Just growing the roots out long first. I haven’t attached anything to a rock yet. (The bougainvillea in the first photo is not in the contest since it’s not in Rosacea or Moracea, although I am planning to ROR it also.)
Lorax7’s 2023-2026 ROR Contest Thread
- Thread starter Lorax7
- Start date
cishepard
Shohin
Any ‘before’ photos of the rock?
I won’t know for sure which rocks will be used until I get to the stage of planting trees on rocks. I have several rocks and a couple statues. It’s kind of like picking bonsai pots. I think it’s a good idea to have several choices ready and then pick one when the tree is barerooted and you can see exactly what you’re working with.
cishepard
Shohin
Oh, I thought the rocks were already in the tubes. So your technique is to grow really long straight roots and then arrange them onto a rock? Then put everything back into a tube? I haven’t seen this idea mentioned anywhere yet, just learning about RoR.
Mostly, yes, the plan is to grow the roots out long so they can hang down the sides of the rock with enough length leftover to tuck underneath the rock. The roots tucked under the rock are important for making the adherence of the roots to the rock permanent. That's what I was taught, anyway. I have not yet fully completed a root over rock project. All of mine are works in progress. My mugo pine is the one that's furthest along in the process (started in a workshop with Pauline Muth a few years ago).
I'm not planning on putting everything back into a tube though. Once I drape the roots over the rock and wrap tightly with self-fusing silicone tape to keep the roots tight against the rock, I'll bury the rock completely in a nursery can to grow the roots out. Then, I'll gradually cut away the nursery can and let the soil erode away to reveal the rock.
cishepard
Shohin
!!! The nude statue would be epic!
MeDupree
Mame
Very nice! I was just reading through a bonsai magazine when I came across something similar being done at a JBP nursery using tall air pots for some pretty extravagant neagari trees
If I remember correctly, I think Jonas Dupuich posted some stuff on his blog where he was using downspout tubing for growing out exposed root and/or ROR bonsai. It might’ve been Eric Schrader if I’m misremembering and it wasn’t Jonas. I’ve read too many blogs and watched too many YouTube videos to be able to give proper attribution for the origins of my practices at this point in my bonsai journey.
MeDupree
Mame
Thanks I'll definitely search for those posts you mentioned before I experiment. Looking forward to seeing how the bougainvillea turn out
Repotted the bougainvillea as root over rock and the tiger bark ficus as root over statue (ceramic aquarium ornament). Probably should’ve taken more pics of the ficus since that’s the one that’s actually in the contest and the bougainvillea is not, but photography is a secondary concern when you’re in the thick of it on a project like this so it didn’t happen. Bougainvillea is potted in APL + fir bark + horticultural charcoal. Ficus is potted in recycled soil mix from the tray it was in previously, which was a mix of APL, perlite, and cocoa coir.
I planted one of the ficus benjamina on the statue of the head of the goddess Hygieia. I used a hammer and chisel (and safety glasses) to break off the square base to go for more of an ancient ruin look. I used some 100 grit sandpaper to dull the sharp edges where the break occurred.
When I removed the rooted ficus cutting from its container, I found that the roots weren’t yet as long as I had hoped for. Nonetheless, I went ahead with planting it on the statue and I will make adjustments as needed at the next repotting. I’ll leave its twin growing in the downspout tube until next summer before I plant that one on the large Venus of Melos statue.
When I removed the rooted ficus cutting from its container, I found that the roots weren’t yet as long as I had hoped for. Nonetheless, I went ahead with planting it on the statue and I will make adjustments as needed at the next repotting. I’ll leave its twin growing in the downspout tube until next summer before I plant that one on the large Venus of Melos statue.
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Did a bit of branch selection on the bougainvillea (not in the contest) to avoid inverse taper.
Before:
After:
Did just a very minor amount of trimming to the tiger bark ficus (which is in the contest), basically just removing dead stuff. I’m letting it grow wild for now.
Before:
After:
Did just a very minor amount of trimming to the tiger bark ficus (which is in the contest), basically just removing dead stuff. I’m letting it grow wild for now.
Trimmed the bougainvillea (not in the contest) and the tiger bark ficus (ROR contest tree) today to prepare before they come indoors for the winter. I have limited space and they’re both too big at the moment, so a reduction is in order. They’ve both been growing vigorously. Roots were already escaping through the drainage holes.
Bougainvillea before:
Bougainvillea after (sad to see the purple bracts go, but it had to be):
Didn’t take before pics on the tiger bark ficus. I removed the third branch at the big knobby junction and carved it out with concave cutters and knob cutters to thin that section. Made a big wound that’ll take time to heal, but it had to be done and I’d rather do it now so the branch below that was catching shade can collect some extra rays before coming inside for winter.
Tiger Bark Ficus after:
Bougainvillea before:
Bougainvillea after (sad to see the purple bracts go, but it had to be):
Didn’t take before pics on the tiger bark ficus. I removed the third branch at the big knobby junction and carved it out with concave cutters and knob cutters to thin that section. Made a big wound that’ll take time to heal, but it had to be done and I’d rather do it now so the branch below that was catching shade can collect some extra rays before coming inside for winter.
Tiger Bark Ficus after:
A late entry: decided to plant this ficus benjamina ‘Natasja’ as a ROR. I’m aiming for a mame size tree with this one. The rock is petrified wood I picked up from the local pet store. The black tape I use to wrap the roots and secure them to the rock is Scotch 2228 electrical tape.
