muck and slab planting

[lakepipes]

Hi All,

During a resent visit up to our property, i picked up some nice slabs of granite.
I want to use them to create a slab group planting.

while I have watched a few videos and seen some demonstrations on planting on slabs, not much has been said about the composition of muck.

Do the ausbonsai members use it and if so do you make you own?
What is your mix and what are your recommendations for use?

Regards, Mike

[Dumper]

lindsay farr has a video on muck

http://vimeo.com/3318148

john

[lakepipes]

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply.
That gives me a little more insight into how to get started.

Regards,
Mike

[Dumper]

no pro

[kcpoole]

My recipe for Muck
50% clay and 50% peat moss
Wet and mix togther till a paste then apply to the rock to make a dam, and then plant in that

Ken

[shibui]

I've used 50% good, sticky clay (for those in Melb- Merri Creek Mud, used for cricket pitches) and 50% aged cow manure.
Chopped sphagnum moss is better than peat in muck as it absorbs water better if the mix ever dries out. This is more important for root on rock plantings than slabs.
You need to be aware that slabs are very hard to maintain as they dry out much quicker than pots. Most rock is quite porus and wicks moisture from the planted area to the exposed edges where it evaporates.