# Limber Slab Planting / French Drain **URL:** \ **Category:** Toolbox\ **Created:** [February 14, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261 "2018-02-14T01:50:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/1 "2018-02-14T01:50:12Z")
I love the forum layout! Here’s my first post. Please move it if this is the wrong category for this post. Here’s a slab planting of a Limber pine I styled. The main purpose of this post is to share my solution to drainage. Since tonight’s live stream is on “slab planting” I figured I’d give this post a go. Instead of drilling holes in the approximately 2" granite I chose areas on the slab I thought would be most likely to drain off easily. I cut bamboo in half to run beneath the muck walls in those locations and piled large size pumice inside to act like a French drain. Moss was place to where it hid the ends of the bamboo. – It’s been about a year now and water still drains freely out of the drains. Fingers crossed it keeps working! lol I’d love to hear thoughts on my approach. 🙂 ![Limber2%20067a](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/1ed59b75074263f6d75f615cbe4422f4dd85c2a5.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/2 "2018-02-14T02:07:11Z")
![28080764_1603809209711740_603295936_o](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/04bf0b51a055df7d9eea395620d71c18a9ff8116.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:09am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/3 "2018-02-14T02:09:23Z")
![28079884_1603809219711739_2096775743_o](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/3b551748232c8261bc04df902af4cdafb20c1b58.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/4 "2018-02-14T02:10:08Z")
![28126031_1603809206378407_724993413_o](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/eb5d982cac8673a039e70e78cb82a01457196771.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/5 "2018-02-14T02:10:54Z")
![28079761_1603809223045072_1803513850_o](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/d04491f5635d9c13e81fba5aae1172d3675ecd00.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![LeonardB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@LeonardB](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/LeonardB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/6 "2018-02-14T16:38:57Z")
Dan, Outstanding example. I have one question about composition though. The deadwood to the right seems to frame an oval negative space ( a visual distraction?). I have a few trees with this same condition and one is even more circular causing a sure focal point that takes away from the design. My question is whether you feel this does cause distraction or do you have other thoughts? Thanks, Leonard ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/7 "2018-02-14T17:28:41Z")
Thanks Leonard! You are definitely not the first person to question the dead trunk… lol. A lot of people find it distracting. To me though, it’s an integral part of the tree and it’s story. It’s also a very old piece of deadwood. The tree has been weathered and beaten from the right side for a very long time; that trunk was killed off but still stands, taking some of the hits for the main tree and very clearly adding to the story of the trees survival. Visually I feel that it plays well with the flow of the tree too. That’s just me. Maybe someday someone will remove it. I’m definitely curious to hear others thoughts as well. 🙂 Dan ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Johanesen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/joe_johanesen/32/118_2.png) [@Joe\_Johanesen](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Joe_Johanesen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/8 "2018-02-14T18:09:57Z")
I would keep the smaller trunk but mabe shortening it to about an inch about the first nub of a branch on the right. Try the towl trick and try covering it to different lenghts and see if it improves the visual composition. Covering it doesn’t hurt anything. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_bob](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bob/32/35621_2.png) [@Bonsai\_bob](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_bob)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/9 "2018-02-19T15:18:31Z")
any thoughts on removing bark from the deadwood? I believe that the story of struggle is strong with the trunk that did not survive. Another positive comment: love the lichen covered slab and stone!! ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/10 "2018-02-19T18:23:50Z")
Hi Joe, I have done the towel trick with this and for me you loose to much of the movement. I’ll keep looking at it though. ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/11 "2018-02-19T18:26:59Z")
Hi Bob, You’re not the first person to mention this. I don’t know if it’s just the photo, or if I’m missing something. Here is the deadwood up close. ![28311979_1609594915799836_1566310076_o](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/950de0840b0aaf0c434d3443a670481e1be4b1ef.jpg) ![28275523_1609594922466502_265265532_o%20(1)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/1X/df3cbee1360ab5297ddf9d0563f98fbe8802fe70.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Bonsai\_bob](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/bonsai_bob/32/35621_2.png) [@Bonsai\_bob](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Bonsai_bob)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/12 "2018-02-19T22:26:19Z")
Ha, looking nice and old! my old eyes saw bark…guess I need a bigger screen or new glasses?? love what you have done, but the final form is always in the works. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Hennigan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/mike_hennigan/32/297_2.png) [@Mike\_Hennigan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Mike_Hennigan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/13 "2018-02-20T02:00:56Z")
Hey Dan, just want to say what a fantastic idea! Will definitely keep this in mind as I have a couple slab plantings in the works for this spring. On the design side, I have to say I think this tree would look nicer on a smaller slab. That’s a nice slab, but I think the relative size of it is overpowering what is a really majestic tree. ---
**Author:** ![rafi](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/rafi/32/103_2.png) [@rafi](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/rafi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/14 "2018-02-20T02:31:03Z")
Frankly, I am not sure about this idea. It will eventually get clogged by roots and whatnot. It will probably nor have any negative effect either… ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/15 "2018-02-20T03:37:27Z")
Thanks Mike, I do see what you’re saying. And after the slab planting live stream I figured someone would point that out… lol. My goal in the composition was to basically replicate the areas I collect from. The trees are growing in small pockets of soil surrounded by LOTS of granite, and for now that’s what this accomplishes for me. I do totally understand the ideals Ryan was talking about though, and maybe down the road I’ll adjust the composition. The stream also has me toying with the idea of adding a tree or two in the future. ---
**Author:** ![BackcountryDan](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/backcountrydan/32/198_2.png) [@BackcountryDan](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BackcountryDan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/16 "2018-02-20T03:38:59Z")
Thanks Rafi, That’s certainly a possibility. Do you think this will happen significantly more so than with the drainage holes in a pot? ---
**Author:** ![rafi](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/rafi/32/103_2.png) [@rafi](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/rafi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/17 "2018-02-20T16:16:19Z")
no I don’t think it will happen more than with the drainage holes, I just wonder if the effort is worth it… ---
**Author:** ![Eikantoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e95f7d/32.png) [@Eikantoki](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Eikantoki)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:43am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/18 "2018-02-21T04:43:27Z")
I don’t see a need for the french drain on a slab . Aeration layer should do the job. Won’t hurt anything, just use soil volume. ---
**Author:** ![BillsBayou](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/billsbayou/32/366_2.png) [@BillsBayou](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/BillsBayou)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/19 "2018-03-06T16:37:01Z")
I find that just letting the water find its own way out works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Eikantoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e95f7d/32.png) [@Eikantoki](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/Eikantoki)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261/20 "2018-11-29T19:55:47Z")
Is this where I’m supposed to contact you about the lava source, I want pumice too. [Next page](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/limber-slab-planting-french-drain/261.md?page=2)