Using moss to cover the above soil roots have worked great for me because I’m able to set my bonsai exactly the way I want it to appear in the finish setting. I do bring the soil up a little higher on the base to ensure that the lower roots are covered until my root system is established. With the moss I’m able to push the roots tight to the crevices of the rock without damaging the roots when I wire it up. I also keep the roots above the soil moist as needed depending on the bonsai’s need with a spray bottle.
I saw in another comment that the trees were 3 & 4 year old seedlings, and it was a fantastic video. I wonder if you might show us the planting in the ground. Where you do it, full-sun etc any details are great to learn from. I know it might sound silly but seeing things in detail really helps us newbies with confidence. Thanks for doing the video I feel more confident know. Cheers
Hi David. Just watched this root over rock trident video! Another great informative piece! As ever, thanks for taking the time to put these together! Quick question; how often do you lift the trees to check the roots are growing where/how you want? For example, I’ve set two up in spring this year - sometime in March I think it was (I’m from the U.K.) - should I be lifting them next spring and checking the roots are going where I planned, wire not cutting in etc? Or do you just leave for 2/3/4 years? Many thanks, Andy
Andy Johnson usually I don’t even look until at least two years. Sometimes even longer. They haven’t done enough in one year. If in the ground and it shows significant trunk growth and long branches formed etc, then two years you can check. The amount of growth determines when I will check the roots. Hope that helps.
Great work David, hoping to find some roots that suit in my seedlings! Neil wraps his in tinfoil which works really well for him also. Keep up the great work mate
I worry about the wire cutting into the roots, so I have tied an oak over a rock with bailing twine (Heaps of that here!) I was also wondering about raffia, as it would rot over time, but the race would be to see if it held for long enough for the roots to cling. TIme will tell, I guess. Thank you!
Hi, I did this with a serissa, but I left the first 1/2” of root ball above ground. I know they are sensitive plants, the leaves are yellowing n falling, so I was spraying water over roots several days. It continued to lose leaves so i went ahead and mounded soil over roots and gave it a good watering. Concerned I exposed roots too soon🤔. So, when is it time to expose roots? And is the purpose of burying the roots, to allow it to recover from the intense root handling until further date? Ive watched several videos that show HOW to do the root over rock technique, but i dont think it has explained that part. Thank you. Also, I was thinking, since you struggled a bit to affix the root tightly against the concave part of the rock, if think if you put a small rock over the root at that part, it should be tight when you wrap string. 😃
Keeps the tree health and growing strong. I know that this will take a couple of years at least for the roots to clamp onto the rock so I won’t even check these for at least two years. By then the roots should have thickened and clasped the rock. I would have a look and see how it’s going and I’m in no rush to expose the roots until they have hardened off and are thick.
@@Bonsaiworx thanks, just wanted an idea of how old they need to be. Got my first batch of trident seeds that I'll be sowing soon, spring is also getting closer here in South Africa
Hi David. Other people have told me they use stuff called “muck” (a sort of sticky clay) to attached the roots to the rock (instead of wire) then wrap the roots & rock in cling wrap, then bury the whole lot in dirt etc. Any comments on this. Regards, Peter (Sydney, Australia)
Yep there are so many ways of doing this. Raffia, twine and so many things to press the roots against the rock. Muck sound good but I have never tried it. Might be an issue if it is buried in soil and gets too wet. It might dissolve. I was taught this technique by a long serving member of my club who learnt it from Japan many years ago. He produces some of the best root over rock tridents around.
Sovereign Prax its very unlikely to scar even after two years. The Japanese used to leave the wire on forever and the roots eventually grow over them and take over. But I lift every two years and check so I don’t have that issue.
Using moss to cover the above soil roots have worked great for me because I’m able to set my bonsai exactly the way I want it to appear in the finish setting. I do bring the soil up a little higher on the base to ensure that the lower roots are covered until my root system is established. With the moss I’m able to push the roots tight to the crevices of the rock without damaging the roots when I wire it up. I also keep the roots above the soil moist as needed depending on the bonsai’s need with a spray bottle.
I saw in another comment that the trees were 3 & 4 year old seedlings, and it was a fantastic video. I wonder if you might show us the planting in the ground. Where you do it, full-sun etc any details are great to learn from. I know it might sound silly but seeing things in detail really helps us newbies with confidence. Thanks for doing the video I feel more confident know. Cheers
Thanks for sharing,
You’re welcome.
Very helpful video always like to do this roots over rock,will try.Thanks.
Love your vids mate!!!
Hi David. Just watched this root over rock trident video! Another great informative piece! As ever, thanks for taking the time to put these together! Quick question; how often do you lift the trees to check the roots are growing where/how you want? For example, I’ve set two up in spring this year - sometime in March I think it was (I’m from the U.K.) - should I be lifting them next spring and checking the roots are going where I planned, wire not cutting in etc? Or do you just leave for 2/3/4 years? Many thanks, Andy
Andy Johnson usually I don’t even look until at least two years. Sometimes even longer. They haven’t done enough in one year. If in the ground and it shows significant trunk growth and long branches formed etc, then two years you can check. The amount of growth determines when I will check the roots. Hope that helps.
BonsaiDavid Brilliant - Thanks David
Great work David, hoping to find some roots that suit in my seedlings! Neil wraps his in tinfoil which works really well for him also. Keep up the great work mate
Good luck. Neil is a master at root over rock. He has endless supply of tridents which is great.
i'm doing a few myself but also have one i got from Neil and i love it
I worry about the wire cutting into the roots, so I have tied an oak over a rock with bailing twine (Heaps of that here!) I was also wondering about raffia, as it would rot over time, but the race would be to see if it held for long enough for the roots to cling. TIme will tell, I guess. Thank you!
Hi, I did this with a serissa, but I left the first 1/2” of root ball above ground. I know they are sensitive plants, the leaves are yellowing n falling, so I was spraying water over roots several days. It continued to lose leaves so i went ahead and mounded soil over roots and gave it a good watering. Concerned I exposed roots too soon🤔. So, when is it time to expose roots? And is the purpose of burying the roots, to allow it to recover from the intense root handling until further date? Ive watched several videos that show HOW to do the root over rock technique, but i dont think it has explained that part.
Thank you.
Also, I was thinking, since you struggled a bit to affix the root tightly against the concave part of the rock, if think if you put a small rock over the root at that part, it should be tight when you wrap string. 😃
Bury and covering the roots allows then to keep the roots moist and growing.
Keeps the tree health and growing strong. I know that this will take a couple of years at least for the roots to clamp onto the rock so I won’t even check these for at least two years. By then the roots should have thickened and clasped the rock. I would have a look and see how it’s going and I’m in no rush to expose the roots until they have hardened off and are thick.
Thank you so much!
How old were both of those tridents David?
I think 3 years from seed for the new one I put on the rock and 4 years from sees for the one already on the rock.
@@Bonsaiworx thanks, just wanted an idea of how old they need to be. Got my first batch of trident seeds that I'll be sowing soon, spring is also getting closer here in South Africa
Hi David. Other people have told me they use stuff called “muck” (a sort of sticky clay) to attached the roots to the rock (instead of wire) then wrap the roots & rock in cling wrap, then bury the whole lot in dirt etc. Any comments on this. Regards, Peter (Sydney, Australia)
Yep there are so many ways of doing this. Raffia, twine and so many things to press the roots against the rock. Muck sound good but I have never tried it. Might be an issue if it is buried in soil and gets too wet. It might dissolve.
I was taught this technique by a long serving member of my club who learnt it from Japan many years ago. He produces some of the best root over rock tridents around.
how do you stop the scarring from the wire on the roots
Sovereign Prax its very unlikely to scar even after two years. The Japanese used to leave the wire on forever and the roots eventually grow over them and take over. But I lift every two years and check so I don’t have that issue.
I use small prices of polystyrene between the wire, to push roots into crevices.
great idea
Or cut wedges from wine corks. It cushions the roots too against the wire..
Moss works great for above soil roots until they mature around the rock