Growing a root-over-rock bonsai juniper

risingdevil891

I just got a jupiner and I am going to place it on a rock and try to get it to grow along on it. Should I use wire, or just let it go on its own. All answers will be appreciated

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ripsgreentree

891: You will find that the roots by themselves will not grasp the stone. Here are some of the things that you need to think about. First, the roots will need to be pressed into the nooks and cranies of the stone. If you use wire or other hard materials to do this you will get marks on your roots that can be ugly. I use pieces of tennis ball, thick pieces of rubber pieces of old leather belt. Anything that I can use to press the roots into the stone with out marring the roots. I will then use the one inch wide green plastic tape to wrap the roots and my preasure points to the stone. Leave roots sticking out of the bottom of your stone and pot the stone deep into an oversized pot. Remember that you want root growth to fatten the roots that are wraped to the stone. Leave the stone in the pot and work on the top of the tree for the next two years. I am serious don't even look for two years. This will allow the roots to really grasp the stone tightly and also allow some of them to inarch together. Patience is the key to good root over rock stiles.

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ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

frenchman

great suggestion rips the only thing that I suggest doing instead of a tennis ball you can use clear plastic strips (not tape). I have found that the plastic strips have an effect of pushing the root into the crevises of the rock. risingdevil891 you should follow all the rest of rips suggestions they are right on and you should be happy with the results.

I have used raffia to bind the roots too rocks then bury the whole rock in a deep pot. The raffia will rot away in time and by then the roots should be clinging to the stone.

ripsgreentree

Sorry I didn;t get back to you sooner Frenchman: Possible I was not clear, I use pieces of the tennis ball to protect the roots as they are pressed into crevices by strips of green plastic tape and wire.
Tony I can appreciate your no look method But I like the roots to be formed into the stone, This takes several years and often will require adjustments as time goes on. and that is why I use more perminant holding techniques.
I would like to see the Korian techniques, when they are done with a trident over a stone it looks like the roots were painted on the stone. They flow so evenly over the surface of the stone.

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ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

This is true Rip. Of course with the raffia you can pull it up at any time and have a look and redo it, you don't have to wait til it rots away. Tell me more about the tennis ball pieces. If I understand right, you are using these to hold the roots next to the rock in the recesses of the stone, pressure points if you will?

Tony