I Likeus the Ficus

[Mellow Mullet]

Do you plan to shorten the canopy a bit more? It looks like you have already shortened it a few inches. The last picture has an almost half circle type shape but you usually see an umbrella type shape with this style of Ficus. Just an observation on an already nice tree.

I may shorten it some more. I have been slowly chasing the foliage back and have shortened it by probably 8+ inches. After it fills in I will see what more I can do. I am thinking that if I let the canopy go wider it will have the same effect as shortening it.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

UPDATE:

Repot and a new pot. I think that the pot may be too small, I might have to rethink it. What say you?

Here is what I started with today. I think that I have made some decent progress in chasing the foliage back, especially if you compare where it is now to where it was in the OP.


The new pot, made by a local potter, Shawn Reynolds and fired and glazed by fellow club member Barry Wyatt.





For this repot, I will be using the soon to be world famous Heart of Dixie Blend for substrate



Removing some wire



Tons of new roots and a very thick root mass

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Combing the roots out





Don't know what this weed is but pray that you don't get it.



All teased out



Trimmed and ready for the new pot

 

[Mellow Mullet]

A bird's eye view



All potted up. Still only have a warm fuzzy on the pot, but it was all that I had on hand. I may have to look for something else. The tethers had little effect on branch positioning so I will be applying more wire soon.

 

[just.wing.it]

Looking great dude! I like the litte fern too

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Looking great dude! I like the litte fern too

Thanks! Then fern was a volunteer, was gonna trash it, but decided keep it for now

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Don't be afraid to let that ficus fill out the pot with strong roots. They do not mind tight roots, but if you repot too often you won't let the tree really bulk up.

Also, I use defoliation as a development method on all of my developing ficus. I wait until early spring when they are waking up from winter (March or so here in southern Cal), and I defoliate them completely. If you do it at just the right time you will see only limited sap flow from the wounds. Then I wire the branch structure while the ficus is completely leafless. My ficus are right now just starting to push new growth everywhere. Once the growth sets, I remove the wire. I want the new growth completely hardened and set by June in time for the July heat.

Only do this with strong trees in development. As the tree matures, you can do partial defoliations on the outer pads, while leaving the inner growth alone, and the tree will fill out strongly from the inside out. If you do not defoliate (or at least heavily thin) the outer growth, the inner growth will get blocked from light and will weaken and die back.

 

[Omar]

Pictures keep getting nicer with every post, awesome tree. More pics!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Don't be afraid to let that ficus fill out the pot with strong roots. They do not mind tight roots, but if you repot too often you won't let the tree really bulk up.

Also, I use defoliation as a development method on all of my developing ficus. I wait until early spring when they are waking up from winter (March or so here in southern Cal), and I defoliate them completely. If you do it at just the right time you will see only limited sap flow from the wounds. Then I wire the branch structure while the ficus is completely leafless. My ficus are right now just starting to push new growth everywhere. Once the growth sets, I remove the wire. I want the new growth completely hardened and set by June in time for the July heat.

Only do this with strong trees in development. As the tree matures, you can do partial defoliations on the outer pads, while leaving the inner growth alone, and the tree will fill out strongly from the inside out. If you do not defoliate (or at least heavily thin) the outer growth, the inner growth will get blocked from light and will weaken and die back.

View attachment 141138

Thanks! I always hear defoliate, but never had clear instructions on how much and when, this is very precise. Is that your tree? It is awesome!

John

 

[my nellie]

Nice!
However, I think a little more thinning out would only benefit the tree and the style... But what do I know?
And yes, the instructions about defoliation are very clear. So, thank you @Bonsai Nut !

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

This work was done a month ago, but I just got around to posting. I trimmed it back and I think I have finally got the growth chased back to the inside and I can start working on building some taper and structure to the tree. It is a beast when it come to growing.

Before:



After:

 

[Vin]

It's really looking good! I can almost picture an even greater lean to the left in the last image.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

It's really looking good! I can almost picture an even greater lean to the left in the last image.

Great minds think alike. I hope to give it a little more lean to the left at the next repot.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

With all of the rain and heat, this guy has exploded with growth and I decided it need at trim.

Before:









A lot of members here suggested that I defoliate, so I took a walk on the wild side and did it.









I had a multitude of leaf sizes on it.



I started wiring it, unfortunately, I ran out of day light. I hope to finish tomorrow and will post pictures.

 

[GrimLore]

I started wiring it, unfortunately, I ran out of day light. I hope to finish tomorrow and will post pictures.

I just saw this post today! The pot is not my 'cup of tea" - I am still stuck in the "unglazed" part of my journey but that's just me That defoliation reminds me so much of Crystal snipping away for hours on far smaller plants. Last year after bringing a few in for the Winter the did not pout and drop - a couple of weeks in off they came via snips!
I must admit though it certainly helps in designing/working them. Nice work and plant as usual!

Edit - Do you ever sleep? Your site is coming along great too! http://www.heartofdixiebonsai.com/

Grimmy

 

[BigBen]

Very nice tree Mellow Mullett, and thanks for sharing your updates with us.

BigBen

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Thanks! I'll sleep when I am dead, lol.

Here are the wired-out pictures.

 

[Beanwagon]

Epic

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I just completed a fifteen year progression about this tree on my website, www.heartofdixiebonsai.com, if anyone is interested. Just click on the menu item "tree progressions", then "ficus", then "ficus benjamina exotica". For some reason when l post the link it jumbles it up. Let me know what you think.

John

 

[justBonsai]

I just completed a fifteen year progression about this tree on my website, www.heartofdixiebonsai.com, if anyone is interested. Just click on the menu item "tree progressions", then "ficus", then "ficus benjamina exotica". For some reason when l post the link it jumbles it up. Let me know what you think.

John

Cool website, I like it a lot. Love how wild the nebari became compared to the 2002 shot.

If you don't mind me asking, did you build the website from scratch or off some platform?