preparing for first time exhibit

Hi IBC.
I guess I can't hide forever in my little bonsai garden...After talking to some friends I decided to join (the general public) for the first time in the up coming national bonsai exhibit in the Philippines...I hope some of my trees will be ready by mid of this year. That's why I've been busy this past weeks trying to prepare (in a hurry) some of my trees... this is gonna be a whole new world for me.

In this thread I will post the pool of my trees for selection, and their development including pots, table and stand, moss etc. until "D day" comes.
but if all will be ready when the time comes I'll send/join as many trees as I can, for this will be the same trees that will be exhibited next year in the coming ASPAC to be held in our country.

I'll appreciate all the help in improving the presentation of my trees. So feel free to scrutinize and don't hold anything back in your comments.
TIPS ON EXHIBIT will also be appreciated.
I'll probably show only my near to normal trees and hold my weird looking designs for a few more years in my garden...due to quarantine AKA-bonsai culture issue.. hehehe!



this is the initial batch of trees that I think will be ready in a couple of months---
Chinese elm:


Phempis acidula 1:


Phempis acidula 2:





Phempis acidula 3:








Blue bell- "Cosmodium sp.":

before


after




Phempis acidula 4:
before



after



I'll post the second batch of the trees I am preparing in the coming weeks...after I rested my back.
thank you in advance!

regards,
jun

Nice trees Jun, I'm looking forward to see them in the show

regards,
Pongsatorn.K

Am glad you made that decision Jun, Wecome! I will be visiting your garden soon and critique your trees if you wish.I hope some of your trees will make it to the ABFF on 2012

Thanks for your visit and advices

Regards

Jun, good luck in your endeavor. I am sure you will learn much along the way. I don't have show ready trees yet, but am working towards this step.
I was looking at your Chinese Elm and think the right side open space is too open. I think better balance would be achieved by bringing down the first right branch to fill in more of the open space to help balance the first left branch. It looks like the first right branch is very high up, but you have created layers and may be able to bend the last foliage pad downwards to fill in the space. Or, perhaps you could get a bud to sprout from the bend where the stump is. Or, do an approach graft there.
The other thought I have is reducing the mass of the first left branch. Right now the tree, as pretty as it is, is one sided. Others may have different thoughts about this.
I am sure the tree looks much better in person than in photos. I cannot feel the depth in the picture and your foliage looks well ramified. Would you be showing this tree with or without foliage?
Best, Todd

All very nice jun. I think the third one -- the literati -- is most show worthy right now. What is hat hanging over the lip of the pot? It's a bit distracting -- at least in a photograph.

Elm and Literati Jun.

Elm perhaps a softening of the triangle.

As Jim asked, Literati - the weird sticking out root - statement artistically ?
Best of luck.
Khaimraj

Hey Jun,

Congrats on the big move. Showing trees to others is a very satisfying aspect of bonsai art.
My advice would be to focus. Select a few trees and super detail them with wire, pruning, cleaning trunks and branches, making the roots look their best and placing them in the highest quality pot.

Planning goes a long way to make a successful showing. Several years ago I wrote an article for our club newsletter about an approach to prepare for a show. I'll cut and paste it here as it may help you out.
Good luck.

"REVERSE PLANNING
From the BSOB February 2004 NEWSLETTER BY Rob Kempinski


When taking Army training, I remember SGT Anderson, a tough Airborne Ranger sergeant, telling us how to plan a mission. In between four letter words, he said "You figure out where you have to be and when and work backwards from that." Well, that turned out to be good advice to use in a variety of ventures, including preparing for a bonsai show. Since we have a couple of events coming up this spring, let's do some backward planning with that old Army technique.

What's the mission: Bonsai Society of Florida Bonsai show. Who: Sponsored by the Bonsai Society of Brevard. When is it: Memorial Day weekend, May 2004. Where: Radisson at the Port, Cape Canaveral Florida.

What are we going to do: Show a Buttonwood, a Japanese Black Pine and a Bougainvillea.

Show Day (called S-Day): Deliver trees. Set up on stands. Rub a little baby oil on pot with soft lint free cloth (unless it is a real old pot with great patina the mild cleaning is all that's needed.) Place accent. Admire your handiwork. Enjoy convention.


S-Day -1: Prepare water spray bottle to keep tree moist while on display, and a towel to place on stand so as not to scratch it when moving pot.
S-Day -3: Clean trunk and branches with mild vinegar and water and a soft bristle tooth brush. Cover soil with plastic to prevent cleaning solution from penetrating root pad. Clean mold and dirt off pot with scrub brush. Remove any weeds.
S-Day -3: Remove any dead or damaged leaves from tree. Prune any withered branches.
S-Day -5: Clean stand and apply furniture polish. Arrange transportation for trees.
S-Day - 7: Recoat dead wood with more lime sulfur. (Assuming warm temperature. If not, do this a week earlier) Protect moss and pot from lime sulfur drips.
S-Day -10: Moss tree base. Completely cover soil but leave nebari clear of moss. Mist moss each day prior to show.
S-Day -15: Start withholding water on bougainvillea. Water only when tree shows signs of wilting. This will push flowers and bracts on the new shoots.
S-Day - 17: Clean any driftwood with mild water and bleach solution. Place fresh coat of lime sulfur on the dead wood.
S-Day -25: Pinch rapidly extending bougainvillea shoots.
S-Day -28: Prepare accent plants by cleaning, clipping and fertilizing.
S-Day -35: Collect accent plants, stones or other item to show with the tree.
S-Day -45: Prune all the leaves and refresh the wire on the buttonwood. Fertilize heavily.
S-Day -48: Cut extending candles on Japanese Black Pine. Remove old needles if haven't already done in prior work. Wire outer shoots to make pads.
S-Day -50: Prune all leaves and thin shoots on the Bougainvillea. Wire branches as needed. Fertilize heavily. Place in full sun.
S-Day -60: Finish procuring stands for display.
S-Day- 120: Start heavy fertilization of all trees.
S-Day -125: Complete sign up for convention and workshops as desired.
S-Day-180: Decide what trees to show and plan pruning repotting and wiring. (Actually planning to show a Japanese Black Pine needs to start two years earlier to work on needle reduction).

The sequence of events such as the timing of when you prune a tree will definitely improve its appearance. A little prior planning will have your trees and accents in tiptop shape for the show."

Pongsatorn,
thank you my friend.

regards,
jun



Mang Pabling,
Thank you.
I enjoyed seeing your trees and your cliff side bonsai garden. If you still need any help with the design of your project just give me a call.
I'm looking forward to your visit and your advice.

regards,
jun





Jim,

Thank you very much.
...that was part of the jin I made a long time ago before I planted the literati in this pot, i'll probably remove/reduced it.

regards,
jun

THANK YOU VERY MUCH Rob!!!

that would definitely help, not just me but most people entering a bonsai show (specially the non-pro like me).
I'll print a copy of this schedule and tips and post it in my garden.

regards,
jun

Khaimraj,

thank you! At least I got two now based on your high standard

regards,
jun

Jun,

they are all good. The two I chose are the ones I have sent the vagabond masters [ ninja is the Japanese version] to collect for me some night ---- you will not know when ---- tremble in fear.
They will be mine.

Now move onto excellent ----------> and then exceptional ----------> what's next ?????????
Best to you.
With your imagination and skill, you don't need luck.
Khaimraj

I would urge, as Rob alluded to, that you not try to enter several trees in the show. Select one -- at the most two -- and spend the time between now and then sprucing them up and getting them -- tree, pot, soil surface treatment in tip top shape.

Best of luck, dear Jun!
Focus, focus, focus.
You are lucky to get expert advice here on the IBC.
Do not be baffled by distracting quantitative diversity, if I may say.

Hi Jun,
Good that you have finally decided to exhibit your bonsai. It is such a shame to keep them under wrap in your backyard. All your bonsai are exquisitely styled, mature and in good condition. Elm and Bunjin are the best of those displayed. Now that the spring is here, their get up will further improve. With your talent and ingenuity, and help from IBC (Rob – thanks for the Army style Standard Operating Procedure on Reverse Preparation of Bonsai for Show – very useful) pretty sure that you will produce the best. Go for it. Give it your best shot.

With very best wishes,
Mohan.

Hi Khaimraj,

thanks.

I'll keep the two guarded then.

regards,
jun


Jim,
A big thanks again...Focus...Focus...

regards,
jun



Dear Alexandra,

thank you.
Focus...quality not quantity.
I'll try my best to be modest and less aggressive.hehehe.
Yes indeed, not just me, we are all lucky to be part of IBC family.


regards,
jun



Mohan,
thank you!
I hope I can harness the best out of my trees.

regards,
jun

Well, Jun, I guess you took the hint, and know which two the group think would work. Of course you are looking at reality, we one eye flat images. So..........................

AND tidy, balance pot to tree, moss and top dressed soil and..................

Don't forget to leaf shine the leaves ------- ha ha ha ------- really small rags and hired fairies to clean the branchlets.
Best to you.
Khaimraj

Be prepared for some politics in selection and placement of trees.

Great tip-off, Billy!
Valid also for a lot more situations than bonsai.....

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:Be prepared for some politics in selection and placement of trees.

...Noted Billy.
This will prevent a broken heart and a weakened spirit.
politics everywhere, too bad.

regards,
jun

Hey Jun,

Good to see you take the "Leap of Faith" or as Neil Armstrong would say "Small step for Jun but a great step for Jun's Bonsai" On a more serious note, The Chinese Elm, Pemphis 1,3 and 4 are great. On the Blue Bell I was wondering if the HUGE mound of soil was a necessity. It also makes the pot look inadequately shallow. Just my thoughts.

I would definitely want to add on to what Billy has said. This being your first major show, be prepared for situations that might not be to your liking. Take things in your stride and DO NOT HUFF & PUFF when things go wrong or worse still quit. You have tremendous BONSAI SENSE and as Mohan has said it would be very much a shame to keep it under wraps or share it only on online fora such as IBC.

Wishing you the very best of luck my friend...

Ravi

oh! I almost forgot one of my favorite trees on the initial draft...






regards,
jun

Thank you Ravi.

regards,
jun

Hi Jun,
Grand Very nice deadwood! Wonder how you managed not to include your favourite tree in the original list From the looks of things, you are going to have a tough time making the final selection of exhibits
With very best wishes,
Mohan.

can i join as well? when do you plan to go Ka Pabling?

jun wrote:
Mang Pabling,
Thank you.
I enjoyed seeing your trees and your cliff side bonsai garden. If you still need any help with the design of your project just give me a call.
I'm looking forward to your visit and your advice.

regards,
jun

JUN,,,Hello friend,,i was away for 4 days..nice trees you are getting ready for the show...take the elm and the third tree my opion only... wish you luck!!!! let us know ok?? show some more soon...take care john