How old should a Juniper be before attaching roots to a rock?

[Ali_Bonsai]

hello, I'm a beginner bonsai enthusiast and after a couple weeks, I feel I may have rushed and tried to attach my juniper to a rock! It doesn't look like it's doing too well. I wanted to see if there is a minimum time before trying to attach a juniper root over a rock?
thank you

Ali

 

[Eric Schrader]

Hi Ali,

The process may be a bit more complicated than you imagine, but since you didn't say how you tried to do it let me suggest the following:

1. You want the roots to grip the rock as tightly as possible. For this reason it is best to start with small material, like a seedling or a cutting that has been rooted for a year or so. If the roots have a lot of wood to them you wont be able to shape them to conform to the stone. A good root over rock will have the roots start to change out of round shape due to the grip on the rock.

2. The Rock - generally you should choose a stone that you would want to look at even if there was no tree involved. Don't just pick up some random rock, look for something with some color and interest. The stone has to be pretty durable - otherwise the tree may crush it as it grows or it will crumble as the years pass and you'll loose the interesting parts.

3. Bare root the young tree (hence you should only do this during repotting season) Place the roots over the rock in the way that you want them to stay - consider carefully because its really hard to move them after they are allowed to grow out. You want them to conform to the stone closely, it looks bad if there is any space.

4. Cover the newly exposed roots and the portion of the stone that they are on with soil. I generally use a large pot, set the stone and tree on top so that they will be at the right height later. Then I add a cut 1-gallon container or ring of plastic to hold extra soil in place.

5. Let the tree grow for one growing season - generally this is enough time for the roots to get to the bottom of the container and establish themselves down there. Then remove the extra plastic and the soil covering the rock and roots. You may want to allow the tree to grow freely for another few years to get the roots to really grip and look interesting before you begin bonsai training. You should probably time the removal of the extra soil and plastic to a time when it isn't really hot or really cold so the the newly exposed roots don't get too shocked. You can remove just an inch at a time if you're concerned.

You can see a couple examples in this thread:

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7033-A-few-pine-seeds-6-years-later.

Good luck,

Eric

 

[Ang3lfir3]

lots of really great advise there and very good instructions..... thanks Eric! (from another Eric)

 

[edprocoat]

Ali, did you do any work prior to the attempt at attaching the juniper to the rock? The reason I ask is that junipers are pretty hardy and take a while to show signs of stress. If you trimmed the roots a few weeks ago and maybe styled or pruned it, then you disturbed it once again by removing it from the soil and placing it over a rock that may have been what is wrong. Usually a juniper is pretty forgiving, I have nursed them back from near death, do not fertilize it while its weak, water it when it gets dry soil and give it some shade for a few weeks and it may spring back for you. I have found its never a good idea to fertilize a weakened Bonsai.

ed

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

Thanks a lot Eric for the advice...those are great tips. Yes i agree with you on the rock and I took that into consideration when i picked it out!

I bought the tree from a nursery, i brought it home and designed and pruned it. This was the 2nd tree that i had tried to design since i got into all this so i may have pruned it a bit too much...I should have waited a while before attaching it to a rock, but figured that that i get it all done and just let it be for a couple years or so. I would post a pic of it, but honestly im a little embarrassed with all the pros here! lol
the thing is the foliage is getting yellow and i dont think the tree is doing well. I had it in direct light, but as Ed said i'll put it in some shade since it's recovering. I'll get a pic of the roots tomorrow so you can see how it looks.
thanks again guys for the tips!!
Ali

 

[fore]

I have a Trident over a japanese stone that I started in turface fines last fall, this spring I planted it in the ground and will dig it up in 2-3 yrs. I've heard this not only increases the survivability rate, but also develops the roots much quicker.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

Here is a pic of the roots and the way i attached it. first i had wrapped the whole part of it, even the roots you see here with sphagnum moss & saran wrap, but i was told that junipers wont respond well to being wrapped with saran so i removed it. now it's just on the top section where you see which is actually helping with keeping the tree attached to the rock as well.
you can also see how the tips are starting to turn yellow as well a bit. This morning i put it against that wall so it's in the shade now.

 

[Eric Schrader]

I would immediately bury everything up to the top of the tape. Then wait 1 year and start to remove soil gradually. You have to give time for the tree to grow roots down into the container before exposing the upper roots to air.

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

ok, will do tomorrow Eric. Thanks.
Should I still leave the tape on?

 

[Ali_Bonsai]

also should i use any special kind of soil/fertilizer at this point since it's damaged or just regular bonsai soil?