American Beech Forest

Giga

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So I got creative this year and went and made a group planting - its was kinda a rush job and needs 3 more tree's to make it complete but it's a start. Finding small beech to dig up is actually harder then I thought. I'll keep a look out. I will be building a base for this one so it can stand on it's own as well an adding more tree's and more soil. I didn't have muck on hand(thought I did) so it has just a mesh for now. For now this is where it begins
0301171737.jpg 0301171737a.jpg
 
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I like seeing people try kind of crazy things. It looks like a good start, are you going to leave the slab with straight cut edges or attempt to make them more natural?
 

Waltron

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I get the feeling the aim is a hagadorn-esque style planting, work in progress.
 

Giga

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So, your intention is to always have the slab at an angle as such...and not flat. Maybe a way of anchoring it. Because wind from behind will/could knock it over.

It weighs alot! Plus it's at ground level so it should be ok

I like the concept. HATE the rock...too many straight edges and not really all that interesting. If you're going to be hauling around such a heavy stone for years with the planting, it should at least be an interesting rock. ;-)

I agree with you 100% The rock will be changed out to something much more interesting and with more tree's,muck/moss it will be a completely different composition. Why I said it was a rush job is I was going to just plant these in a pot, then I saw this slab in my yard and just went for it.

I get the feeling the aim is a hagadorn-esque style planting, work in progress.

nailed it
 

Paulpash

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I like the concept. HATE the rock...too many straight edges and not really all that interesting. If you're going to be hauling around such a heavy stone for years with the planting, it should at least be an interesting rock. ;-)

I agree about the rock - is there any way to make it more irregular / random like hammering off the edges? It's a natural planting, ie representing the side of a mountain so it should have a more natural appearance.
 

Waltron

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lol ease up on the rock people, its a starting point, I think its pretty clear this piece is pretty far off from being show ready. the photos we have show bare wire and mesh. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that rock is going to get some attention later on once the planting establishes.
 

namnhi

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The question immediately comes to mind is. Once the plants got established, would it be harder to swap out the rock? Is it going to be another repot or you have to start almost like from beginning? If it is the latter, I probably would have wait until I find the a suitable rock. Just thinking out loud
 

Waltron

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a couple things popped into my mind when I first saw it as well, mostly because I have similar ideas ruminating recently. the angle for the slab will be set, it seems the extra rock up top would almost take away from the planting so I just disregarded it, buy maybe not, could be a built in backdorp who knows assuming it would be removed, or carved, or mossed later on, and focused on the planting angle, which is nice. I've watched arthur Joura repot several forest plantings recently. The planting would be fixed, and the angle set, so you could swap the rock with another rather easily, given the same relative surface area and planting angle, later on. Or you could rearrange the trees altogether if you wanted. which brings me to my next thought, Beech are a finicky, somewhat high maintenance, needy tree. collecting them straight from the woods,(they only grow in deep, old woods it seems, maybe they grow on rocks elsewhere idk) to a bonsai planting is hardly a sure thing. while I know Giga keeps several beech, im sure they will all live, but its very possible at least one or more may not make it, which would alter the overall planting. it wont probably wont be established for several years, and beech grow slow it seems, requiring one to add or rearrange a tree or two over the next few seasons, providing ample time to find a better suited planting host, if one was dissatisfied.

Ive found that the giant round run off water catcher/humidity trays they sell at the hydro stores may provide an excellent cheap initial forest planting host, that will easily be swapped out at first repot with a bonsai pot or slab. those were my thoughts.
 

rockm

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a couple things popped into my mind when I first saw it as well, mostly because I have similar ideas ruminating recently. the angle for the slab will be set, it seems the extra rock up top would almost take away from the planting so I just disregarded it, buy maybe not, could be a built in backdorp who knows assuming it would be removed, or carved, or mossed later on, and focused on the planting angle, which is nice. I've watched arthur Joura repot several forest plantings recently. The planting would be fixed, and the angle set, so you could swap the rock with another rather easily, given the same relative surface area and planting angle, later on. Or you could rearrange the trees altogether if you wanted. which brings me to my next thought, Beech are a finicky, somewhat high maintenance, needy tree. collecting them straight from the woods,(they only grow in deep, old woods it seems, maybe they grow on rocks elsewhere idk) to a bonsai planting is hardly a sure thing. while I know Giga keeps several beech, im sure they will all live, but its very possible at least one or more may not make it, which would alter the overall planting. it wont probably wont be established for several years, and beech grow slow it seems, requiring one to add or rearrange a tree or two over the next few seasons, providing ample time to find a better suited planting host, if one was dissatisfied.

Ive found that the giant round run off water catcher/humidity trays they sell at the hydro stores may provide an excellent cheap initial forest planting host, that will easily be swapped out at first repot with a bonsai pot or slab. those were my thoughts.

Ever worked with big rocks and trees? Roots tend to conform to the rock they're used on. That can be OK, if they're not allowed to set over time, it can be a big pain in the ass if they are left to set. The bigger the roots are, the less they will move and setting them on another rock can be a problem visually as well as practically. This begs the question of why not wait and find a rock that's appropriate, rather than jumping the gun and using something that's not really adequate...
 

Waltron

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in short no, I do agree with that idea, it makes sense, was just saying I get Giga's idea too, but yea especially where giving the beech more time to recover from collection, in a container, training the roots more flat,which would provide time to think about which trees will go into it, while providing a better chance at living. good point that rock does look heavy, and im sure the roots could grow into the rock, however it does appear to be smooth slate, but if they did, they would have to be cut again when transplanted, and beech dont like that much. was just saying that Arthur didn't seem to have a problem cutting the roots from his forest plantings, while also switching out the container, even if it were the same exact shape, or not.

it just seems to me he COULD make that rock work, either by scoring it and breaking, or just chipping away at it. good rocks are hard to find.
 

Cadillactaste

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I get what your saying @rockm sort of like when we develop ROR's.

I'm thinking this for the most part is a flat slate. So...the Nebari could either run flat along it. Concept of the planting on a piece of tile or...run downwards. I'm curious how roots grow when at an angle like this. My mind tells me that they would all want to run toward the ground for anchoring.

I think @Giga has great vision and wished to see if what he was thinking...was doable. His gerbil just spins a little faster than his material allows. But surely worse case he has a faux rock pot built with a flat inner potting area. So there are options that will allow him to go forward. But usually these things are developed with intentions of the tree grasping the rock and forging along in that aspect.

That said...he's pleased with the initial look of his planting. And all other factors aside. And you focus on the trees and planting. It looks cool. He thought to share...and it gave me something to look at and pass the time. So thanks for sharing Giga.
 
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