Ficus Fusion Project

[misfit11]

The trident volcanoes that are accomplished this way seem like cheating to me.......Shortcuts almost always end in shortcomings......Just my two cents

Why is this "cheating"? Bonsai is ALL about illusion. People often see tanuki as cheating as well. I disagree. Bonsai is about creating a miniature tree in a pot that mimics an ancient one in nature. Period. There are endless ways of getting there all the way from collecting an actual ancient tree from nature itself to growing one from seed and shaping its every feature. Is collecting an ancient tree from nature "cheating"? Certainly you didn't put all that character into that tree, mother nature did. Is grafting a branch in a place on a tree that it wasn't before "cheating"? Is grafting roots to improve nebari "cheating"? etc. You get my point...

As far as this technique of fusing seedlings around a cone to develop a very tapered tree resulting in shortcomings is concerned, that may be. I've yet to see one of the trident "volcanoes" (as you call them) so far along to be really convincing. BUT I do believe in time (as with all things bonsai) it could become so to great effect.

Just my two cents,
Cory

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Why is this "cheating"? Bonsai is ALL about illusion. People often see tanuki as cheating as well. I disagree. Bonsai is about creating a miniature tree in a pot that mimics an ancient one in nature. Period. There are endless ways of getting there all the way from collecting an actual ancient tree from nature itself to growing one from seed and shaping its every feature. Is collecting an ancient tree from nature "cheating"? Certainly you didn't put all that character into that tree, mother nature did. Is grafting a branch in a place on a tree that it wasn't before "cheating"? Is grafting roots to improve nebari "cheating"? etc. You get my point...

Just my two cents,
Cory

Preach Cory preach!!

 

[misfit11]

Preach Cory preach!!

 

[ericN]

Hi Ryan,

I like the wire cage idea too. Since its a ficus, and the humid environment cone will create (inside), Im 100% certain that it will grow tons of ariel roots inside that cage. That will help accelerate the fusing of the trunks.

Keep us posted

Eric

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Hi Ryan,

I like the wire cage idea too. Since its a ficus, and the humid environment cone will create (inside), Im 100% certain that it will grow tons of ariel roots inside that cage. That will help accelerate the fusing of the trunks.

Keep us posted

Eric

I like the way you think Eric, I didn't even consider that. Thanks.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

See, but now I've got a fear that maybe I don't have enough cuttings to completely enclose the cone....

 

[Poink88]

See, but now I've got a fear that maybe I don't have enough cuttings to completely enclose the cone....

Huh? I thought you have a million of them!?!?

LOL (joking)

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Huh? I thought you have a million of them!?!?

LOL (joking)

LOL well I've got about 20 rooting currently, but if that's not enough I'll have to go up to the local nursery and get another microcarpa to get some cuttings from.

 

[GrimLore]

LOL well I've got about 20 rooting currently, but if that's not enough I'll have to go up to the local nursery and get another microcarpa to get some cuttings from.

This guy has a very good budget for a young lad

 

[tmmason10]

I was also thinking that 18 cuttings wasn't enough. Depends how long they are I guess.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I was also thinking that 18 cuttings wasn't enough. Depends how long they are I guess.

I'd say thickness matters more probably.

 

[Poink88]

I'd say thickness matters more probably.

Yes but more so to the base diameter of your cone.

 

[tmmason10]

I disagree, you would need them to wrap around the cone in a twisting motion and the length would make this easier. Just going off of the trident fusions that were done on dugz bonsai is what I was envisioning. Either way, should be a fun project.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Either way, should be a fun project.

IF I can get the freakin' cone created. I'm about to just call it quits with this wire, it's just about impossible. The best I could do won't even work, the taper is poor. I've got blisters on just about every finger now

 

[Redwood Ryan]

After some Googling, I learned how to do it properly and came up with this:

 

[Poink88]

Didn't I tell you to practice with paper first?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Didn't I tell you to practice with paper first?

Shoot yeah but that's completely different! Paper can't stab you and is easier to fold

 

[thailand-steve]

After some Googling, I learned how to do it properly and came up with this:

what's the point of the wire cone? why not just bend the cuttings at about 2-3" above the cut line, root them in sphagnum moss so they are easy to manipulate without risking the young roots, then when the bent shape has taken hold and you have some roots (about 1-2 months), wire all the cuttings together into a single trunk with a flared base and put in soil.

like you said, aerial roots will hopefully develop inside the hollow center cone to fill it in. i guess you could scrape off some bark in the insides and pack the hollow cone with sphagnum moss to speed that process. i've noticed that scraping off bark on trunks and branches and packing will moss brings out new roots in about 1 month.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

what's the point of the wire cone? why not just bend the cuttings at about 2-3" above the cut line, root them in sphagnum moss so they are easy to manipulate without risking the young roots, then when the bent shape has taken hold and you have some roots (about 1-2 months), wire all the cuttings together into a single trunk with a flared base and put in soil.

like you said, aerial roots will hopefully develop inside the hollow center cone to fill it in. i guess you could scrape off some bark in the insides and pack the hollow cone with sphagnum moss to speed that process. i've noticed that scraping off bark on trunks and branches and packing will moss brings out new roots in about 1 month.

The cone is essentially the mold of the new trunk. It gives me something to attach the cuttings to. Sure, I could just wrap them all together, but where's the fun in that?

I'll just leave them as is, the aerial roots inside aren't necessary, so if they happen, great. I won't risk losing the cuttings by cutting them all up just to get some unnecessary roots

 

[edprocoat]

Ryan why don't you roll your cone out of the plastic hobby screen we use for screens on pots? It seems plenty stiff enough considering it will gain strength being rolled anyway, and it would not rot either.

ed