What do you get when you mix a tree, a cool rock, and some twine...

[Dav4]

Get back to me and a few years and we'll see...

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Umm, a tree, a cool rock and some twine?!?

 

[Paulpash]

Would it look better sitting in the saddle pocket, lower on the left?

 

[just.wing.it]

I like it!
Trident???

I think it will be very cool in time.

ROR is one thing I want to try soon.

 

[Victorim]

Would it look better sitting in the saddle pocket, lower on the left?

That's where the pens are gonna go! it's for his desk mun!

 

[Dav4]

Would it look better sitting in the saddle pocket, lower on the left?

I though about setting the trunk there, but decided that this tall, funky stone should have roots crawling along most of it... so the tree sits higher up.

 

[Tieball]

I'd use the saddle pocket for moss growth....running underneath the rock bridges that make the pocket holes.

My first inclination was to use the rock flat out like shown in the first photo. Roots would hang down similar to the rock connectors. I visualized it as a rock where time, rain, wind...elements of nature...wore the ground away creating that hollow area below the roots. In the process the roots became exposed....and moss like growth would invade the cavity area below making the roots stand out nicely.

 

[Dav4]

I'd use the saddle pocket for moss growth....running underneath the rock bridges that make the pocket holes.

My first inclination was to use the rock flat out like shown in the first photo. Roots would hang down similar to the rock connectors. I visualized it as a rock where time, rain, wind...elements of nature...wore the ground away creating that hollow area below the roots. In the process the roots became exposed....and moss like growth would invade the cavity area below making the roots stand out nicely.

I actually started a trident on this stone 4 years ago with the stone laying flat.... killed the trident last spring hard pruning the trunk and rethought the stone's position. The pictures really don't do it justice as it's so 3 dimensional and laying it flat makes it less so. Any way, it's staying upright for now... or at least until I kill the tree.

 

[Tieball]

I actually started a trident on this stone 4 years ago with the stone laying flat.... killed the trident last spring hard pruning the trunk and rethought the stone's position. The pictures really don't do it justice as it's so 3 dimensional and laying it flat makes it less so. Any way, it's staying upright for now... or at least until I kill the tree.

The tree...and you....will do just fine. The upright is much more majestic. I think my flat version sort of, maybe, just sits there like cooled lava lost in a field with a tree stuck to it. Not to exciting.

 

[Dav4]

Nothing beats the vigor of a two year old trident!

 

[Dav4]

They said it would be 56 F with some mist and light rain today... Hah!... 43 F and steady, cold, hard rain at 3 pm. I can't move my fingers but I'm done for the day. I chopped it a few weeks ago, and worked the roots today... LOTS of roots. This one clearly grew well... unfortunately, it thickened so much at the root base that the little rock ledge that I sat the trunk on has already been swallowed up by the roots. I probably should have anticipated this... but I didn't... oh, well. The roots are clasping the rock nicely in places, and with a little help from me, more of the roots will be doing the same shortly. I removed some of the extra roots, but deliberately left more then the final tree will need... they will be removed over the next few re-pots. Once re-potted, I used small stones and chop sticks to push certain roots into crevices or to hold larger roots in places. Looking forward to some buds popping to work on the next trunk section.

 

[Dav4]

So, over the weekend, I rednecked the heck out of this one! My two approach graphs have taken and have started to push new growth. I cleaned up the top and performed another approach graft, which will hopefully become the new apex. More twine, brick, wood and stone are being used to wedge Everything in the pot and keep the roots pushed up against the stone for another few months.

 

[Adair M]

So, over the weekend, I rednecked the heck out of this one! My two approach graphs have taken and have started to push new growth. I cleaned up the top and performed another approach graft, which will hopefully become the new apex. More twine, brick, wood and stone are being used to wedge Everything in the pot and keep the roots pushed up against the stone for another few months.
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Dave, this is looking great!

but, I gotta warn ya, when you start doing “real bonsai” here, the haters will come after ya!

 

[Dav4]

Dave, this is looking great!

but, I gotta warn ya, when you start doing “real bonsai” here, the haters will come after ya!

You and me have nothing to hide here at the nuthouse, buddy! The haters are gonna hate, and I say let them… If they stick around long enough, they might actually learn something .

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Rock looks heavy . Tree looking good

 

[thumblessprimate1]

@Dav4 I used friction tape and I'd recommend it for binding the roots if you want to try next time. The tape was easy for me to remove. Much of it actually broke down. I like that it leaves no scarring.

 

[Dav4]

@Dav4 I used friction tape and I'd recommend it for binding the roots if you want to try next time. The tape was easy for me to remove. Much of it actually broke down. I like that it leaves no scarring.

Thanks for the tip, and I may try it in the future. With this one, I have embraced the scarring that is apparent from previous years work. I suspect the scars will disappear in time, but I also think they add a little bit of character to the gnarly appearance of the tree.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Man that looks sweet!

 

[Tieball]

Well done. I see the scars as a natural component of the tree's struggle in the weather against the rock and other elements. And in awhile the scars will melt together in tree history. The tree looks very clingy....nice rock hugging work.

 

[sorce]

The tree looks very clingy.

I thought it looked more masculine, lol!

Sorce