New Tigerbark Pre-Bonsai help

[Scrogdor]

I'm fairly new to bonsai and recently bought this awesome Tiger Bark Ficus pre-bonsai. It was shipped me to me across country to California (San Francisco Bay area) and in transit for 2 1/2 days.

My questions are:
1) What's a typical time to let this recover from shipping before I can repot it, and is there a best time of year to do this?
2) I was planning on keeping this by a north/east facing window with TONS of indirect light, the room is very well lit, and it would receive about 1-2 hours of direct morning sun each day. Is this enough?
3) Since it's about 22" tall including the pot, I've had trouble finding grow lights that clip onto a desk that are tall enough to be above it. Would it be alright to have the grow light shine light on it from the side?

Appreciate everyone's help. Thanks!

 

[Forsoothe!]

Growing seasons around the world vary widely and it is difficult to get a perspective on what someone says when we don't know where in the world they are. If you go to the upper right hand corner and click on your Icon, you can add your location and people will be able to customize advice for you, and you might connect with another local.




<<<<< It will show here.

 

[Forsoothe!]

It might shed leaves if it has not been acclimated to to low light. They would be replaced, over time. Normally the leaves point at the sun, -up. Side lighting may result in leaves emerging more sideways and the top of the plant could become more "empty". It could be helpful if you can place a mirror tile underneath it to distribute more light.

 

[Scrogdor]

I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area. Zone 10A-10B. Mostly stays above 40 degrees here except for a couple weeks in December usually. At that point I’ll bring my trees inside

 

[Maiden69]

Why not leave it outside? Ficus trees are not indoor trees as some sellers advertise them to be. If you bring it inside it will start to grow leggy with long internodes. If this was my tree I would be air-layering that broomstick head and then chopping the trunk a few inches above soil level.

In Spanish, but I would do the same thing David did here...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area. Zone 10A-10B. Mostly stays above 40 degrees here except for a couple weeks in December usually. At that point I’ll bring my trees inside

When I lived in Orange County, CA, I had ficus in my landscape. Definitely keep this tree outdoors unless there is risk of a hard frost. My ficus bonsai did not bat an eye at nighttime temps in the low 40's.

 

[Scrogdor]

Why not leave it outside? Ficus trees are not indoor trees as some sellers advertise them to be. If you bring it inside it will start to grow leggy with long internodes. If this was my tree I would be air-layering that broomstick head and then chopping the trunk a few inches above soil level.

In Spanish, but I would do the same thing David did here...

I actually like the shape of this bonsai. For now I’ll leave it alone.

When I lived in Orange County, CA, I had ficus in my landscape. Definitely keep this tree outdoors unless there is risk of a hard frost. My ficus bonsai did not bat an eye at nighttime temps in the low 40's.

Will grow lights not work? It’s not really an option to put it outside. I only have a balcony that already has 7-8 other trees out there. My other half wants one inside. The other option is moving my premna inside inter the grow light.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Will grow lights not work? It’s not really an option to put it outside. I only have a balcony that already has 7-8 other trees out there. My other half wants one inside. The other option is moving my premna inside inter the grow light.

They are relatively forgiving, and are one of the few trees that you can grow indoors... however they will grow differently in low humidity and low light versus if you had them outside. They will do fine in a sunny window, and if you have a grow light to shine on the 'dark' side of the tree it will help prevent bald spots from occurring. You can also rotate the tree every week to give one side the sun every other week. When I moved to NC, I only brought one ficus with me because I knew I had to limit my number of true tropicals because I didn't have enough room to overwinter them indoors. I brought the ficus inside on the 3rd week of December (first night that they forecast frost) and it was back outside the 1st week of March... so about 10 weeks indoors in a sunny window and it is doing fine. However the sun and humidity will allow you to be much more aggressive with the tree (defoliating, etc) and you will get tighter, more compact growth.

 

[Scrogdor]

They are relatively forgiving, and are one of the few trees that you can grow indoors... however they will grow differently in low humidity and low light versus if you had them outside. They will do fine in a sunny window, and if you have a grow light to shine on the 'dark' side of the tree it will help prevent bald spots from occurring. You can also rotate the tree every week to give one side the sun every other week. When I moved to NC, I only brought one ficus with me because I knew I had to limit my number of true tropicals because I didn't have enough room to overwinter them indoors. I brought the ficus inside on the 3rd week of December (first night that they forecast frost) and it was back outside the 1st week of March... so about 10 weeks indoors in a sunny window and it is doing fine. However the sun and humidity will allow you to be much more aggressive with the tree (defoliating, etc) and you will get tighter, more compact growth.

Ah thank you for the details, that all makes sense. Also sounds weird to do, but since it's going to be right next to a huge sliding glass door to my balcony, could I just put it outside a few days a week and bring it back inside at night? Right now the trees I have outside are a Trident Maple, Live oak, Bucida , a Premna, and a chinese elm + our lime tree and Olive tree that aren't bonsai. I figured the best one to live inside under some grow lights and misting would be the Tiger Bark. I'm a grad student who is virtual right now so I"m pretty much home all day, I wouldn't mind moving it in and out.

 

[Maiden69]

Here is the difference between inside and outside growth. I use a Bloomspect 600W on my ficus when I bring it inside for the coldest part of the mild winter we get here in Central TX. Ficus grow year round, except for a few breaks when it is extremely cold or hot. The yellow square shows the growth habit outside in full sun (8am-6pm), the red shows the growth under the grow lights (8am-6pm in addition to placing it in a south facing window).



Bloomspect

 

[Cadillactaste]

Jerry Meislik grows all his ficus inside. It can be done. If your internodes are longer and it appears go get leggy. You need better lighting. I have no issues with winter growing inside with my internodes. If it's dry you can add a humidifier. Indoors most of the time winter causes the humidity in the air to lower from ones heating.

 

[Maiden69]

@Cadillactaste how much do your ficus grow while indoors? I have the 600w light right above them and I am supplementing with 2 Feit Electric (16-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Medium E26 Base Indoor and Outdoor Full Spectrum Plant Grow LED Light Bulb) and I still got long internodes. The top light is set about 18" from the top of the tree when I move it inside, by the end of the "winter" if I don't trim the tree the branches will be touching or past the light height. Last winter I had just that ficus, this winter I am working on 3. That large one, one shohin and another that is about to be planted over a rock (if I find one I like...) and I am planning on getting this grow tent or something slightly smaller and setting it on its side so that I can bring the ficus in and probably start some propagation over the winter. The difference in growth and behavior from indoors - outdoors is remarkable.

 

[Cadillactaste]

@Cadillactaste how much do your ficus grow while indoors? I have the 600w light right above them and I am supplementing with 2 Feit Electric (16-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Medium E26 Base Indoor and Outdoor Full Spectrum Plant Grow LED Light Bulb) and I still got long internodes. The top light is set about 18" from the top of the tree when I move it inside, by the end of the "winter" if I don't trim the tree the branches will be touching or past the light height. Last winter I had just that ficus, this winter I am working on 3. That large one, one shohin and another that is about to be planted over a rock (if I find one I like...) and I am planning on getting this grow tent or something slightly smaller and setting it on its side so that I can bring the ficus in and probably start some propagation over the winter. The difference in growth and behavior from indoors - outdoors is remarkable.

Agree, nothing is like natural light. Mine needed trimmed a few times through out winter for sure. Leaves burning up inside the grow lights when left to go to long. My internodes stayed tight though.

How far was your bulbs from your foliage? To far away may have caused leggy growth possibly.

 

[Maiden69]

Agree, nothing is like natural light. Mine needed trimmed a few times through out winter for sure. Leaves burning up inside the grow lights when left to go to long. My internodes stayed tight though.

How far was your bulbs from your foliage? To far away may have caused leggy growth possibly.

I have a dual outlet timer, one for the Bloomspect and the other one for my light tri-pod. I'll try to post pics today. Comes on at 8am off at 5pm.

The bloomspect was about 18" above the tree, the tripod is sitting on the side about the same distance from the tree. Below is a pic of the Ikea shelf unit I use. The bloomspect is screwed in to the top shelve hanging with chains about 1/3 the way down. The tree sits in the second shelf from the top, I use the 3rd shelf for cuttings, and the bottom holds my water bottles, fertilizer, etc...

 

[Cadillactaste]

Ahhh I do 18 hours on... tight internodes. Guy up north had me increase my time for my lights. Rick Skursky...gave me that advice. My trees did better with longer time under the lights.

 

[Scrogdor]

Jerry Meislik grows all his ficus inside. It can be done. If your internodes are longer and it appears go get leggy. You need better lighting. I have no issues with winter growing inside with my internodes. If it's dry you can add a humidifier. Indoors most of the time winter causes the humidity in the air to lower from ones heating.

I'll post a picture with my set up once these new taller lights are here. The plant is 22" high so I've had trouble finding lights that are high enough from the desk it's on. I have a Premna that is about 15", and a thick trunk Chinese Elm shohin that's about 10" that could work if getting the light way above them is a big difference maker.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'll post a picture with my set up once these new taller lights are here. The plant is 22" high so I've had trouble finding lights that are high enough from the desk it's on. I have a Premna that is about 15", and a thick trunk Chinese Elm shohin that's about 10" that could work if getting the light way above them is a big difference maker.

Depends on the light. Most need the light to be close to the foliage.

 

[ShadyStump]

This is my set up for my new tree at work; ficus benjamina. I put it on a timer that was running 12 hours a day, but I upped it an hour after last weekend. Came back on Monday and saw some lower leaves had gone yellow.
27 PAR LED grow bulb in the desk lamp. I rotate the tree VERY frequently, like a couple times a day out of boredom, and when I think a certain area could use more light. No window light to speak of. Otherwise it's been doing well for a the last few weeks since I brought it in, and is budding new foliage.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Ya know, If you don't trim for compactness and just expect things to grow compact because it's in good light conditions, you still have to trim for compactness, or you won't get it. This is pretty circular.

 

[ShadyStump]

Ya know, If you don't trim for compactness and just expect things to grow compact because it's in good light conditions, you still have to trim for compactness, or you won't get it. This is pretty circular.

Well, yes, you still need a bit of both for best results. Just illustrating that a fairly cheap makeshift lighting system will suffice for @Scrogdor's needs and resources.
The most expensive item was a high powered grow bulb for $26 at Home Depot. The lamp came from the thrift shop for $2, and the timer was $8 at Walmart. Found the box to set the lamp higher in a storage closet at work. Takes up about one foot at the end of my desk, and all my coworkers think it's cool having tree in the site.

I got an 18" fluorescent light with a 15W plant and aquarium bulb- about $20 total, mostly for the bulb, thrift shopping again- that I'm going to find a way to mount in the book shelves so I have more desk space. It won't be as bright as I'd like, but I'll figure something out.
Those pocket sized mylar emergency space blankets do pretty well as a reflector, but then aluminum foil or even just setting your tree in a disposable foils roasting pan will do the job. All are dollar store items.