Vertical or Horizontal?

[Redwood Ryan]

Hello everyone,

Found this rock a few months ago and I thought I would like to do an ROR with it. I've got a JRM with some long roots that I want to drape over this rock. I've been wondering, however, whether or not to go horizontal or vertical with this rock. I'm really planning on the vertical way, but I've been afraid that the roots will grow too big for the size of the rock. Is this possible? I want to keep the tree pretty small, shohin size, on the rock. I know the trunk on this tree is small, but I'll plant it in the ground once I've started the ROR. Thanks!

Rock (it has crevices and holes throughout for the roots to run through):

Tree:

 

[Greg Brenden]

I'd go ahead and stand your rock vertical. That little whip will take a looooooong time to overwhelm your rock, if ever

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thanks Greg! Vertical it will be.

I've been reading up on this technique lately, and I have read one article that says to plant the tree over the rock (once wrapped) into sharp sand. Is this necessary or is regular ol' bonsai soil fine? Thanks!

 

[Bill S]

Think shohin sized pot. Usually pretty small.

 

[JTGJr25]

Ryan,

I read about the whole sand thing too but I honestly don't see the advantage, perhaps the roots grow thicker faster or something but I've never seen an experiment that confirms that. I believe the best way to do root over rock is planting in the ground (still wrapping with cling wrap). The tree will grow much faster once established, I have one right now in the ground its a Trident. This year was its third year in the ground and it just now started putting on some serious girth. The only downside is it's harder to manage the roots being you must dig up the tree after, I would say 4 years, to do some root work. Although this isn't that big of a problem.

However, your going for a very small tree so putting it in a pot might not be a bad idea because shohin require more attention to detail which would mean more root management and I would think removing it from a pot every 2 or three years will be much less stressful than digging it out of the ground, not to mention easier on you.

Its all in personal preference really.


Tom