Ficus help?

[Scubacus]

Hi everyone I'm new (as you could probably guess) I've picked up bonsai as a hobby about a month ago, and have two trees, a Japanese maple and this ficus that I just got 3 days ago. I was looking for a nursery juniper but I found this on clearance for 15$. there was no dranage hole in the bottom when I got it so it was literally in soil soup (when I picked it out of the pot about 75% of the soil, which was just plain nursery soil, gooped off immediately) . I was extremely worried about it so I emergency repotted yesterday and cut a sizable dranage hole in the bottom that is working perfectly. I've done a fair bit of research and know it has mineral build up on the leaves and I'll be attempting to remove that with a fine cloth and watered down vingar after this post goes up. Anyway, I was just wondering what I should be doing to keep it healthy, like should I fertilize now right after repotting or wait a month or two? Any other tips I should know about? I appreciate any help whatsoever, thank you.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Welcome!


I assume the maple is outdoors? The Ficus, with a braided trunk, will be difficult to use for traditional bonsai, as the trunk isn't suited for any particular style.

Give it lots of high light, and take the moss off the soil as it will prevent the soil from drying out thoroughly. Keep a chopstick stuck in the soil and pull it out every now and then. If it's dry, water. If it's moist, don't. Ficus are good trees.

 

[Scubacus]

Welcome!


I assume the maple is outdoors? The Ficus, with a braided trunk, will be difficult to use for traditional bonsai, as the trunk isn't suited for any particular style.

Give it lots of high light, and take the moss off the soil as it will prevent the soil from drying out thoroughly. Keep a chopstick stuck in the soil and pull it out every now and then. If it's dry, water. If it's moist, don't. Ficus are good trees.

Thank you, I didn't really expect to make it the most beautiful tree ever with the braided trunk, but maybe I'll think of a design to make it decent at least. Yes my maple is outdoors, it's been getting super cold at night here (about 38 F) but my maple seems to be ok, with a new shoot growing at the moment. I'll do exactly what you suggested, thanks.

 

[groverick]

The braided trunk is not typical of Japanese Bonsai or Chinese Penjing, but if you are using nature as your inspiration, take a look at a strangler fig. It starts life high in another tree as an epiphyte, with roots twining around the host tree, extending downward until they reach the ground, at which time the strangler begins to grow rapidly and constricts the host to death. The simple three-stem braid found in inexpensive Ficus trees is a crude simulation of the twisted, braided trunk of a strangler fig. If you do nothing, in a few years the three stems will graft together, merging into one trunk with "muscles". Another possibility is to choose the most interesting of the three stems and kill the other two. Or as they graft together, cut off two of the three at different heights to enhance the tapper of the trunk.

Do some web searches for images of banyan trees or fig trees. You will find that natural Ficus trees in moist tropical areas have much nebari, also aerial roots and beautiful braided trunks.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Strangler_tree.jpg
http://www.cepolina.com/banyan-tree-roots-ground-soil.html
http://www.getintravel.com/ayutthay...roots-of-banyan-tree-at-ayutthaya-thailand-2/
https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-roots-banyan-tree-image9703318

Your tree has about 1/3 trunk and 2/3 canopy, which isn't that bad, but both the trunk and the canopy look like new vigorous growth, which they are. Look at suggestions for trunk movement. There are many guides to shaping the canopy, with interesting branch structure and dense foliage. You will also find tips on building nebari. Look specifically for articles on Ficus bonsai.

http://www.the-bonsai-shop.com/wp-content/gallery/photo-gallery-1_1/BT-Green_Island_Ficus.jpg
http://www.bonsaieneltropico.com/desarrollonebari.htm (If you don't read Spanish, at least look at the pictures to see how José took his tree a from three-stem braided trunk to a beautiful bonsai.)

Figs are easy to work with (air layering, aerial root generation, grafting, bending, splitting, etc.). I am working on a few figs myself. Mine are new, like yours. Perhaps some of my figs will be beautiful bonsai before I "merge with the infinite".

 

[AZbonsai]

Mine like a lot of sunlight and not to be moved around when they find a good spot. Overall, good tough tree that can bounce back from about anything.

 

[Solange]

The good news about the braid - it will fuse quicker than you could grow a single whip to that trunk size. I know someone that has a wicked fused benji they braided just for the purpose, and you'd never know if they hadn't told you. Welcome

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

You could root some cuttings and use them at the base to fill in gaps and hide the parts that are too "braided".

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

Or. Use it as the houseplant it was intended to be.

 

[sorce]

Or. Use it as the houseplant it was intended to be.

No one wants that ugly Ass thing as a houseplant!

He's 18!

It's either...
"Yeah, babe, I'm working on a Bonsai"
A patient scholar.

Or...
"Let's do it next to my shitty houseplant"
A careless horndog!

I am not even drunk today.

Many Omens of really gloomy winter ahead.

Sorce

 

[Scubacus]

The braided trunk is not typical of Japanese Bonsai... Figs are easy to work with (air layering, aerial root generation, grafting, bending, splitting, etc.). I am working on a few figs myself. Mine are new, like yours. Perhaps some of my figs will be beautiful bonsai before I "merge with the infinite".

Thank you groverick, I really appreciate the help here and will definitely take it to heart. With the smarts you have on the topic I'm sure you'll make your figs gorgeous.

Mine like a lot of sunlight and not to be moved around when they find a good spot. Overall, good tough tree that can bounce back from about anything.

Glad to know if i screw up somehow it won't just flat out give up on me, thanks for the advice!

The good news about the braid - it will fuse quicker than you could grow a single whip to that trunk size. I know someone that has a wicked fused benji they braided just for the purpose, and you'd never know if they hadn't told you. Welcome

Interesting! Glad to know it could work out well if I let it fuse, thanks!

No one wants that ugly Ass thing as a houseplant!

He's 18!

It's either...
"Yeah, babe, I'm working on a Bonsai"
A patient scholar.

Or...
"Let's do it next to my shitty houseplant"
A careless horndog!

I am not even drunk today.

Many Omens of really gloomy winter ahead.

Sorce

I have always loved plants and decided to get into bonsai while I'm young so I could perhaps see some of my projects through to the end! I'm determined to make all of my plants become the talk of the town, no matter how rough they are when I get them!! Glad to have found this forum and will definitely be using it for advice in the future as there are no other people who do bonsai at my college, or any outside clubs/groups to help. I appreciate the words of wisdom Sorce!

 

[Solange]

Or. Use it as the houseplant it was intended to be.

seriously, crappy old houseplants... haha

 

[sorce]

I'm determined to make all of my plants become the talk of the town,

That could be accomplished by beating the neighbors with them on a semiregular basis.

I hope that is not your goal!

I like your attitude!

It is always exciting to have new youngins!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

seriously, crappy old houseplants... hahaView attachment 124764

Tell me how to get from the braided tree posted to the one in your picture.
Someone has to tell it like it is.
@Scubacus. Use this as a houseplant. If you want to start in bonsai do yourself a favor and look for something more suitable.
Something intended for bonsai.

 

[Solange]

Step one, grow for ten to twenty years. Everyone just hates on benjis for some reason. You know what else is a houseplant? Ginseng ficus. I hope everyone here knows the bonsai thought to be the oldest trained specimen is the retusa at crespi. No plant springs up with a fat trunk and proper structure overnight. I think as sorce has said elsewhere, we can be shortsighted in reaching goals, esp the older we get. If you are young and keep at it this braid could absolutely become that tree in a lifetime or less. Hell, I'm more than twice the OPs age, and it would probably be achievable in my lifetime. It's not a race haha! So, yeah, grow it for a houseplant with some minimal training for a decade or so, and go to town. It will be vastly rewarding. I never said it would be easy! I know choices of material change (usually towards shortcuts) but it would be a good project to hang onto for your entire hobby, and shock people when you tell em you grew it from a braided houseplant. Telling it like it is.

 

[Solange]

One more thing, I don't see anyone actively discouraging people from paying way too much for little chojubai whips that will take even longer to be anything!

 

[Scubacus]

Tell me how to get from the braided tree posted to the one in your picture.
Someone has to tell it like it is.
@Scubacus. Use this as a houseplant. If you want to start in bonsai do yourself a favor and look for something more suitable.
Something intended for bonsai.

I'll definently be searching for more suitable trees, this was just something I picked up for relativity cheap and decided to make my little beatification project for practice in the future. Again, im not expecting to make anything super amazing due to what im working with, but I see some potential with it in the future, even if it isn't traditional. In your opinion is there anything a newbie like me should start with?

 

[Solange]

I am sure others are more than willing to share their opinion of what is suitable for a beginner. My opinion is start with what you enjoy, with one caveat - what you enjoy will probably change. It takes a lot of nerve to grow something from material that is deemed less than, when everyone is telling you it can't or shouldn't be done. It is also exceptionally boring most of the time. But remember this - the largest trees in the forest started as seeds. Time is on your side, patience may not be haha!

 

[Scubacus]

Step one, grow for ten to twenty years. Everyone just hates on benjis for some reason. You know what else is a houseplant? Ginseng ficus. I hope everyone here knows the bonsai thought to be the oldest trained specimen is the retusa at crespi. No plant springs up with a fat trunk and proper structure overnight. I think as sorce has said elsewhere, we can be shortsighted in reaching goals, esp the older we get. If you are young and keep at it this braid could absolutely become that tree in a lifetime or less. Hell, I'm more than twice the OPs age, and it would probably be achievable in my lifetime. It's not a race haha! So, yeah, grow it for a houseplant with some minimal training for a decade or so, and go to town. It will be vastly rewarding. I never said it would be easy! I know choices of material change (usually towards shortcuts) but it would be a good project to hang onto for your entire hobby, and shock people when you tell em you grew it from a braided houseplant. Telling it like it is.

I'll definently do exactly as you say!! I'm sure in a decade it won't look as terrible as it does now, haha. Thanks for the wisdom and I really appreciate the comments, motivates me to the max!

 

[M. Frary]

One more thing, I don't see anyone actively discouraging people from paying way too much for little chojubai whips that will take even longer to be anything!

Yeah but those chojubai whips will eventually be something worthwhile.
Let's say the trunks on a braided tree fuse after time. You trunk chop it for taper. Becrause even though they are fused its still a tube. You try to grow a new leader. What happens to the other trunks that aren't allowed to grow. Or are they all now one trunk.

l. In your opinion is there anything a newbie like me should start with?

Do you want to grow bonsai indoors? They need supplemental lighting,humidity and air movement.
If so then tropicals could be your thing. I would suggest a ficus. Not a braided one though. They are fairly tolerant of newcomer mistakes.
If you want to grow bonsai outdoors,which is my choice because there are more trees to choose from and I don't need an area inside my house nor a greenhouse to keep tropicals in during the winter.
If so you can't go wrong with a juniper or an elm. You can find junipers at most nurseries or garden centers.

 

[M. Frary]

Ginseng ficus

The ones with the nasty looking sweet potato roots?
Yeah. Those are real sweet.