Found a cool lava rock this morning that I might use.

[abqjoe]

So I went on a rock hunting hike this morning by some of our volcano's out here in Albuquerque and came across a pretty cool rock. I took this rock home, lightly wire brushed it by hand to clean it up a bit and then rinsed with a hose. Beneath the dirt it has a small amount of what appears to be moss on it I don't know if the moss is actually alive or if it is just petrified but either way it looks pretty cool. I may use it for a root-over-rock for the large Ficus in the background next week when it's final pot comes in. Thoughts?

 

[philart]

Looks like a great rock for ROR, but the tree in the background is proportionally too big for it. I'd start with something smaller and with more supple roots.

 

[abqjoe]

Looks like a great rock for ROR, but the tree in the background is proportionally too big for it. I'd start with something smaller and with more supple roots.

So you think these roots are already to developed for this? Size wise the root area is within an inch or two from being dead perfect and I can trim the rock if I need to.

 

[Paradox]

I agree the tree is too big for that rock and the roots would not look natural if you tried to place it on the rock.

ROR are made from young trees with small, thin roots. The tree is put on the rock with the roots hanging down the sides of the rock and bound in place with grafters tape. The rock is the buried in a pot and the tree and roots allowed to grow. Over time the rock is exposed a little at a time until the roots are, growing into the soil adequately.

ROR are not made from big trees with already large, stiff and hard roots.

 

[abqjoe]

I agree the tree is too big for that rock and the roots would not look natural if you tried to place it on the rock.

ROR are made from young trees with small, thin roots. The tree is put on the rock with the roots hanging down the sides of the rock and bound in place with grafters tape. The rock is the buried in a pot and the tree and roots allowed to grow. Over time the rock is exposed a little at a time until the roots are, growing into the soil adequately.

ROR are not made from big trees with already large, stiff and hard roots.

Well, I guess that's that! Thanks for the advice

 

[M. Frary]

She said stiff,hard roots.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

She said stiff,hard roots.

Haha!

 

[sorce]

large, stiff and hard

Sorce

 

[Paradox]

@sorce, @M. Frary

You all need to get your minds out if the gutter....geez

 

[M. Frary]

@sorce, @M. Frary

You all need to get your minds out if the gutter....geez

It's all Sorces fault!

 

[Alain]

It's all Sorces fault!

Of course! It's always @sorce fault anyway


Otherwise yep, too big for the rock IMOT (ie IMO too)

 

[M. Frary]

Of course! It's always @sorce fault anyway

It's my lie and I'm sticking to it.

 

[jomawa]

It's my lie and I'm sticking to it.

Hmmm, let's see, i-m-l-a-i-s-t-i, IMLAISTI. I think @M. Frary has just coined a new acronym. Has somewhat of a ring to it. You heard it here on crazy first. Can I quote you on that?

 

[Cypress187]

I think it's kinda dark and black, or it that because it's wet?

 

[rockm]

So you think these roots are already to developed for this? Size wise the root area is within an inch or two from being dead perfect and I can trim the rock if I need to.

Yeah, faaaar too developed for most any rock. the idea of a rock planting is to have the roots look like they grew around the rock over time, not just plunked down. The rock, essentially is a stand-in for a more developed trunk on the tree.

The roots should flow with the rock

This is a larch by Nick Lenz (I stole the image from someone who stole it on Pinterest...) anyway, look how the roots are integrally associated with the stone. It looks like the tree is part of the rock and vice versa, not just perched on rock, or had a rock wedged into it's roots.

Root over rock trees are developed WITH their rocks from the time they are saplings using new flexible roots. Good examples of ROR are rarely, if at all, developed by putting an older tree onto a rock, or jamming a rock into a space of a larger root mass.

 

[M. Frary]

Hmmm, let's see, i-m-l-a-i-s-t-i, IMLAISTI. I think @M. Frary has just coined a new acronym. Has somewhat of a ring to it. You heard it here on crazy first. Can I quote you on that?

You can.

 

[abqjoe]

Yeah, faaaar too developed for most any rock. the idea of a rock planting is to have the roots look like they grew around the rock over time, not just plunked down. The rock, essentially is a stand-in for a more developed trunk on the tree.

The roots should flow with the rock

This is a larch by Nick Lenz (I stole the image from someone who stole it on Pinterest...) anyway, look how the roots are integrally associated with the stone. It looks like the tree is part of the rock and vice versa, not just perched on rock, or had a rock wedged into it's roots.

Root over rock trees are developed WITH their rocks from the time they are saplings using new flexible roots. Good examples of ROR are rarely, if at all, developed by putting an older tree onto a rock, or jamming a rock into a space of a larger root mass. View attachment 108763

That is impressive! Yea, I'm glad everyone talked me out of it Thank you for your input!