My first attempt of root over rock.

[Bush bunny]

My tool kit..jpg

Chinese elm, root over rock my first..jpg

Hi there, update from the mysterious rock theme, thanks Ken and all, who gave me some wise advice.

I decided that the maple was a Japanese Maple, so I chose the new Chinese elm. I was surprised to find that it had some rather thickish roots already. One was a U shaped upside down next to the trunk About the thickness of a pencil? and some other pretty big roots. And lots of feeder roots. Being in full leaf, I decided to only trim a few fine roots around the trunk area and spread the thick roots too the rock. But left most, but one extremely long one feeder root. Well tying it to the rock was a bit of a two three handed job. But I managed it eventually then wrapped two layers of foil around it. As it was in really good friable soil, I placed some grit at the bottom of a large pot over the mesh. Then half filled it with its original soil, mixed with Perlite. Placed the roots evenly on top of it, then topped that up with bonsai mix. With a final thin layer of the original soil. I trimmed off the long sprout, root hormoned it and stuck it beside the tree, might root. Then watered it in, then topped up to cover foil with more of its original soil. Then put some grit around the edges. And staked it too, it is slightly on a slant. It will be kept inside, it is by a bright window with the dwarf umbrella plant.

Oh, I thought you would have a giggle about my tool kit. I've improvised a lot. The green handled secateurs, is my grandfather's. Over one hundred years old. I haven't used it, as it lost a wing nut to hold it together, but still very sharp. Thanks everyone for your help, but tomorrow I must do some practical work on my various bonsais. Rather than spending time with Charles (the computer).

Cheers for now
Pat

[Jason]

Nice work Pat, now the hard part begins.... the wait!

[Bush bunny]

Oh thank you made my day! Yes this winter my patience was tried. Especially with the weather we have had. But it is nice to have someone say it looks like I am going in the right direction. I think in my thesis in the Introduction, I spelt out, bonsai cultivators, don't think in days, months (like horticulturalists) we think in seasons and years. (And hope we get a good one to work on one day). I think I thought the first few years, keep this plant alive, see what it does.
Now I have a pine tree, I think it is a radiata, wouldn't know, only had Pine on it. Was in a small tiny pot, I transplanted it into a huge concrete pot, and it has gone mad. I plucked the candles out last spring/summer and it has grown more. But - more about Wild Willy at some other time.

Thanks again Jason.

[kcpoole]

Good Stuff

Noting wrong at all with improvised tools, We all have them in our Kits

Ken

[Bush bunny]

LOL, you see I once found myself a sole parent, and the parent took all the tools, didn't he? Settling into my new home, I used a steak knife to cut the dowling wood for the curtains. Blunted the steak knife though. The red handled one is a universal scissors bought for $2.95 from Bunnings. The only official bonsai tool is the long scissors brown ones, $29.00. But the tiny scissor are actually nail scissors for cutting alongside your toe nail. Very tiny for tiny leaves.
Now onto some rocks and planting some other things in my enchanted garden. Nice day today.