Ficus b. (too ugly)

MrFancyPlants · Dec 4, 2012

This one I actually just repotted in order to fit in to my new led enclosure. It was quite healthy looking just a couple days ago, but I have since removed about 60% of the foliage in order to get it into the aquarium and also to let some light down to the first branch. I was surprised that the base is coming along quite nicely... I removed a few roots from the top and lifted it up a bit in the smaller pot and i suspect it will be raised significantly on its next repotting as well. There are more than just two fat roots under there somewhere.

I think taper is my next major priority, and I suspect I'll remove the straight section once it is growing well next summer. I wonder if the bark would match if I grafted a too little var to this one?

NewWorldBonsai · Dec 5, 2012

If you want to hide your grafts wait until you have all your primary branching (and even secondary). You can then prune back the branch and graft directly into it. This way when the graft takes hold the whole graft union and donor branch will be hidden with growth.

Showing your ficus bare will be another issue...

Even without grafting you'll eventually be able to get benjamina leaves down to 1" and under.

MrFancyPlants · Mar 2, 2013

I've already hacked this one back since the last photo, and I'm about to again. I am leaving the straight portion on for now but will try to take a cutting of just the top this summer. I am trying to decide whether to go back to the first second or third branch when I remove the top.

MrFancyPlants · Mar 2, 2013

Thanks for putting up with my long shot material.

KennedyMarx · Mar 2, 2013

Looking like it's developing well so far to me. If you pinch the bud at the apex you might get it to back bud lower down on the straight portion so you can cut back to that.

mat · Mar 2, 2013

KennedyMarx said:
Looking like it's developing well so far to me. If you pinch the bud at the apex you might get it to back bud lower down on the straight portion so you can cut back to that.

This. Or, if it were mine I'd let that apex build strength, then chop it off this summer. Either way, that long straight portion has to go.

k2bonsai · Mar 3, 2013

If this were my ficus and i have many being in Australia, i would keep the bottom branch and let it grow unrestricted as a sacrifice. This will help to maintain and build a fat trunk base. Your second branch for my mind would be your new leader and just let it grow also until it is about 2/3 the thickness of the trunk where it parts from. Once at this stage then chop it about 1-2" from where he branch starts now and then allow a new leader to form taking back in the other direction. Keep repeating this. If you get more new branc
hes than just a new leader it is perfect, keep 1 as a new sacrifice to keep thickening the second stage of the trunk.

keep any other branches that for on he tree and allow lots of growth, but trim so that the leadet and sacrifice get he moat energy. When you are happy with the trunk then, and only if the tree has had at least a full year of good growth without major work and showing huge health, chop the branches and then start growing your branches in the most ideal places.

Of course some root work will need to be done in between. All up a great lottle starter you have there!

MrFancyPlants · Mar 3, 2013

Great, thanks. That will be my new general strategy with this guy. You are right I shouldn't have touched the first branch this time around to help w the taper. I think I even planned that before, but I is hard not get get a little impatient here in the cold season. I was trying to induce some back budding for some new options later. Fortunately this guy seems to be pushing a lot of growth in the new LED enclosure this winter, so I think he'll recover quickly.

k2bonsai · Mar 4, 2013

Patience is the key, especially where you have cold winters as you get reduced growing seasons for ficus. Here in Sydney my ficus grow all year round.

Simple principle to remember: If you want to thicken a trunk fast you need to let it grow without any trimming. The more leaves the more energy is being drawn up the trunk. With my maplei let the leader grow completely unhindered for a full season, then chop end of winter and pick a new leader and let it grow untouched. You can apply the same to the ficus.

MrFancyPlants · Mar 18, 2013

Update:
A lot of new growth, and it is even small up near the top. Somehow it managed to get a few ants even inside the aquarium.

Redwood Ryan · Mar 18, 2013

MrFancyPlants said:
View attachment 32595
Update:
A lot of new growth, and it is even small up near the top. Somehow it managed to get a few ants even inside the aquarium.

Careful, they can be a sign of bugs.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 14, 2013

Update, I chopped and repotted today. Martha from Meehans stopped by our club on Sat and gave me some encouragement. She noted a couple berries on this guy and commented positively about his health and also informed me that it is of the variety "Christine," which is very interesting that it is a variety, because I forget where I got it from and I have always enjoyed it's dense growth and graceful habit.

Sorry for the slow reveal, it got too dark to post the finished product, so I'll post tomorrow.

Redwood Ryan · Jul 14, 2013

MrFancyPlants said:
Update, I chopped and repotted today. Martha from Meehans stopped by our club on Sat and gave me some encouragement.

So that's where she was! I was up at their place on Saturday and she was nowhere to be found.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 14, 2013

One question before I go, I plan on letting the top dry out over night because I hear from multiple sources that it increases the success rate for thicker cuttings. I was also debating trying the potato method by sticking the spike of the formerly useless straight trunk in a potato.. Has anyone tried this? Should I put the cambium into the potato like a graft? Or should I just use it to stabilize the cutting?

Redwood Ryan · Jul 14, 2013

MrFancyPlants said:
View attachment 38531

One question before I go, I plan on letting the top dry out over night because I hear from multiple sources that it increases the success rate for thicker cuttings. I was also debating trying the potato method by sticking the spike of the formerly useless straight trunk in a potato.. Has anyone tried this? Should I put the cambium into the potato like a graft? Or should I just use it to stabilize the cutting?

I haven't found that it really matters whether or not the cuttings dry out before you root them. Can't comment on the potato method, I just root mine in water

MrFancyPlants · Jul 15, 2013

Thanks Ryan.

I've had success w willow leaf in water, but wasn't sure about benjamina. Hmm

Redwood Ryan · Jul 15, 2013

MrFancyPlants said:
Thanks Ryan.

I've had success w willow leaf in water, but wasn't sure about benjamina. Hmm

Ficus is a ficus, I've had good luck with all species rooting in water.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 15, 2013

I think the first photo will be close to my eventual front but I am open to suggestions. I let my wife pick out the pot from a group of close to appropriately sized options. Although the shallow pot should help the surface roots out a bit, eventually I see it in a squat deeper pot. I am also debating keeping or cutting the third branch on the top. The angle of the movement is not real natural although it may become more natural with time? Or I just cut it off later.

I am almost more excited about the cutting than this base; I hope it roots. I ended up putting it in a mix close to my standard mix and crossing my fingers. It has real nice ramification since I kept cutting it back real hard when I knew it was going to be removed for the last 8 months.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 17, 2013

I would appreciate some feedback on the repot. I know it is not at the right orientation for the supposed front, but the front is still up in the air and I wanted to give the areas that need root development more space.

feedback appreciated on:

keep or lose the third branch up. (I could wire it a bit straighter)

suggested fronts

suggested size/shape/color for the future pot

photography tips

Thank you,
David

KennedyMarx · Jul 17, 2013

I like the color of the current pot, but I think something light blue or green could work well. I think I would have put it in a deeper pot for development. Mounding soil near the trunk bothers me because it seems like it gradually rolls to the edge of the pot and onto the ground.

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