Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Share your success stories about defoliation, bare rooting and anything else relating to maintaining healthy bonsai.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

I decided to change the design up a little to add extra support. I have also started doing some detailed painting.
Screenshot_20180314-195452.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
shibui
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 7653
Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
Favorite Species: trident maple
Bonsai Age: 41
Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
Location: Yackandandah
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 1399 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by shibui »

Sorry mate. Please don't take offense at the following observations.
You've done a great job exploring the medium and many of us have learned a few things from the thread but this does not look very natural to me. Rocks usually have a grain or consistent cleavage planes. This one seems to be broken in all different directions. At first glance this looks like a monster rock chicken. ;)

Rocks are an art form and take time to master. Hope you can learn from this attempt and keep turning out ever better samples.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
DocPep
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 39
Joined: May 12th, 2016, 6:45 pm
Favorite Species: Elm, Maple, Fig
Bonsai Age: 4
Location: Shoalhaven
Has thanked: 22 times

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by DocPep »

:lol: Monster rock chicken. :lol:
I see a horse or a swan.
I see what Shibui is saying but I think it depends on how the rock is formed. Sedimentary rock will cleave and weather in planes but I think volcanic rock would weather more like this but I’m no geologist.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

shibui wrote:Sorry mate. Please don't take offense at the following observations.
You've done a great job exploring the medium and many of us have learned a few things from the thread but this does not look very natural to me. Rocks usually have a grain or consistent cleavage planes. This one seems to be broken in all different directions. At first glance this looks like a monster rock chicken. ;)

Rocks are an art form and take time to master. Hope you can learn from this attempt and keep turning out ever better samples.

Non taken i welcome all criticisms as they will ultimately make me better. This is the first time i have done this and i am learning a lot from it.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

DocPep wrote::lol: Monster rock chicken. :lol:
I see a horse or a swan.
I see what Shibui is saying but I think it depends on how the rock is formed. Sedimentary rock will cleave and weather in planes but I think volcanic rock would weather more like this but I’m no geologist.
I see a trojan horse
SueBee
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 258
Joined: November 7th, 2017, 11:54 am
Favorite Species: Wisteria,EE.
Bonsai Age: 2
Bonsai Club: VBC, Always Learning via Net, Reading & practice.
Location: South Western Victoria
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by SueBee »

Once the rock is planted up and details growing it will change considerably. Well done Beanwagon..looking forward to seeing it planted up.
Thanks for Sharing
SueBee

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Marcus Tullius Cicero
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

Tested out the waterfall today.

https://youtu.be/9pDwgMsL6_Y
Last edited by beanwagon on March 18th, 2018, 10:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
melbrackstone
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 3441
Joined: December 15th, 2015, 8:05 pm
Favorite Species: the ones that live
Bonsai Age: 28
Bonsai Club: Redlands, BIMER, VNBC
Location: Brisbane
Has thanked: 1190 times
Been thanked: 707 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by melbrackstone »

Wow,that's not as big as I thought it was...

and seeing where the water goes, I guess you'll have to put the plant around the back somewhere so the roots won't stay saturated?

Unless....you just make it a jungle type installation with dripping ferns and other hanging plants... ?
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

melbrackstone wrote:Wow,that's not as big as I thought it was...

and seeing where the water goes, I guess you'll have to put the plant around the back somewhere so the roots won't stay saturated?

Unless....you just make it a jungle type installation with dripping ferns and other hanging plants... ?
I more than likely wouldn't have the pump running all the time so i wouldnt worry about saturating the roots. There are two carved pockets/spaces for the roots i am just curious to see if i have left enough room for them. Does anyone gace a good keto/mud recipe?

Im assuming clay, horse manure and peat moss would be the main components?
User avatar
Keep Calm and Ramify
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 944
Joined: April 1st, 2017, 11:50 am
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: Newcastle NSW
Has thanked: 397 times
Been thanked: 445 times

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by Keep Calm and Ramify »

:crikey: After watching I suddenly feel the need to go to the bathroom. :cry:
Look forward to seeing the planting stage however.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

Keep Calm and Ramify wrote::crikey: After watching I suddenly feel the need to go to the bathroom. :cry:
Look forward to seeing the planting stage however.
:tu:
shibui
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 7653
Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
Favorite Species: trident maple
Bonsai Age: 41
Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
Location: Yackandandah
Has thanked: 65 times
Been thanked: 1399 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by shibui »

I believe that traditional keto is just aged manure and clay but if it dries out it is very difficult to wet again. Adding some chopped sphagnum helps water to soak into the clay to wet it better. Peat may not be as good at absorbing water.

If you have hollows it might be better to use a potting mix in them. I think keto is used where roots are running on the outside of the rock rather than in hollows?
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

shibui wrote:I believe that traditional keto is just aged manure and clay but if it dries out it is very difficult to wet again. Adding some chopped sphagnum helps water to soak into the clay to wet it better. Peat may not be as good at absorbing water.

If you have hollows it might be better to use a potting mix in them. I think keto is used where roots are running on the outside of the rock rather than in hollows?
Awesome cheers for the info. I am still unsure if the hollows would be of a suitable size. So the roots may be outside the rock and in the hollow. I really need to work out where i am going to place the shimpaku on this.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

I had a go at adding some tree's. I still need to add a lot mire moss and fix some issues with the waterfall.
20180320_101101.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
beanwagon
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 135
Joined: June 20th, 2015, 11:26 pm
Bonsai Age: 0
Location: sydney
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 16 times
Contact:

Re: Secret formula to make or build a rock?

Post by beanwagon »

Screenshot_20180320-190612.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Post Reply

Return to “Tips, Techniques, Maintenance and Advice”