Just put a post about this along with pictures on the blog linked above, but a question here for those more experienced with proper bonsai than myself.

I have two goals with this project, create a nice themed display, and make an attractive bonsai. Thing is, the two goals are having a bit of a conflict at the moment.

On the side of the plant itself, the bigger the rock, the better the bonsai will look. Bigger rock means more height and greater surface area, which means more roots to display.

On the theme side, the rock (the skull, in this case) itself looks better the flatter and more buried it is.

So what wins out, the higher volume and intricacy of the roots, the better visual style of the setting, or some level of compromise between the two extremes?

I would definitely go for #2 in my sleep, the point being that the tree is the focal point (is it not?), not your 'rock'. If you want to show off the rock, use it in a different setting, but not as the star of a bonsai.

Where would one buy a skull like,the one you have from?

I got mine off amazon. Just look for "human skull resin" and it should pop up.

Update for anyone not reading the blog regularly (which would be all of you :P ), the container is finished and I'm currently working on an interesting take on how to hold the roots in place once its ready for that. No wrapping in plastic, but instead making a mold out of insulation foam.

Dunno if its the best idea ever or a complete waste of time, but at least its fun!

I think you guys belong on an arts and crafts forum... this one's about bonsai!

This post was edited by moochinka on Sun, Dec 21, 14 at 6:20

If you're looking for instant bonsai gratification, you ain't gonna get it! :)

While your blog and photos of your container are really phenomenal, bonsai containers are usually dictated by the tree, not the other way around.

What you may want to do, if you want something relatively quick, is go to a nursery and purchase a juniper tree in a small tub, with plenty of foliage and an interesting trunk. Don't look for the "prettiest" juniper, but the most well developed and something that you can reduce the root system by one-third, without killing the tree and will fit your container (allowing for drainage pebbles and soil).

If you decide to go with the Carolina Reaper, just remember, once the plant flowers and produces the peppers, it will die. :(

Even though you have a "Reaper" theme, all the beautiful work to plant something that will die in a year (or two at the very most), seems like an effort in futility,

Grow the Carolina Reaper as it was intended and get yourself a Juniper for the container. The sketch you show on Friday, December 5, 2014, would work with a Juniper and look really great, but it will take a lot of patience. Getting a larger juniper in a tub will give you a larger root system to work with for draping over the skull. You will have to keep the bare roots over the skull moist for quite some time, until the roots develop in the base of the container.

I hope you added drainage holes on the bottom of the container... ???

This post was edited by Sparrow18 on Sun, Dec 21, 14 at 17:16

Actually no, peppers will not die after they fruit. Peppers are perennials in their native environments. They'll live for 10-15 years+ as long as you don't allow them to freeze, and they overwinter indoors pretty easily.

This is my best ghost pepper that is currently overwintering, and it'll be going into it's 4th season this spring:
{{gwi:2117706}}

They make for excellent bonsai material because they will grow to an acceptable trunk size in a single season (and continue to bulk up every year after that), and have a relatively long lifespan (I've never actually heard of a pepper plant dying from old age, its always a careless freeze that kills them, or people pulling them when pod production drops after about 5 years).

And yes, the container has a drainage hole in the bottom.

This post was edited by Edymnion on Mon, Dec 22, 14 at 10:01

Interesting and agree about the trunks of peppers. They get woody quickly which is a big plus. Not familiar with the Carolina Reaper variety (may ordered seeds and give it a shot), but have been growing tiny hot peppers (seeds originally from my grandmother, from Slovakia, from the late 1800's - no idea of variety except they are tasteless, extremely hot, top out at about 8" tall) and propagate seeds from previous years' batches. The longest these live has been 2 years and I am very neurotic about caring for my plants. Everything is grown indoors, peppers near windows that are always open. Perhaps indoor conditions are not allowing a normal life-cycle, thus the shorter life span.

Good for drainage holes! Would love to see this when completed. As an old biker-lady, I appreciate the theme, :)

If a plant is 'cold hardy' like peppers, then they need to have a dormant time in the cold or they won't live long. If where you live is TOO cold to leave them out even with protection, you can't bonsai them, only grow them indoors for a short time.

Zone 6 "indoors only" :)

Your post explains why mine are maxing out at 2 years. Will be planting again shortly, but with the next batch will refrigerate one small pot, December - March, to see what happens. A minimum 3 year project.

As you can see from the older photo (this was in the EU where I had perfect south-east exposure with windows around the entire room. It was a magnificent apartment for light), numerous seeds started in a small container produce a very bushy end-product. The roots are very fine and over-crowding never seemed to bother them. These were planted in 6 down and 8 across rows. I will sometimes remove a few that are being squeezed out.

Refrigerate only from early Nov. thru Jan... because even though cold might still be wanted in Feb., that's when light is more important to start buds growing and the 2.5-3 mo. dormancy should be more than enough for peppers.

Thank you for the information. Sincerely appreciated.

Thanks for getting back with me.I was wanting to do something like this.Read your blog,Thanks again

There is absolutely no cold period required for peppers. That's a recipe for disaster, particularly with the heavy type of potting mix that most growers use.

I have a nearly 7 year-old Hungarian Wax that I've overwintered in a warm windowsill each Winter.

Josh

Yeah, peppers are native to the tropics, they do not take well to cold at all. I wouldn't let them be in anything under 50 degrees, personally. Whenever I see the forecast dropping into the 40's in the spring/fall, I bring the peppers inside.

Hungarian Wax....

That looks rad.

Josh

That's awesome!