Travellar
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2017 4:31 pm

planning a cliff-face bonsai

I'm relatively new to Bonsai, having been at it for less than a year, but at least I've stopped killing (most of) my trees. I've also got just a little under 28 years to dedicate to this one project, so growing from seed is a viable option.

I am considering an idea to get a nice, craggy rock, and grow a bonsai from the side of it. I want to depict a tree which has grown from the side of a cliff.

this places obvious limitations on soil, and even getting the tree into such a place may be challenging. After that, watering will of course be more than a little different from custom. Any thoughts or ideas on this undertaking? Am I better of with a seedling in this particular case, or a cutting that I've allowed to root quite a bit; and at that I haven't figured out yet how to get roots down into cracks in a rock.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Sounds like a neat idea.
Find a rock with good characteristics but must be stable on the bottom. You may have to cut or drill screws through a base plate to keep it in position. A rock with a nice cavity is good but if it doesn't have a natural bowl then you will need to drill one out to put the roots and soil in.

Instead of a seed, a foundling or a tree with long pliable roots would make a good subject. Small leaf ficus would probably be the easiest to train since it likes to wrap its roots around things anyway. You can make cuttings from ficus, they are very easy. Plant it in a long tubular pot. Drill out an old tall vase this will encourage the root to grow long rather than wide. I haven't tried it but a pvc pipe might also work. you just have to make sure the roots don't grow into the ground.

you will have to shape it into the windswept style and tilt the base of the stand to trick the plant into growing sideways.



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