I’m going to prepare rocks to grow root over rock this spring. My question is what material do you suggest to adhere to the bottom of the rocks to help them stand up in the pot and be stable? Something that the roots won’t mind growing next to, doesn’t break down and leach like cement, will last a long time. Your thoughts on possible materials?
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I’ve believe in both the root over rock design stream and the beech forest stream Ryan talks about using scrap wood between the rock(s) and the pot. I think with a layer of gasket rubber too.
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I’m really no expert, but I‘d recommend checking out SerpaDesign‘s terrarium builds on YouTube. He works a lot with silicon and foams to shape and attach landscaping elements in his designs. I think these techniques should work for bonsai too.
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I just put the base of the rock in a slightly deeper training pot with soil under it during the early development stages. My goal is to get roots around the bottom of the rock so the roots will support the composition in the shallow display pot. I like the idea of putting a wood block or piece of gasket between the base of the rock and the pot if it is not supported by the roots. I don’t like the idea of bonding the rock to the pot since the tree will grow/change and a different pot may be desired in the future. The downside to my approach is that I often have wires running up over the rock to stabilize it in the pot. Not really an issue if you are just getting the composition started, but not as attractive when first potted into a display pot.
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Aquarium grade silicon, 2 part epoxy or Jet Set which is a rapid setting concrete product
The silicon might be my first choice because it would allow expansion and contraction of the 2 materials being adhered together.
The epoxy and Jet Set will set up much faster.
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20 years ago, I set up a ‘trees on rocks in a suiban’. Used silicon RTV type bond of rock to tray. Tray gets filled with sand for viewing. Pretty tough and resiliant. Broke the pot… slid off stand and hit the ground. Rocks were still tight. Was able to cut the silicone off and re-glue to another suiban. Technique would work for over rock…?
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SerpaDesigns - I’ve been serial watching the videos! His work is very inspiring and I think that the expanding foam could be used in root over rock. He is a cleaver young man.
Depending on the rock, a person might want all of these materials available when planting or when repotting. The taller the rock, the more tippy it will be, the more support it will need.
Hi @Lani,
Are you asking how to tie the rock down? I have used stainless steel eye screws into plastic plugs.
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Initially, I was thinking about forming a flat bottom on the rock after noticing Jan Culick’s stones and how they are flat where they sit on the pot. I was wondering what material could be used that would adhere to the rock for a very long time, making the rock stable in the pot, as the tree grows over the rock and beyond into the transplanting into a bonsai container in the future.