seeing any cuts made now, will be sending out new growth in the cold...

Even if I lived up north and did any serious amount of work to a conifer, I would still want to protect it from the cold.

If Sorce decides no pot, that's cool... but the arguement of cold, is one that should probably be considered regardless of pot or no pot, and probably best for those up north to work on material that can be brought indoors.
 
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Yes, but now you are arguing a different scrnario, and with all due respect, This then begs the question of doing "any" styling work for those up north, going into fall, correct? Seeing any cuts made now, will be sending out new growth in the cold...

Even if I lived up north and did any serious amount of work to a conifer, I would still want to protect it from the cold.

If Sorce decides no pot, that's cool... but the arguement of cold, is one that should probably be considered regardless of pot or no pot, and probably best for those up north to work on material that can be brought indoors.

No, read what I wrote. I am not talking about styling work, that is done all the time in the fall, even up north. Repotting in fall for most trees in northern areas is dancing with the devil.
Pretty much everything up here is going to be a tree that cant be repotted now. You telling people they have to buy a tropical for this is absurd.

Its the overall picture at the end that I am concerned about. How the tree has been "transformed" is stated to be a basis for the judging. I want the trees to be judged on equal merit, not whether it is in a bonsai pot or what the complete picture at the end looks like. What I dont want to see is a southern tree win by virtue of the fact that it is in a bonsai pot and therefore has undergone a "greater transition" or developed further over a northern contestant which is as good or better but not in a bonsai pot because repotting now would kill the damn tree. I also dont want to see someone repot a tree to win a stupid contest and kill the tree in the process.

If that is how this contest is going to be run, then I am glad I am not entering and if thats the case, I might not vote on principle either, or better yet vote only for a tree I think would have the best chance to survive the treatment it just received.

If we are going to be judging on styling, lets judge on styling and not the pot the tree is in. The tree does not need to be in a bonsai pot.

You are free to disagree and I am not trying to start an argument. I am just trying to foster the fairest contest we can develop.
 
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