can bonsai grow on top of petrified wood

[SeaBucket]

I want to use this chunk of petrified wood to grow a small bonsai on. The variety of petrified wood is Arizona iron wood. Does anyone know if bonsai will grow ok on top of this? There is a small divit to nestle a bonsai and some soil in. There is no drainage hole to speak of, but the petrified wood wouldn't absorb any water. Also, would the minerals in the petrified wood kill the bonsai?

 

[armetisius]

Petrified wood is just that petrified--turned to stone.
More often than not petrified wood is heavy to the silicate
side of things which makes it pretty much inert can't see
where the minerals would be detrimental to the tree's health.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

As armetisius said - it is just a rock. Treat it as a rock with a depression in it. Make sure that any depression that you plant in has some drainage, or you will struggle keeping your tree roots from rotting.

 

[SeaBucket]

How does one add a drainage hole to solid rock? there is a divit to seat a small bonsai, but no drainage hole...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Have to see the rock You just want to avoid a pocket that is waterproof - i.e. that pools or collects water. Any time you water a tree in that pocket, you will be drowning the roots, and it will take several days if not a week or more to dry out. You can place a tree in a crack, or even on a flat surface, or for that matter, have the tree wrapped around the rock while roots go into soil under the rock. Just avoid the whole underwater tree thing You can plant in a pocket in porous rock (some pumice or lava rock) without a problem because the water will seep out, but petrified wood will probably be solid.

 

[GrimLore]

Without seeing the rock/wood I am guessing you want to plant on top of it and not a root over rock. If that is the case you can do as you would a slab planting. Crazy Glue and baking soda to hold copper wire to it to secure the plant. Then proceed to build a muck mix and plant. There is some more detail then that but the information is readily available.

Grimmy

 

[SeaBucket]

I'm a total newbie so I'm not too clear on the difference of root over rock versus planting on top of the wood. Both sound really cool. SO it sounds like planting the bonsai in this divit would be a bad idea since it would just be sitting in a stagnant pool. I've never wired a bonsai. Is that difficult/ complicated for someone who has never done it before? How much money would doing something like that cost with materials and tools, excluding the cost of the bonsai and the rock itself? Is there is certain shop you recommend getting rocks to plant bonsai on online? Thank you again for all of your help! You guys are great!

 

[edprocoat]

Seabucket, ROR - Root over Rock means that the plants roots grow over the rock and down into spoil in a pot or dish that the rock is setting in. Root on rock is where the rock is actually the dish, or slab if its a flat piece. The plant would grow just on the rock, usually having a dam of sorts built up around the edges of the roots to retain soil and moisture for the roots to grow into.

ed

 

[GrimLore]

This thread has some pictures of the various types of rock/slabs done by a true Master John G. It also clarifies "proper" use of muck mix and watering http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/potters-clay-in-a-muck-mix.10030/#post-127027

He has also explained to me how to anchor the plant(s) to the surface so if you feel you will proceed PM me here and I can clarify it far easier on the phone.

Grimmy