BC on a salvaged wood slab

[Cajunrider]

What do you think?
Is the tree too big for the slab? I thought it might look OK once lowered onto the slab.
The 1 1/4” subfloor plywood looks like sedimentary rock. I will paint it before putting the tree on it. It should last about 2-3 years.

 

[penumbra]

If you can pull it off it would be fantastic.

 

[johng]

I am not a huge fan of BC on slabs but I think it will look good! maybe paint it black to represent black water??

 

[dbonsaiw]

I think it would look great. What do you when the wood starts rotting?

 

[Cajunrider]

I think it would look great. What do you when the wood starts rotting?

This is just for fun. The subfloor should last 2-3 years easy. I will repot the tree later.

 

[Michael P]

Looks great!

 

[ForrestW]

I love it! But I agree that a dark stain/sealant would be a nice reference to the black waters.

 

[Cajunrider]

I am not a huge fan of BC on slabs but I think it will look good! maybe paint it black to represent black water??

You have a great point. I got some old paints that I will try to make it look like swampy water

 

[HENDO]

I agree with the black/dark, paint/stain idea from @johng

Did something similar with a BC group (much smaller scale!) except made a slab-shaped stand instead, and it looked great. Just used Minwax.

However, personally I would cry if that awesome slab deteriorated. If it were mine I'd plant the BC on another more permanent slab or very shallow pot, then place the planting on this BC slab as a display stand.

One thing I found with BC on slabs is that they push up a ridiculous amount, and roots seemed to compromise the muck boundary very easily over the course of a few growing months.

Looking forward to seeing what you do here.

 

[Cajunrider]

Unfortunately the tree I chose was the one with the split trunk so it sits rather high on the slab. Be what it may the deed was done. The slab was painted black with tiny streaks of color.

 

[HENDO]

Unfortunately the tree I chose was the one with the split trunk so it sits rather high on the slab. Be what it may the deed was done. The slab was painted black with tiny streaks of color.
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I like the second pic with it leaning to the right. Would be cool to see a wee bit more slab poking out in front.

Looks like you have room to park your pirogue on the bank too.

 

[Wulfskaar]

I agree with the black/dark, paint/stain idea from @johng

Did something similar with a BC group (much smaller scale!) except made a slab-shaped stand instead, and it looked great. Just used Minwax.

However, personally I would cry if that awesome slab deteriorated. If it were mine I'd plant the BC on another more permanent slab or very shallow pot, then place the planting on this BC slab as a display stand.

One thing I found with BC on slabs is that they push up a ridiculous amount, and roots seemed to compromise the muck boundary very easily over the course of a few growing months.

Looking forward to seeing what you do here.

View attachment 529860

I just noticed the canoe! I love the whole composition!

 

[Cajunrider]

The slab was made from American made plywood and formed by me. Native pot heh!

 

[19Mateo83]

That’s actually a perfect choice of tree for this, that one higher root looks very natural planted this way. Well done!

 

[awarrenj]

Can a BC get enough water on a slab?

 

[Dabbler]

Pretty interesting - could be a cool centerpiece - just staying up on watering might be a pain but cool none the less.

 

[Cajunrider]

Can a BC get enough water on a slab?

I think so. I have a forest on a 1" tray without issue with automatic watering.

 

[Michael P]

I really like this! We don't associate bald cypress with stone or slabs. But I have seen them growing on limestone ledges at the banks of rivers in the Texas Hill Country. Each tree had a wreath of maidenhair ferns growing on its root flare, a scene I would love to recreate in bonsai.

What is your muck recipe?

 

[Cajunrider]

I really like this! We don't associate bald cypress with stone or slabs. But I have seen them growing on limestone ledges at the banks of rivers in the Texas Hill Country. Each tree had a wreath of maidenhair ferns growing on its root flare, a scene I would love to recreate in bonsai.

What is your muck recipe?

Clay and cuttings of swamp grass. To improve the look, I top dress it with crumbles of peatmoss. In a few months I will have weeds growing right on the muck. The roots of the weeds keep the muck wall tight. I just have to trim them off every month.

 

[Cajunrider]

That’s actually a perfect choice of tree for this, that one higher root looks very natural planted this way. Well done!

That was my thinking process. I often see trees with a large root on the water side. For this composition, the larger bare spot on the slab presents a water vision and the big root is pushing hard on the bank to keep the tree upright.