Craigslist Ficus project

butlern

Shohin
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Found this clump for $40 with several interesting fusions. Must have been growing in this clump for 15 years, or so. It was 7 feet tall by 5 feet wide when I got it a 5 weeks ago.

I know I should have waited until the height of summer, but it was starting to push lots of new growth since I brought it home, and I was just too excited to start.

Stands about 24-28 inches tall now, and about 8 inches across at the base. Once it starts growing vigorously this summer, I'll likely continue to reduce. The longer range goal will be to establish a ramified canopy that is 16-20 inches in overall height.

$40!

IMG_0925.JPG IMG_0927.JPG IMG_0928.JPG
 

StoneCloud

Omono
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Great buy congrats! I see many options here!

I'm assuming you potted it right? collected from the ground?
 

butlern

Shohin
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I purchased it packed in pissy potting soil in pert' near a 30 gallon pale plastic pot . Alliteration! (and apologize for resorting to using "pert' near")

Anyway, it weighed about 80-100 lbs. Painful to move around.

The soil and rootball were about >20" in height/depth. I cut the root ball (about 2/3 removed with long saw), I cut the plastic pot (down to about 6-7 inches deep overall), and then re-potted in 40% pine bark, 40% Turface, 20% granite grit/rock.

Getting soil components in my area has proven painful (just moved here recently and have been struggling to source stuff).

Tree needs some rest, warmth, and bright light, and in a few years it will be a beast.
 

butlern

Shohin
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Cut back again, reduced to about 10 inches overall height. Starting to push lots of additional new shoots.

Will wait another month to start selecting the shoots that will comprise the new canopy (lots of shoots originating from same spot on several branches, which will have to be kept in check moving forward).
 

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bonsaidave

Shohin
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I like all those little roots growing all over this thing. Looks like a fun tree to work on.
 

butlern

Shohin
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Update: grew terrifically strong this early summer, got super-dense, so trimmed back again this morning to let more light into the canopy (probably could cut more away... and I still might go back in there and work some more). I also started cutting away the largest leaves.

Searching for an appropriate pot... not sure if I'll get it into a pot this summer while its still growing strong or wait until next year to transplant.
IMG_1015.JPG
 

butlern

Shohin
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Damn you, "Cousin It!"

Wont you please reveal your mysteries, secrets, and plans for future growth?!

This mop has been a challenge.

Planning to dig in this weekend and select branches/branching for final summer pruning.

Cousin It just won't cooperate! He's a mess.

IMG_1074.JPG
 

Stickroot

Masterpiece
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Damn you, "Cousin It!"

Wont you please reveal your mysteries, secrets, and plans for future growth?!

This mop has been a challenge.

Planning to dig in this weekend and select branches/branching for final summer pruning.

Cousin It just won't cooperate! He's a mess.

View attachment 153323
Wow! We are both having Cousin It issues within moments of each other.
Let's get together and well I better not say it.
Deal with them :)
 

butlern

Shohin
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I'm facing this in small scale....

No light to the interior, meaning the interior growth is inferior, just as it is for the old elm growing in the yard of my neighbor, Mr. Genterior:

IMG_1076.JPG

Note: I made up the spelling of my neighbor's name, but it sounds very much like, "Genitor-i-or"
 

butlern

Shohin
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Neglected this summer, so it still looks a bit like a mushroom. Needs to be cut back hard. Pot is too big (24") and deep, but that is easy to change.

I also built up a ring of soil to cover base in an effort to stimulate the lower portions of the trunks to throw some buttressing roots, to help visually anchor the tree and establish a more powerful, spreading base.

That was only partially successful. Will try again... and this time I will leave the ring of soil in place for more than 1 year (I got to anxious to see what was happening this summer, so I took it all apart).

Overall, it's still on track to advance to the envisioned design sketched above. Nearly 4 feet wide right now.

Only 4 more years to go!

september 2019.JPG
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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Coming along nicely. Well done.

You should think about showing at the Midwest Bonsai Society Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in August of 2020. It has enough presence.

Or at least show it in local shows. The critique from judges will help you with refinement. There is nothing to be embarrassed about here, damn nice tree. But there is a lot of wood, so there are lots of points for refinement.

My thought (only in an effort to help with improvement) - many of your trunks are bolt upright, perfectly vertical. The outer trunks especially would look better if they arched a little toward the outside. More a vase shape than a bolt upright telephone pole. All the outer trunks should either slant or arch a little outward. I noticed most of your smaller trunks do have the arch. The harder work is to get a little of that movement into the thicker, more rigid trunks.

Think about it. Might not be possible. Look to see which ones are the most obvious, and try to bend or slant one or two of them to see how feasible moving them really is.

Just a suggestion.
 

butlern

Shohin
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Thanks for checking in, Leo.

I share your perspective with respect to your description of the main trunks.

I do not share your perspective that this clump is a candidate for the 2020 Chicago show! (hahahaha).

All that aside, short of waiting for new shoots to emerge lower on each straight portion, allowing them to introduce movement over the course of many years as they thicken and replace (the continuation of) the former straight trunks, I am not sure I have any options for bending those bits. They are rigid, indeed.

I have contemplated introducing directional shifts among the upright trunks during repotting... but this would require breaking fusions that have occurred below the soil line, as the clump has grown into one solid mass down low. Still, could be possible... perhaps.

Overtime I was hoping that the bends and movement in the (currently smaller) outer trunks would fool the eye as they continue to develop and thicken.

I shall continue to investigate future possibilities.

Thanks again for checking back in and commenting.

Feedback is always appreciated!

Noah
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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Your plan makes sense. I am only looking at photos, so I will trust your assessment of whether a trunk can be bent. I believe you are correct that the outer, smaller sub-trunks can trick the eye into seeing more movement. Keep on doing what you are doing.

Don't be afraid to show it. The feedback you get from shows can be helpful in furthering designs.
 

defra

Masterpiece
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Never seen this one before, great development from where you started and also I like the future plan.
I've got only one ficus (retusa) and like the species allot unlike many other Dutch enthusiasts gotta bring it inside again soon Temps dropping to 10 °c at night but got to improve my indoor setup first 😱
 

butlern

Shohin
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Nothing too much has happened in terms of development since I posted last fall. I continue to let the side branches thicken and extend. I started to wire secondary branches growing from the primary side branches upwards, in an attempt to build out the canopy on each side.

I also re-potted today. The ceramic oval it was in is so crappy and thick, it weighs a ton when full of soil. I decided to move it into a slightly shallower oval mica this time (a little bit lighter weight).

During the re-pot, I also did my best to loosen, free-up and spread out some of the buttressing roots. This seems to have helped a little.

Picture from September 2019:

september 2019.JPG
Picture from today June 2020:

Ficus June 2020.JPG

Picture of nebari/roots:

Ficus nebari 2020.JPG

Picture from below left side:

Ficus below 2020.JPG

Will let it go probably another 2 years before I re-pot again. Maybe by that time I will have found the ideal container.

Noah
 
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