Slab prep questions

[ProfessorFarnsworth]

I'm considering using this slab I found on a hike behind my house. I carried it home in my backpack yesterday about 3 miles. It's about 21 inches x 10 inches and about 40 pounds. I'm very sore today. Worst case it's a cool rock and some real good excerise. I'm just curious if there a suggestions or "how to prepare a stone slab" tutorials you could point me at?

 

[BrianBay9]

For a slab like this you don't have to worry about drainage. If anything you'll want to find ways to keep it moist. Mostly you need a way to attach your trees. The simplest method I've used is to epoxy some wire loops to the planting surface, and use them to wire the trees in place. Use a more moisture retentive soil mix than you would for a pot. You can make a "dam" of clay or muck to hold the soil in place. Consider using moss to help keep the soil stable.

Looks like a great rock. Have fun!

 

[ProfessorFarnsworth]

For a slab like this you don't have to worry about drainage. If anything you'll want to find ways to keep it moist. Mostly you need a way to attach your trees. The simplest method I've used is to epoxy some wire loops to the planting surface, and use them to wire the trees in place. Use a more moisture retentive soil mix than you would for a pot. You can make a "dam" of clay or muck to hold the soil in place. Consider using moss to help keep the soil stable.

Looks like a great rock. Have fun!

Oh wow, thanks I was sitting here wondering how I'm going to drill through this layered rock for anchor holes at least without ruining it. I watched the Mirai video on the bristlecone slab, my concern is finding moss that will stay alive in Utah. It seems like spaghnum prognosis isn't good with the low humidity here. I'll probably ask around at the nursery and see what they suggest.
I'd like to collect a limber or bristlecone pine to put on here for the native challenge next spring. So on the plus side they are both relatively drought tolerant.

 

[sorce]

I'd find some smaller sections of the same rock and see what kind of drilling they need to make holes. Chisel, etc, this way you know what you can get away with without ruining your good one.

If it's stupid easy to carve or drill or otherwise make more useful, I definitely would.

I feel like splitting it for a 2fer. A little thinner would be more visually pleasing.

Sorce

 

[ProfessorFarnsworth]

I'd find some smaller sections of the same rock and see what kind of drilling they need to make holes. Chisel, etc, this way you know what you can get away with without ruining your good one.

If it's stupid easy to carve or drill or otherwise make more useful, I definitely would.

I feel like splitting it for a 2fer. A little thinner would be more visually pleasing.

Sorce

There is more to be had up there it was a lot of work though carrying it down the mountain and home. So we'll see how much more I can motivate myself to carry down. I need an off road luggage dolly or something!
Originally I was thinking of trying to split it, again I got worried about breaking more than I wanted. I also kind of like the overhung cliff look it has. I chiseled most of the softer brown layer off and underneath its pretty hard to make much progress. To be fair I was just using an old flathead screwdriver for the chiseling though.

 

[Pitoon]

I remember seeing somewhere a person made anchoring points using wire and then attaching the wire loop with epoxy putty to the rock, i think it was a video on YouTube