Rodrigo
Shohin
Title basically says it all. How would you display a Brazilian Raintree in an indoor show considering that when mine is inside, the leaves usually close.
How would you display a Brazilian Raintree in an indoor show?
- Thread starter Rodrigo
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sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Can you take it to the display space for a day?
It may not be closed there.
Closed will symbolize night yes?
Wait wait....when IS yours open?
Sorce
BunjaeKorea
Omono
Seeing the tree in question might help spark some ideas
Rodrigo
Shohin
Well yes but I was talking more about the leaves closing if it's inside.
Open
Closed
It makes it look a less full, and for anyone that isn't familiar with BRTs it looks dead or dying
Rodrigo, I’m just trying to make you think. If it’s an indoor show, the tree will be indoors. If the tree closes its leaves when it goes indoors, there ‘s nothing you can about it. Just display it the best you can, and don’t worry about it.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
It needs to be acclimated to lower light levels for a few days or a week before the show. They open when seeking light, close when they've had enough. Sudden moving from good conditions to bad or at least different conditions confuses the tree. (I know it confuses me)
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
If you put the tree down on the table and it doesnt get moved or otherwise disturbed, it should open its leaves just fine.
Mine are inside all winter and they open and close thier leaves the same as when they are outside.
Mine are inside all winter and they open and close thier leaves the same as when they are outside.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Not really my experience. They open if there is sufficient light. When they get too little they close for the night.
But..
this sounds like a good idea. After a week indoors it could respond well to indoors light levels.
Yup, my experience too
Is it closing when you bring it inside, or when it is inside for a few days, the leaves don't open?
Woocash
Omono
If it thinks it is night, then why not create a display to symbolise the night time? Use a scroll with the moon on it and use a shiny, dark stone as an accent. Onyx or suchlike, as if the moon light is reflecting off of it.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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@Forsoothe! - adapting the tree to lower light isn't practical. First, because it is highly unlikely that you will know, or be able to get a good measure of the ambient light levels of the space the tree will be displayed in the several months before the show. How can you adapt the tree to the "correct show light level" if you don't know what that level is? Second, display spaces are usually too dim for adequate growth. The tree will revert to etiolated growth, long weak internodes, oversize, soft leaves and otherwise ruin the bonsai structure of the tree in the effort to adapt it to low light. All in all, just not practical
My suggestion would be to do one of 2 things. Consider displaying the tree leafless. Brazilian rain trees respond fairly well to defoliation. Defoliate the tree a couple weeks before the show. The new buds beginning to sprout will give a "spring time" feel to the display. If timed right the buds will be green and visible, but the leaves will not be expanded, so the issue of folding up or spreading out won't be a problem. The green buds will project an image of health, so that even the public might view the tree as healthy.
Second option, which I have seen done. Set up the same intensity grow light over the tree. This only works if you are allowed to use electricity in your displays. You need to have a portable frame on which to hang the lamps. I saw it done with 36 inch T-5 lamps in a 4 lamp fixture. It was hung over the display. The tree kept its leaves open. It made for a cluttered display and seriously annoyed the exhibitors on either side of this display. Light spilling from the rain tree display made the 2 adjacent displays look like they were "in the dark". Definitely out of balance for the rest of the moderately dim room. But the leaves stayed open. Cumbersome, but it could be done.
Of course the third option is to just accept that the leaves will close, and just show it as is. Depending on the judges, most knowledgeable bonsai judges know that BRT close their leaves in low light. The judges should have no problem. The public might be confused, but not much you can do about it. Forget the "peoples choice" award.
My suggestion would be to do one of 2 things. Consider displaying the tree leafless. Brazilian rain trees respond fairly well to defoliation. Defoliate the tree a couple weeks before the show. The new buds beginning to sprout will give a "spring time" feel to the display. If timed right the buds will be green and visible, but the leaves will not be expanded, so the issue of folding up or spreading out won't be a problem. The green buds will project an image of health, so that even the public might view the tree as healthy.
Second option, which I have seen done. Set up the same intensity grow light over the tree. This only works if you are allowed to use electricity in your displays. You need to have a portable frame on which to hang the lamps. I saw it done with 36 inch T-5 lamps in a 4 lamp fixture. It was hung over the display. The tree kept its leaves open. It made for a cluttered display and seriously annoyed the exhibitors on either side of this display. Light spilling from the rain tree display made the 2 adjacent displays look like they were "in the dark". Definitely out of balance for the rest of the moderately dim room. But the leaves stayed open. Cumbersome, but it could be done.
Of course the third option is to just accept that the leaves will close, and just show it as is. Depending on the judges, most knowledgeable bonsai judges know that BRT close their leaves in low light. The judges should have no problem. The public might be confused, but not much you can do about it. Forget the "peoples choice" award.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
You're making a mountain out of a molehill. I stand by my suggestion which was to acclimate it to lower light levels for a few days. That's a pretty plain statement. Less than what was. It's not necessary to define the candlepower losses in Lumens squared per hour cubed. Less than whatever will do better than no change. And a few days to a week will suffice. I don't know about your shows, but I've never been in a show that didn't take trees in on Friday evening and release them late Sunday afternoon.
I've also never been in a show that allowed the exhibitors any optional non-standard hardware that went beyond a 3 or 4 point display. Typically, it's, ..."Put your trees on the input table with your paraphernalia and mark the rear of the pot"... I'm pretty sure I know what they would tell me I could do with my bank of lights...
Tentakelaertje
Omono
There's plenty day shows. I've been to a couple of shows that were just for the day. I've also been to shows that took trees in on Thursday night and released them Sunday early evening. Not really sure how that Fri-Sun thing relates to the point though.
Oof. Just oof.
And that's how you get scratches on your table. If they'd tell me that I'd turn around, tree and all. Also a great way to lose stuff and get mediocre displays. How are they to know how everything should stand? Where's the artistic expression in that?
I've been to shows in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK and I've seen lots of displays put up and did some myself too. There has never ever been any show that didn't have the owners of the displays put up the displays. Even at the (Noelanders) Trophy the owner is responsible for setting up. And getting his setup photographed in a special photo room. The photographer has got a list, and when you don't come to him he gets both you and your tree.
There might be shows that set your stuff up for you, I'm sure there are, but to me that sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Forsoothe!
Imperial Masterpiece
Sorry to hear that the people who run European shows are too stupid or clumsy to handle your treasures. In America, we expect them to treat our stuff as well as they'd treat their own. And, they do. That includes not scratching my display tables. The table we set our stuff on is just one large table in the staging area, and they take it from there. All of our components are marked with our names. Not too difficult in this age of getting sheets of letter return address labels free as advertising solicitations several times a year.
There is an art to how the trees are mixed together in the hall, and one man makes that decision. It always involves moving the trees around so that trees that belong on the ends of tables get there, and make sure that all the adjacent trees don't get placed badly or conflict in style, form, size or any other respects. Some trees are better viewed close-up, and some better from afar. Some lean left and some dangle right. Some need a lot of space, and some look bleak if not crowded. Exactly how the whole hall is juxtaposed is pivotal to a good show. In my experience, there is always one person, usually a respected elder, who is entrusted with this responsibility and authority. I can't imagine what a show would look like if it were the free-for-all that I am imagining you describing.
Whether a show is 2 days or 3 or 4 or whatever, the trees can usually survive whatever the light level is, the question we were discussing was how exacting one had to be about the level of light and how to adapt a tree from bright levels to show levels. I'm pretty sure this horse is dead by now.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
I can't speak for everyone at every show, but I've been involved in set-up and photography for a couple of the National Exhibitions. That involves moving a LOT of trees. I can say that everyone I worked with was super careful when moving the trees, stands, etc. I know I was more careful than I am with my own trees. Things can still happen when you're moving lots of stuff around, especially when a lot of those trees are large, heavy, awkward. When you need 2 or more people to get a tree on/off a stand, there's always a chance someone moves in the wrong direction or a hand slips off or something, but I can't recall any damage ever occurring to a tree or stand.
In the 2016 show there were lots of very large trees, really too much for the space. All the spaces had been filled and there were still trees coming in. So a bunch of us spent several hours going through the show with Kathy Shaner directing, moving trees from one place to another to fit everything in. It was tiring and very stressful, often the owners were not there so we did the best we could and then they adjusted anything that was off later.
BTW, on the subject of raintrees - has anyone noticed this: I got one to experiment with this summer. It is indoors now under a metal halide light, in a room that is otherwise very dark (window shades closed most of the time). Since I tend to sleep late I don't often turn on the light until well after the sun is up, sometimes 9 am or later. However, I often find that the leaves have opened up even though the room is almost completely dark. Conversely, when I go to turn the light off around midnight the leaves have often folded up even though it's still as bright as it was in the middle of the day. It's almost like the tree is still on a summer schedule, like it's programmed to have unfolded leaves from 7 am to 10 pm (or so) regardless of the indoor light.
In the 2016 show there were lots of very large trees, really too much for the space. All the spaces had been filled and there were still trees coming in. So a bunch of us spent several hours going through the show with Kathy Shaner directing, moving trees from one place to another to fit everything in. It was tiring and very stressful, often the owners were not there so we did the best we could and then they adjusted anything that was off later.
BTW, on the subject of raintrees - has anyone noticed this: I got one to experiment with this summer. It is indoors now under a metal halide light, in a room that is otherwise very dark (window shades closed most of the time). Since I tend to sleep late I don't often turn on the light until well after the sun is up, sometimes 9 am or later. However, I often find that the leaves have opened up even though the room is almost completely dark. Conversely, when I go to turn the light off around midnight the leaves have often folded up even though it's still as bright as it was in the middle of the day. It's almost like the tree is still on a summer schedule, like it's programmed to have unfolded leaves from 7 am to 10 pm (or so) regardless of the indoor light.
Maybe I'm missing something, but mine are inside from Oct-April and they open their leaves during the day and close them at night.
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
Yes, and even more extreme.. I have a raintree that came from brazil a year ago. It is still in its brazilian grow rythm, with stalled growth in summer, and now in fall exploding with new growth and flowers. It made me go against my preference and I bought a growlamp on a timer, switching on at 6-something in the morning and providing a few hours of extra light..
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for your tree to adjust to the northern hemisphere cycle! Are your summers decently warm? Don't know if you are located up in mountains (cooler), for example.
Woocash
Omono
This is why I love nature.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
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