Learning from a Waste of Time.

[JasonG]

My preference is to have an extremely healthy tree with an abundance of growth to present a number of possible options. Pinching is not something I would be doing with this tree. It needs growth. It needs to gain strength. You would be surprised by how much more bud break you'll get from a freely growing juniper. Only then would I think about cutting back and developing ramification.

Very well said. I held off from joining this one....but honestly it needs to grow quite a bit for the reasons stated above. if left to grow in the ground or a grow pot for 3 years this would be a tree with many options vs. what it is today.

My 2 cents.

 

[timhanson81]

Not my own tree, but the one I mentioned earlier from "Outstanding American Bonsai". I'm not convinced that Will's tree can be transformed into something this dramatic, but I think this is a good example of what is possible with a single branched tree.

The artist listed is Mary Holmes Bloomer and the tree is a Thuja occidentalis

 

[rockm]

"Rockm,

I don't know how else to say this, the tree is in good health, there is no "old soil" around the roots, I re-potted it myself the last time. The trunk is not rotting, there are new roots, the soil drains great, the moss is removed occasionally, as with all my bonsai. Nothing is rotting away, the tree grows, is pinched, and grows some more. It went through a heavy hack back as mentioned last year, it responded well enough to pinch back again this year.

So in short, and with all due respect, the only inexperience here is that of trying to judge the health of a tree with a obviously poor photograph.

For the sake of argument, assume the tree is in great health, do you have a design option or any ideas at all?"


I don't know what to say to someone who professes to want to turn this tree into a "learning" experience, yet refuses to learn from it--considering things the tree is telling him. Is this a learning tree or "just showing off" tree meant to showcase your designer's eye?

The fact that the photograph is "bad" may play a part here, but the look of those surface roots is pretty unmistakable. They're rotting. Moss doesn't grow on wood that's not constantly moist and/or soggy...What growth there is, is sparse--despite your opinion that it's not. You've already got wire scars on the lone branch--yeah, I know, it's the bad photo-- which means you might have issues with it down the road. Since that branch is the sole proprietor of the tree's future, you might want to consider that issue a little more soberly.

You're pinching the growth back, yet that's probably the exact opposite of what should be done to develop this tree, design or health wise...

P.S. I explained my design idea a while back. Seems you missed more than just my suggestions. Writing a book and an article is a B#$@, ain't it? It can take some time. Having worked as an editor and writer for more than two decades, I can't imagine how your editor stays sane.

 

[mcpesq817]

I'll just respond to this drivel by quoting what I already said in response in the PM's:

On banning...

On plagiarizism...

On letter writing campaigns...

I have never denied these things, in fact I have addressed them head on, just like now, anytime they were brought up. My reputation is doing fine, backed by actual accomplishments, thanks for your concern though.

Right Will - you address them by trying to explain them away. "Oh, it was only two boards I've been banned on and others were banned too so that makes my behavior ok," "Oh, I did plagiarize, but it was "unintentional" and only the intro to the article so it is all ok", etc. Facts are facts, regardless of the spin you try to put on them.

Everyone deserves a second chance, but it's clear by your behavior subsequent to those events that you continue down the same path. We all see how you constantly try to bait Al, Chris and others using language with subtle jabs to generate a strong reaction from them, so that you can turn around and pretend to be victimized. It's the typical grade school tactic of slowly poking a person until they overreact, and then you run to the teacher crying that the other kid unfairly attacked you for no reason.

Where there's smoke there's fire, and your history is quite the chimney.

Now back to the real issue, you have done nothing but try and incite thoughout this whole thread, you have had nothing to say on the subject and seem determined to incite another flame war here. Why is that?

No one is crying "victim" here, the facts are plain and simple, anyone can go back and read your posts in this thread, the truth is laid bare.

Will, I'm calling it like I see it. I have a strong feeling that you posted this tree for your amusement at the rest of the board's expense. As for crying victim here, let me be clear for the record that you sent me a number of PMs insulting me, so that in public posts you could play the innocent victim card.

Now, do you have anything at all to say on the subject?

On the subject of the tree, what can I say? You've got what looks like a weak tree with no trunk character and about 2 inches of foliage. It sounds like you've had two of the three branches die on you in the past two years, and not much growth in the last branch that is left. I personally love the designs in the Naka pictures and others, but it's clear from those pictures that you need a trunk with a lot of character to pull off that kind of design. With only one branch, it also should be obvious that health of the tree generally and that branch specifically is imperative for long term viability. Yet you refuse to consider any advice to go back to bonsai 101 and work on strengthening the tree, characterizing that advice as a "cop out" and making excuses for bad pictures. If anything, this is worse than the stereotypical sticks in pots that sometimes beginners post on here - at least those trees generally are healthy.

What I don't understand is why someone with as many years in bonsai, with all those accomplishments, and who is writing a book on bonsai, would fail to acknowledge the basic horticultural and design principles above. If anything, as others have mentioned, it does a big disservice to newbies coming along looking for examples - particularly those who might look to someone who touts his accomplishments to attempt to appear to be a knowledgeable authority.

I've said enough on this so I'm done with this thread. Good luck to you and your tree.

 

[Anonymous User]

What I don't understand is why someone with as many years in bonsai, with all those accomplishments, and who is writing a book on bonsai, would fail to acknowledge the basic horticultural and design principles above.

You mean like....

...the only real thing I could think of doing with it at the time was to use it for firewood.

The jins from the lost branches were at differing angles and impossible to fix now. The trunk stopped tapering about half way up the tree, and the single living branch was too small to really do much with.

Yet, this time I seen something in it, not a great bonsai, but an idea, maybe I could make something at least presentable out of it....even if not, I just had to explore the thoughts I had.

Untill then this tree is unacceptable as bonsai material.

Thank you for your opinion. It is the same one I share....

All I've done in this thread is acknowledge that this is a poor piece of material and it offers little in the way of design options, I've said this from the very first post here. Perhaps your agenda interferes with your reading comprehension?

You seem more determined to focus on me than the subject matter here, going back years to a missed citation, a couple bannings, and such that are frankly old news and commonly known, as they should be, they are repeated enough, lol.

How about answering a few of the challenges to your falsehoods I posted in this thread.....

As for the thread generally, I just don't understand why the author continually posts weak bonsai material and issues "challenges" to people to create something out of nothing.

.....Please show me where I have done this continually on this forum, in fact, please show me where it was done at any other time here.

Whoops, that didn't come out right. My point was that you're the common element present in all the squabbles here (and on other boards), not anyone else.

Could you please point out one of these other boards and the squabbles you speak of?

Got any references? Just one?

...As for crying victim here, let me be clear for the record that you sent me a number of PMs insulting me, so that in public posts you could play the innocent victim card.

Let's clear this lie up as well....

As the time stamps on the PMs plainly show, I pm'ed you after you started your trolling here, I took it to PM as it should be, seemingly you love or need an audience so much that you brought it back to the public forum. See post #92



Amazing 3,780 views and 104 replies later and everyone of your comments can be addressed with a quote from this very thread. Not only must you go back years to find something to attempt to discredit me, you embarrass yourself by being so determined to smear me that you must make up things as well.

How about it mcspesq, do you have anything constructive to add to this thread, or are you just going to continue sniping, trolling, and attempting to incite as you have in all your other posts in this thread?

Will

 

[Anonymous User]

Here you go Attila....

 

[Smoke]

Here you go Attila....

Send me your address Will and I'll send you some real big boy material free of charge. I'll even pay the shipping. I can't see any reason to keep working with sticks. Please get some real material...this is just a disgrace.

 

[Klytus]

That one makes my headache worse,it has that much in common with many modern car shapes.

 

[ianb]

Send me your address Will and I'll send you some real big boy material free of charge. I'll even pay the shipping. I can't see any reason to keep working with sticks. Please get some real material...this is just a disgrace.

That is harsh Al, we could do something with this - how about this virt:

http://www.usefilm.com/images/9/2/1/921/235984-medium.jpg

Sorry couldn't resist

 

[Anonymous User]

Send me your address Will and I'll send you some real big boy material free of charge. I'll even pay the shipping. I can't see any reason to keep working with sticks. Please get some real material...this is just a disgrace.

Really Al, you should get a clue, stop embrassing yourself.



Will

 

[Attila Soos]

Here you go Attila....

What can I say? It's just not my cup of tea..
But if you had fun with it, that's all that matters.

 

[Anonymous User]

What can I say? It's just not my cup of tea..
But if you had fun with it, that's all that matters.

Attila,

You mentioned it should be in our Halloween gallery, so I stuck a skeleton arm in the dirt, there ya go....


Will