A new rock / pot

[alpineart]

This is something i have been playing with while contemplating the future

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.I needed a decent sized rock with character to house a couple of bigger plants

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. The method is similar to the Ishitsuki rock of the past using a different glueing method .

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. I hope to find the time to slip pot a couple of aged Pines or Firs into it before next week , although i do have some Spruce to wire up so times has all but run out for this year . .

Well as you can see the issues i have are continuing to plague my topics and blog

Cheers Alpineart

[Boics]

Hello Alpine.

Thanks for sharing your work..

Got me wondering beyond Figs are there any natives that lend themselves to ROR?
It's not the sort of thing that I see too much (Aussie Native ROR)

Reason I ask is the colour of your rock provokes thoughts of Australia to me..
Some craggy melaleuca's or leptospermums might really suit that?

Anyway I'm sure it will look great with the planned tree's as per usual..
Keep up the good work.

Boics.

[alpineart]

Hi Biocs , mate i have clicked on the faulty pics and the original pics appear , strange happenings on the topics lately . I have purposefully coloured this to suit the Aussie coast line , rugged cliff type , weather worn rock , how ever this particular rock / double pot is for planting the tee into their individual pot holes in the rock .

I'm quite certain many natives could be trained as root over rock as they have plenty of feeder roots well down into the sub soils , however i wouldn't attempt to set a newly bare rooted native into a root over rock position as death would almost be certain from my experience which is very limited with native , just don't have much luck with them . . I think if it was set as a tube stock plant and worked over time , lowering the soil level it could be achieved quite successfully .

I have a couple of Douglas firs and numerous European pines that would suit this particular rock , like a coastal wind swept specimen or even a couple of informal upright tree's , or a couple of cascades be it Natives or European Species . Plenty of choices as i have plenty of semi trained specimens of all sorts of configurations just waiting for the right container .

My last 2 efforts have basically failed due to the heat absorbed by the dark coloured rock cooking the plants , temps have been close to 40 degree's radiant heat ,a new screen garden is required at the front of the house to cool the air . This has been purpose built to fit the tree into the rock for a cooler place for the tree's/plants to reside instead of Root over rock or Root on Rock which can't handle the heat as well as a potted tree here in any case .

This will be my last major creative topic for a short while,well i have a couple of days to finish it , however i will still be looking in on you fella's and sure to continue to learn a trick or two and give positive feed back where possible .

Cheers Alpine

[GavinG]

Best of luck, Alpine, hope all goes well.

Gavin

[Bougy Fan]

Alpine this rock is total rubbish. I suggest you pack it up in a box and send it to me for disposal

Seriously very nice and I can't wait to see it planted out. Good luck next week

[alpineart]

Hi Gavin , thanks mate , don't need ant more back luck that's for sure .

Hi Bougy Fan , not my best effort but but i'm happy with the result , a lot of work hours went into this one and a few short cuts have been learned for the better . Sizing up a few plants for it now , so many choices . Next week should be a walk in the park compared to the last 14 months , because of the situation i should be skippy around in no time flat , here's hoping .

Cheers Guys Alpine

[alpineart]

Well i finally found the time to throw a couple of Pinus Nigra Austriac's / Austrian Pines / European Black Pines in the pot .

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I have done a rough basic wiring and styling then tossed it back onto the grow bench where it will get a needle trim and pluck at a later date , now can rest up for tomorrow's exercise .

Cheers Alpineart

[Boics]

I just figured that the rock reminds me a little of Kings Canyon in the N.T.

Interesting Pines that you have popped in there Alpine.
Is it normal for their needles to be a little curved like I see them?
I'm not exactly familiar with this species.

Anyway setting looks great and will no doubt mature with age.
Keep up the good work!

[alpineart]

Hi Boics . mate Pinus Nigra is not well know or used here in Aus . A few say they have them or grow them but i have seen a few ring ins even in Nurseries . The needle is typical of the Austriaca and Maritima , but the Nigra Nigra has a shortest needle than the other two sub species .

If you do a search here on Nigra Austriaca or European black pine i have posted numerous topics including the identification of the bark needles and cones . Needle reduction can be achieved as short as 18mm on the Austriaca , normally 65-80mm . The twist is a trait of the Nigra - Austriaca and Nigra - Maritima but not on the Nigra -Nigra however when needle cutting and plucking starts it slowly disappears until the tree is left to run riot and the needles extend again .

Cheers Alpine

[alpineart]

Bored already , so i thought while the cook was out and about i would needle pluck

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and trim the remaining needles

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to define the tree's

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. The top tree was collected around 6 years ago and had the top chopped off and the side shoot were used to create the new branches . It had a typical reverse taper of a Yamadori trunk collected up here as the clay soils restrict the base below ground level considerable , this one was around 8mm at the base so i spiked and slashed the trunk base

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in the required positions to aid in the swelling process . The base now is 22mmx26mm and the trunk is around 20-21mm

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. The slashes are now 2-3 mm wide so in 6 years the reverse taper has been eliminated . Give it a season or two and the slash marks will have disappeared and replaced with the Nigra's typical flaky silver bark .I haven't cleaned the bark on this one as there is lichen growing in several positions in the lower part of the trunk

Cheers Alpineart

[Boics]

I love how your always implementing these great techniques Alpine.
It's great how you choose to document and share the results as well.

Looking very good and the needle trim has really lifted the whole setting.
Job well done.

[alpineart]

Hi Boics , mate everything i do concerning growing and tests i basically take pics for a personal journal . That way if something works better than another i have times and dates of the processes used and employed . Not everything works but thats what the records are for . Slashing and striking has been used for years on many species , some agree some don't , as with all things it take time . It won't thicken a trunk i 1 season , the trunk base has thickened around 14mm the trunk itself has thickened close to 8 mm , so slashing and spiking works well over time , this tree was a shitty reverse tapered trunk , now it has a little taper , bound to get better over time.

Cheers Alpine

[Dario]

Looking Sweet Alpine!
Cheers, Dario.

[alpineart]

Hi Dario , mate i actually put the wrong tree on the top and had to remove it . Wasn't thinking too straight at the time and got the wind swept tree mixed up with the slanting tree . Hoping it will hang in there through the hot weather .

Cheers Alpine

[Josh]

Hi Alpine, love what you've down with this. Can you put something next to it for size comparison. Well done.

Josh