Ficus styling advice

GrimLore

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It's probably not what you want to hear, but I would wait to do any cutting at all on it until late spring or early summer when it's outside.

Well put - My Wife does all the work on hers in the early part of Summer and they respond great. Some of her plants are over 18 years in her care so ...

@BK Bonsai! @cockroach has a good perspective on it - timed correctly in early Summer you could have a pretty darn nice plant there ;)

Grimmy
 

BK Bonsai

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@sorce and @cockroach Wow some really really great input. It really helped put things into perspective for me. I watched countless videos on how to correct reverse taper and it seemed that my ficus had some up top, but I didn't have the balls to say hey let me trunk chop this thing, and actually go through with it haha. I really like the style you went for @cockroach. I'm going to put it to work this weekend, and I'll update the thread with pics. Any type of wound paste that you guys recommend for that trunk chop? Something on the stronger/putty side I would assume?

@sorce I have a single 4 foot T5 going across that area, and two of those round lamps aimed low and to the middle.

@cockroach As for watering, I make a light mixture of jacks 20-20-20 fertilizer, a drop of super thrive for vitamins, and a couple of drops of micro nutrients as well. I use this watering mixture, every time I water my trees, and it has been working awesome so far for the last 6 months or more. What do you think?
 

sorce

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Sounds like you got this!

I don't think you really have to do anything to soon!

Truly seems to have a ton of options, which your understanding, as I see it, can only improve this thing with some patience.

You CAN take any of these options to success. I'd Smoke a few over it.
Maybe sip one. But by all means, don't rush!

Sorce
 

BK Bonsai

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@source @cockroach

Given I grow indoors under artificial light with a low/high temperature of 69/78 degrees, and a low/high humidity of 40/60% humidity, shouldn't I be able to start cutting away now? Or should I just go about wiring some branches correctly until march?
 

sorce

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@source @cockroach

Given I grow indoors under artificial light with a low/high temperature of 69/78 degrees, and a low/high humidity of 40/60% humidity, shouldn't I be able to start cutting away now? Or should I just go about wiring some branches correctly until march?

Straight real....there is conflicting info on this....so I dropped a rant in MattE's thread just yesterday.
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/newbie-questions-p.21641/page-4
It's an eye opener at least.

Some good recent contributions here too you may find useful.
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/apartment-bonsai.20159/

If I was you, unless that branch I labeled red is useful in the Cockroach approach...lol roachapproach...I would surely lop it....

And I outlined the green swoop prune, cuz there is going to be absolutely nothing lost in doing that, contrary, it will weaken the top(good), tidy that airlayer up there if you chose to take it, and could activate some inner budding.

Nothing but win win IMO.

Judging from the growth, and it seems you have pruned since October, says you'll have no problem doing some work now.....

But by all means, no need to rush, doesn't seem like anything will get out of hand anytime soon.

I'd see how it does for a bit with the wire on, give it a spell to get it growing, but at the first signs of good growth all around after a week to month with the wire on, you should be able to get in and do anything to it.

Sorce
 

GrimLore

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I'm going to put it to work this weekend, and I'll update the thread with pics.

It will be of great benefit to the plant if you wait until it is in full blown growing in early Summer.

Grimmy
 

BK Bonsai

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No worries @GrimLore, I think I'm just going to re-wire some branches correctly and let it recover until spring. Thanks!
 

sorce

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No worries @GrimLore, I think I'm just going to re-wire some branches correctly and let it recover until spring. Thanks!

You mind doing a Madden (virt) or explaining what you intend on fixing?

I still think this is sitting pretty for future development.

Cranking on wires seems futile IMO.

Let her rest in wire.

Loppin for benefits.....
I'm bout that....
But re-moving wired branches is dangerous......

Specially when this one is right perfect IMO. Perfect for the future, which you can not be afraid to look into in this game.!

Sorce
 

cockroach

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I would keep the frets full strength if you use fast draining substrate and water heavily. Walter Pall has a good article pertaining to this.
 

BK Bonsai

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@sorce Well after watching that colin lewis video, I realized I need to fix the way I wired it. Also, according to the @cockroach design, I need to add wire to branch D, move E and C down and out more, and A into its anticipated spot. I haven't done anything yet, but I was going to remove all that wire and do it the colin lewis way, following the @cockroach approach. :D Do you think I should just remove the wire completely and let it heal for a month? I just moved the branches like that on new years day.

@cockroach I agree with you about that soil. The bonsai instructor who gave me the plant said I should keep it in there, so I let it be. Do you think I should repot it into that rectangular training pot with bonsai soil now, or wait until spring like everything else?
 

sorce

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BK B.....

Sometimes I'd say remove the wire, it's good practice.....

But real for real!

I like this tree it's worth keeping healthy...

Healthy, is something you seem to have achieved quite well!

I don't want you to find out what unhealthy is like, by removing wire from a tree that is not bad IMO with it on there.

You have plenty o plenty o time!
Even that initial branch I red labeled for cut....you don't have to cut at all....

I'd rather you come back with a spring repot post, maybe we relook at it?

You'll never know if you wired safely the first time.....if you remove it now....you wont be able to gauge your hand well to do it the right way.....
And if it ails, you won't know what caused it....best wait til you know it's is growing, it shouldn't take more than a week or so from now to get a new leaf at each tip....
Then your good....then you can move on!

Sorce
 

BK Bonsai

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@sorce Ok, sorry to be a pain in the ass lol. You've been a big help along with everyone else who has posted. So when I see new growth on the branches that I wired, it is safe to remove the wire? Then leave it off until I'm ready to touch it up in the spring?
 

sorce

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Sounds like a good idea!

Brother, I spent an hour from 1am-2am last night, writing something that was complete Bullshit!

Please don't think I'm against typing bro!
I am here way more to talk about trees than Bullshit!

Don't be sorry an ounce!

You're showing enthusiasm and work.
So we'll so, I don't need to tell you anything you should do! You got this....
My first child Virt, outlined where my mind would be, considering all those options, which, if you take the a/l at the light blue line, leaves you in the cockroach direction.....

If you look at it again, you'll see the only thing I really would do.....cut that red.....
But even that......ain't necessary.

What can I say! This is the best I seen one of these going indoors.

I already put NY state of mind on NY's post.....so you get.....

Sorce
 

cockroach

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BK, I would not repot now. Wait for spring and then go hard. What you do with it now is all preparing it for the upcoming spring. Make sure you maintain health and vigor so you can work on it nicely when the weather has your back.

In my virt, branch D is the back branch adding depth to the overall image. E, B and C could be pulled down with guy wires leaving only A as the apex to be wired upwards.
 

BK Bonsai

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@cockroach Deal, I'm so hyped for spring. I bought some pond baskets to try out on some of my larger cuttings.

@sorce If you like talking trees, my dwarf jade has so many large thick branches coming out of it, and this makes it very confusing. I just keep cutting it back to ramify it as best as possible. Out of all my trees, I don't have one that can be somewhat turned into a traditional bonsai style like in the books. I know sometimes these styles can be played out, or very unoriginal, but it is still nice to have just one. Maybe, I'll make a new thread for it later.
 

BK Bonsai

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Update: I removed my old wire, and let it recover for a bit, and then rewired it again. Then I did some chopping to get me closer to the image provided by @cockroach. The current picture below is about 3 weeks after the major chopping. I just trimmed some leaves right before this picture, because it was getting out of hand. I get a lot of vigorous growth indoor under my grow lights. For branch "A", I"m just waiting for some stronger back budding before I chop it shorter. Lmk what you guys think so far. @sorce looking forward to your input as well.

WIN_20160321_222230.JPG
 

sorce

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Nice! Glad I didn't pester you for this update in the olive thread!

You like it a lot more don't you?

It's looking Damn good!
Way to make moves!

Thanks for the update !

Sorce
 

sorce

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I was just browsing the old Madden files and ran across the one from here....

Add a "Damn!" from me!

Sorce
 

sorce

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stare at it for hours

Here's some ponderings.
aviary-image-1458644393586.jpeg
Cut that crossing root off!
Those 2 spots....I'd leave it dead there till removal time....the right should heal, and the left is seemingly about to Mar your base.

I like the yellow "lines" right now....
But nurturing that orange....be future!

That left root, doesn't seem a problem, but a good virt of it gone could help contemplation.

Im 90% remove it....the rest of the base is soooo even!

Nothing to soon.....but Damn....(another)
This has got to be the best rookie progression of a ficus like this ever!

Friggin good job!

Sorce
 
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