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I try... I really do.
Join Date: Mar-2006
Location: Western Sydney
Country: Australia
Posts: 140
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PROJECT JAPANESE BOX: Root over Rock
I have gathered that this is not a traditional "root over rock" species, but seeing as though I have never really experimented with bonsai - I am willing to give it a try - mainly to learn more about bonsai (I haven't been doing it that long), and just to see where my creative touch can take me.
I have spent the last few days getting as much info as I can about the style, and decided today, during a study break, that now was the time. So I gathered up what I needed:
-A Spade
-Pruning Shears (My trusty sissors as I am a poor 17 year old)
-Plastic Sheeting
-Duct Tape
-An old pot from mum's collection. (She has about 20 terracotta pots and dozens, if not hundreds of plastic pots from plants that have since gone in our AMAZING garden.)
-Potting Mix/Sand
-An old pen. (Don't worry)
-My Spray Bottle
Using my motley collection of improvised Bonsai tools, I set about digging up the Japanese Box that will become my next product. Mum just bought about 19 Buxus microphylla for a new hedge, and one Japanese Box by mistake. And knowing my desire to turn everything her and dad buy into a bonsai, she said I could have it.
In the end, the plant had been in the ground for so little time, I discarded my spade and simply pulled it right out of the ground. A little melodramatic, but today was freezing. Anyway, I proceeded to give it a good smack around to get rid of the loose soil. I gave her a good mist and left her in her pot to be.
Then I realised I had lost the rock that I wanted. DAMN. So I made a trek down the driveway into the bush (my house is one of the last in the suburb ((Kellyville, if any of you are from Sydney))) and found myself a nice old bit of sandstone. After throwing it against the road for a while, I was satisfied that its years above ground had made it stronger than if it were underground and I proceeded back up the drive to my work area... Being the wall in front of the fountain.
Anyway, Yelling to my assistant (my lazy sister) That I needed help (I got a nice "Go away") I proceeded to use my pen to comb out the roots (Mum told me I couldn't use the chopsticks) and untangle the real buggers. Satisfied, I then pruned away a lot of the little ones, leaving enough to cover most of the rock. Now in my infinate wisdom, I did not think to take photos of the process, so just use your imagination.
I then proceeded to place the tree on top of the rock into a conveniant little nook and arrange the roots to my liking. Once that was done, I got my sister to hold everything in place while I taped down the roots, just so they held long enough until the plastic wrap was applied. Once again using my sis, I applied the wrap, leaving roots poking out the bottom. I then proceeded to put it in its pot of regular potting soil, sifted with a bit of bark. The tip of the rock and tree barely poking out.
I then proceeded to take my bowl of horticultural sand and pour it in through the top of the plastic. I then gave it a decent watering, and here is the result!
I think that in August, this little wonder will go (MY GOD ITS STARTING TO RAIN!) Sorry... It's rare... Anyway, yeah, will go into the ground for a year or so until next spring (November-ish) at which time we'll take everything off and go from there! I'll also plant it on top of a buried tile to ensure some good flaring, and so it will fit snugly into its new round flat pot.
And yeah, I chopped off what I didn't like... Sorry... But it had to go.
Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted! I feel welcome here... It's fun!
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"Creating bonsai is not a mechanistic process; we prune with the hand but are guided by the heart..."
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