QuantumSparky's "This is not a contest" tree

QuantumSparky

Shohin
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After some deliberation, and growth estimates for the tree VS length of the contest, I've decided to enter one of my nursery Azaleas. I think the journey from rough stock to something passable as bonsai will fit into the 4-year time frame with this tree.
Either way, I really like the idea of a contest like this which puts the focus on building foundational skills over time and demonstrating improvement, instead of emphasizing the end product compared with other members' end products.
I'm definitely a rookie, only having started this hobby (AND CARING FOR PLANTS IN ANY REGARD) a few months ago. Before this, I had absolutely zero experience with gardening, horticulture, or anything of the sort except yanking weeds from the ground and throwing them out.
With this in mind, my goal for this contest lines up with its scope - to document my work over 4 years with the aim of improving my skills and demonstrating a gain of knowledge as well as my ability to apply it to my work.
Without further ado, here is the sister tree as it was purchased from a Home Depot garden center perhaps a month ago. I hope this isn't instant disqualification but I don't seem to have a photo of the tree before I chopped it. The two trees were virtually identical and this photo is a pretty accurate representation of what the tree looked like before work was done.

20210717_115946.jpg
 

QuantumSparky

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Here is the tree post chop, as well as my early submission for plan of styling as I won't be doing anything to it between now and early spring.
20210718_155040.jpg

And here is the plan:
20210718_155040 (2).jpg
 

QuantumSparky

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T +1 month:

The chop went well. I sealed all the cuts with generic Japanese paste and placed the tree in dappled shade. The tree has since started putting out buds and looks to be in good shape. I'll make sure it overwinters properly and most likely make the second chop in early spring depending on how well it faired through winter. I'd like to see more buds on my intended trunk line but I suppose that will come about once that's the only trunk line available to the tree.

20210817_180736.jpg
 

Tums

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Did you want to ask bnut to move this to the contest forum?
 

Deep Sea Diver

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I’m sure @Pitoon will check out your submission shortly…. and help you get over the contest forum as you state you want to enter in your initial post, despite the thread title. If you’ve changed your mind, please post that you do not want to enter.

btw, what cultivar are you working with?

I admire your determination to get things going on this project! Timing is everything in bonsai and yours is off by quite a bit from optimal. That’s one of the lessons I first learned with azaleas, timing and patience.

There are plenty of folks out there who say azaleas are tough and can be chopped anytime… it hasn’t been my experience for young azaleas. I’ve lost a number of youngsters chopping hard this late, but a mild fall would really help! Lately I’ve noticed there are certain cultivars that can really take a licking most anytime and keep on ticking, others that wither away at the hint of misuse. Kikoshi And Shinsen seem to be real divas. Even their cuttings can be temperamental for me.

Older ones, especially landscape yamadori… that’s a whole nother situation.

It’s really good you have already thought through appropriate winter storage. 😉. That was my big challenge the first year with azaleas, especially satsukis.

I wish you the best of luck with this tree! With luck the new growth will harden off by fall and is enough to keep this tree going.

cheers
DSD sends
 

QuantumSparky

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btw, what cultivar are you working with?
I believe it's of the Girard series cultivars. Girard Rose comes to mind when I try to remember what was on the tag. I'll definitely go back to that garden center and confirm, they still have the same batch out for sale since I bought this one
 

Pitoon

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@QuantumSparky you are more than welcome to participate in the azalea contest.

I am overseeing that contest, however I do not have admin rights to move and rename your thread. You will have to put that request in to either @Bonsai Nut or @sorce
 

QuantumSparky

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@QuantumSparky you are more than welcome to participate in the azalea contest.

I am overseeing that contest, however I do not have admin rights to move and rename your thread. You will have to put that request in to either @Bonsai Nut or @sorce
Pardon the trouble but I followed the instructions on title and thread location exactly as they were laid out in the initial rules post
 

KiwiPlantGuy

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Hi @Pitoon ,
There seems to be some confusion here as a competition, or not competition, was started some 2 odd years ago called “This is not a contest CONTEST”. In this the rules were set out that it would be a 5 year contest where basically we would put forward as newbies a tree for judging but the whole point of the contest thread was the style of judging based on helpful or carefully worded critique. I think this has fizzled or been largely forgotten.
Charles
 

Pitoon

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Hi @Pitoon ,
There seems to be some confusion here as a competition, or not competition, was started some 2 odd years ago called “This is not a contest CONTEST”. In this the rules were set out that it would be a 5 year contest where basically we would put forward as newbies a tree for judging but the whole point of the contest thread was the style of judging based on helpful or carefully worded critique. I think this has fizzled or been largely forgotten.
Charles
That makes more sense, thanks!

@QuantumSparky sorry for the confusion.
 
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