Forest from seed contest - gauging interest

[Kanorin]

Based on some chatter in the from a seed contest thread - I'm seeing if there is some substantial interest in a "Forest from seed contest."

Here are the only guidelines and restrictions that I'm thinking of off the top of my head, but I'm open to feedback.
1. Any species are allowed
2. You must take a picture of your future forest in seed form on January 1st, 2021 (or later) (if you already sew them in the ground or a flat, that's ok, but include a photo of that space pre-germination)
3. You may begin the process of germinating your seeds on January 1st, 2021 or thereafter -after you have completed #2. This is defined as bringing the seeds up to germination temperature AND putting them into some kind of substrate that they can grow in.
4. Plants may be grown however you please (in ground, in pots, whatever), however must be photographed in year 202X in or on some kind of container/slab/rock/pot
5. You may add additional seedlings to your forest at future timepoints, but these seedlings must have been either germinated from seed in 2021 or later -OR- you may also use cuttings/layers from a parent tree that was germinated in year 2021 or later.
6. There must be at least (4?) individual plants in the final planting. A clump (one plant with multiple trunks) is ok to include within your planting, but each clump only counts as one plant.
7. You may begin multiple forests and document them all within your thread, but must choose one to submit for the final judging.
8. Take and submit a picture at some point in year 202X
9. Winner will be based on popular vote
10. There might be a bonus category or two if interest is high and I can source some prizes.

I'm thinking this could be good as a 4 year contest, so 202X would be 2025. But open to suggestions.

 

[Mapleminx]

This sounds like fun!

 

[leatherback]

4 years is way too short. 4 years from seed you will just have the start of trunks. THis in general is the problem with stuff from seed.

 

[Kanorin]

I would be open to an increase to 5, 6, or 7 years, but I’m worried that too long may turn people off as well. It’s a trade-off

 

[PA_Penjing]

I do like this idea, but my reservation would be... throwing together a haphazard forest to meet the time constraints. Putting together a forest is a big project if you do it right. It would effectively triple the amount of trees I own, so I’d definitely want to do it right. I know that folks lose interest if the timeline is too long but I think even 6 years is better than 4. And 7 is better yet. Other than that I like all your other stipulations

 

[Pitoon]

Maybe buy seedlings to create a forest and then grow the forest out for several years.

The issue is time......people get all hyped up about a contest and then as time goes by they slowly drop like flies.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I have seeds.. so I would, hypothetically, participate FOR sure. But would like to see double-digits for years allotted.... but that’s, from a distance, somewhat intimidating, to some.. most likely...

I’m interested, regardless!

 

[Njyamadori]

Based on some chatter in the from a seed contest thread - I'm seeing if there is some substantial interest in a "Forest from seed contest."

Here are the only guidelines and restrictions that I'm thinking of off the top of my head, but I'm open to feedback.
1. Any species are allowed
2. You must take a picture of your future forest in seed form on January 1st, 2021 (or later) (if you already sew them in the ground or a flat, that's ok, but include a photo of that space pre-germination)
3. You may begin the process of germinating your seeds on January 1st, 2021 or thereafter -after you have completed #2. This is defined as bringing the seeds up to germination temperature AND putting them into some kind of substrate that they can grow in.
4. Plants may be grown however you please (in ground, in pots, whatever), however must be photographed in year 202X in or on some kind of container/slab/rock/pot
5. You may add additional seedlings to your forest at future timepoints, but these seedlings must have been either germinated from seed in 2021 or later -OR- you may also use cuttings/layers from a parent tree that was germinated in year 2021 or later.
6. There must be at least (4?) individual plants in the final planting. A clump (one plant with multiple trunks) is ok to include within your planting, but each clump only counts as one plant.
7. You may begin multiple forests and document them all within your thread, but must choose one to submit for the final judging.
8. Take and submit a picture at some point in year 202X
9. Winner will be based on popular vote
10. There might be a bonus category or two if interest is high and I can source some prizes.

I'm thinking this could be good as a 4 year contest, so 202X would be 2025. But open to suggestions.

I’m in but it would have to be done for 2030

 

[Wulfskaar]

I've been growing from seed since late summer this year and will be growing more soon, so I'll be doing this in parallel with this contest anyways. The problem is that I have no idea where I'll be or if I'll be alive in 4+ years.

 

[Kanorin]

I guess the point of this contest is to elevate this community's skill and knowledge of forest plantings. If we do it from seedlings, rather than from seeds - that can certainly shave off a few of the more straightforward years and would mean more people would be likely to stick to the end.

So if we went that route, new rules could be something like...
Definitely needs to be unworked and not already together material. (a forest that someone put together last year but hasn't wired yet would not be ok)
unworked or newly collected yamadori would be ok

I feel like there should be some kind of limitation on the size or age of the starting material just to keep it at a semi-level playing field and keep the $$ barrier to entry lowish.
Age is hard because many nurseries might not even know and/or hard to verify anyway.
Maybe a 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) maximum starting trunk diameter for all trees

What would be a reasonable time-frame for this type of from seedling contest?
3 years? 4 years?


And maybe we can also do a 10 year forest from seed unofficial contest aka a non-test . The type of contest that a few nuts like myself can start and cheer on others to start...but maybe we'll never get around to actually judging it kind of contest.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Maybe 1st -2nd-year seed/saplings.,

I’d still like to see the OVERALL contest with a “further” deadline. ...see some NIIICE results.

Jusr Brain-Spit-Ball-Stormin’

 

[Kanorin]

Maybe 1st -2nd-year seed/saplings.,

I’d still like to see the OVERALL contest with a “further” deadline. ...see some NIIICE results.

Jusr Brain-Spit-Ball-Stormin’

Big fan of brain-spit-ball-stormin'

...what if we do a dual entry point contest.
Forest from Seed / Seedlings

2021: Entrance with seeds
2023 or 2024: Entrance with ~1/2 inch caliper trunk seedlings.
End of 2028/2029: Results

The infusion of new seedling entries in 2023-24 will help renew interest.
And everyone can help each other out and comment on the forest composition part of the competition

There can be a winner from each of the two entry points

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Maybe consider 2 categories, or 2 separate contests.

From seed only. Here stick to the original proposal. A large number of seedlings can be sprouted in a pot, and then successively thinned to make the eventual forest. Judging at 5 years would be more about arrangement, rather than maturity of the forest.

From seedlings. Here seedlings of several different ages and sizes can be assembled. Starting photo would be of the individuals, before being assembled. Seedlings less than say 10 years old. This would mostly keep it affordable.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

We were typing at the same time

 

[HorseloverFat]

T

Big fan of brain-spit-ball-stormin'

...what if we do a dual entry point contest.
Forest from Seed / Seedlings

2021: Entrance with seeds
2023 or 2024: Entrance with ~1/2 inch caliper trunk seedlings.
End of 2028/2029: Results

The infusion of new seedling entries in 2023-24 will help renew interest.
And everyone can help each other out and comment on the forest composition part of the competition

There can be a winner from each of the two entry points

Maybe consider 2 categories, or 2 separate contests.

From seed only. Here stick to the original proposal. A large number of seedlings can be sprouted in a pot, and then successively thinned to make the eventual forest. Judging at 5 years would be more about arrangement, rather than maturity of the forest.

From seedlings. Here seedlings of several different ages and sizes can be assembled. Starting photo would be of the individuals, before being assembled. Seedlings less than say 10 years old. This would mostly keep it affordable.

I’m a big fan of these ideas... I just worry it will encourage “lazy cross-over”.

Maybe consider a “no-touchbacks”-style clause..

Article d of the “Nana Nana boo-boo Ammendment”

 

[Kanorin]

T


I’m a big fan of these ideas... I just worry it will encourage “lazy cross-over”.

Maybe consider a “no-touchbacks”-style clause..

Article d of the “Nana Nana boo-boo Ammendment”

Can you give an example of the lazy cross over? I’m not sure I follow.

 

[Haines' Trees]

I love the idea of any contest!

I agree that if it’s a contest specifically for trees from seed that 4 years is kinda short; some species grow like weeds but I think we’d see a lot of people settling on a few varieties of quick growing specimen. I think a longer contest for the “from seed” category would be good.

I also like the idea of a separate contest though! I’ve got a ton of elms, DR, and maples that I started from seed last year that I need a plan for.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I mean like selecting “thinned out” seedlings from the FIRST contest/ project, to fill a need in the SECOND contest/project.

I guess that’d be impossible to state or enforce...

nevermind.

 

[leatherback]

I mean like selecting “thinned out” seedlings from the FIRST contest/ project, to fill a need in the SECOND contest/project.

I guess that’d be impossible to state or enforce...

nevermind.

I would say it makes little sense to start the seedling side of things 2 years later?

 

[Kanorin]

Maybe consider 2 categories, or 2 separate contests.

From seed only. Here stick to the original proposal. A large number of seedlings can be sprouted in a pot, and then successively thinned to make the eventual forest. Judging at 5 years would be more about arrangement, rather than maturity of the forest.

From seedlings. Here seedlings of several different ages and sizes can be assembled. Starting photo would be of the individuals, before being assembled. Seedlings less than say 10 years old. This would mostly keep it affordable.

I like this. What would be a reasonable trunk caliper benchmark for a 9 year old fast-growing tree? About an inch?

I would say it makes little sense to start the seedling side of things 2 years later?

Fair point. The intention was to have more cross-interest and cross-commentary in the threads between the two divisions because it would give the seeds a little time to catch up and maybe people would be arranging their forests at similar times... But maybe that isn't really necessary and might actually benefit the seed group having seen some veterans document the arranging of their forests a year or two earlier.

I think it would be useful to have the two divisions under the same contest sub-forum. And if one wanted to participate in each division, one would make a thread for each
"Seed Division: Kanorin's _____"
"Seedling Division: Kanorin's _____"

Then it's a little easier to browse for inspirations/advice/etc.