Ficus

[colley614]

The Bonsai Zone!

You're right you should sift both too small and too large. Particle size will also depend in the size of the tree though also. Smaller trees smaller particles and vice versa. Although I've seen most of his videos I don't remember that one so can't say why he only sifted small. Maybe the large particles didn't need to be sifted

Most of my trees are between 1 1/2 and 2 feet. My 2 ficus are less than a foot. What size smalls should I sift out?

 

[StoneCloud]

Most of my trees are between 1 1/2 and 2 feet. My 2 ficus are less than a foot. What size smalls should I sift out?

I wouldn't go smaller than 3mm on them.

Here is a good article illustrating soil size if you haven't seen it yet:

Selecting the proper sized aggregate for your bonsai tree soil – Bonsai Jack ©

www.bonsaijack.com

Sorry the measurements aren't metric as it's an American post

 

[colley614]

I wouldn't go smaller than 3mm on them.

Here is a good article illustrating soil size if you haven't seen it yet:

Selecting the proper sized aggregate for your bonsai tree soil – Bonsai Jack ©

www.bonsaijack.com

Sorry the measurements aren't metric as it's an American post

Interesting read. The weird thing about the UK is the overlap between metric and imperial. I think in centimetres but feet and miles. Millilitres, pints and litres. It's very confusing.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Much ado over nothing. Figs will grow in your pocket lint. They do not need the kind of scree that Pines need, and the particle size doesn't matter one way or the other. They grow in jungles where it rains every day and in houses where it's dry as a bone and you water once a week in a typical houseplant mix and ordinary pot.

 

[penumbra]

Much ado over nothing. Figs will grow in your pocket lint. They do not need the kind of scree that Pines need, and the particle size doesn't matter one way or the other. They grow in jungles where it rains every day and in houses where it's dry as a bone and you water once a week in a typical houseplant mix and ordinary pot.

This.

 

[penumbra]

You are welcome to buy an s shaped fig if you like taking two steps backward and one step forward. I wouldn't unless it was almost free. Call Andrea at Wigert's and buy not only the right shape ficus for your intent, but you also have a choice of many different types of ficus. Some have styles that more suite them and there is quite a bit of difference in leaf shape and size. Start with something decent and don't bother with mallsai unless you have a lot of time on your hands.
Do yourself a favor, Wigert's.

 

[colley614]

Much ado over nothing. Figs will grow in your pocket lint. They do not need the kind of scree that Pines need, and the particle size doesn't matter one way or the other. They grow in jungles where it rains every day and in houses where it's dry as a bone and you water once a week in a typical houseplant mix and ordinary pot.

So, what I'm taking from this is that my ficus will grow in the material I sift out of my main mix. I'm also taking this as I need to buy a pine to add to my collection.

You are welcome to buy an s shaped fig if you like taking two steps backward and one step forward. I wouldn't unless it was almost free. Call Andrea at Wigert's and buy not only the right shape ficus for your intent, but you also have a choice of many different types of ficus. Some have styles that more suite them and there is quite a bit of difference in leaf shape and size. Start with something decent and don't bother with mallsai unless you have a lot of time on your hands.
Do yourself a favor, Wigert's.

I bought one that was cheaper than the nursery stock acer and juniper bought. The tree is pretty nice.

 

[penumbra]

So, what I'm taking from this is that my ficus will grow in the material I sift out of my main mix. I'm also taking this as I need to buy a pine to add to my collection.



I bought one that was cheaper than the nursery stock acer and juniper bought. The tree is pretty nice.

$25 to $35 plus shipping would have bought you one that looked like a tree. But feel free to buy the mallsai if you must.

 

[colley614]

$25 to $35 plus shipping would have bought you one that looked like a tree. But feel free to buy the mallsai if you must.

Not sure if they ship to the UK. The ficus I've seen on bonsai websites seems significantly more expensive than the one I bought. The ones I have I see as nursery stock that I can take cuttings and stuff from. I'm having loads of fun at the moment experimenting with cuttings and seeds (my first Acer Palmatum came out of the fridge at the weekend and are shooting up. I have some nursery stock trees also but I'm having fun with the 'Grow Your Own' side of things too.

 

[penumbra]

Not sure if they ship to the UK. The ficus I've seen on bonsai websites seems significantly more expensive than the one I bought. The ones I have I see as nursery stock that I can take cuttings and stuff from. I'm having loads of fun at the moment experimenting with cuttings and seeds (my first Acer Palmatum came out of the fridge at the weekend and are shooting up. I have some nursery stock trees also but I'm having fun with the 'Grow Your Own' side of things too.

Sorry, did not notice your location. Still if you are diligent you can find good deals. I bought 5 green island ficus for less than $100 on eBay. They all look good. I admit I have a bias against Ginseng Ficus. I really hate them as a bonsai and only tolerate them as a botanical oddity. I did have one once and I cut off all the stems and rooted them, then threw away the roots.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Not sure if they ship to the UK. The ficus I've seen on bonsai websites seems significantly more expensive than the one I bought. The ones I have I see as nursery stock that I can take cuttings and stuff from. I'm having loads of fun at the moment experimenting with cuttings and seeds (my first Acer Palmatum came out of the fridge at the weekend and are shooting up. I have some nursery stock trees also but I'm having fun with the 'Grow Your Own' side of things too.

If you live in the wetter parts of England, you need to rub shoulders with locals to find a Pine, or SPF that will live in wet conditions. I have very few Pines and no expertise there, but most of them hate wet+cold+cloudy.

 

[colley614]

Sorry, did not notice your location. Still if you are diligent you can find good deals. I bought 5 green island ficus for less than $100 on eBay. They all look good. I admit I have a bias against Ginseng Ficus. I really hate them as a bonsai and only tolerate them as a botanical oddity. I did have one once and I cut off all the stems and rooted them, then threw away the roots.

I bought a Ginseng mallsai as my first tree. The fact that the shape of it bothered me made me research bonsai. If it wasn't for that tree I wouldn't own 7 trees and have about 10 projects on the go. I wouldn't have joined the forum or a club. So, although it's not my favourite tree it got me hooked.

 

[penumbra]

I bought a Ginseng mallsai as my first tree. The fact that the shape of it bothered me made me research bonsai. If it wasn't for that tree I wouldn't own 7 trees and have about 10 projects on the go. I wouldn't have joined the forum or a club. So, although it's not my favourite tree it got me hooked.

completely understand. I think I was born hooked and talking to trees.

 

[colley614]

If you live in the wetter parts of England, you need to rub shoulders with locals to find a Pine, or SPF that will live in wet conditions. I have very few Pines and no expertise there, but most of them hate wet+cold+cloudy.

I have ordered scots pine seeds and a small bareroot tree. I'll speak with guys from the club about what soil to get it into. There are loads of scots pine growing in my area, I'm sure I could get my hands on a nice Yamadori if I tried

 

[colley614]

completely understand. I think I was born hooked and talking to trees.

I've always been a big gardener. The idea of doing lots of gardening in a small space drew me to Bonsai.

 

[penumbra]

I've always been a big gardener. The idea of doing lots of gardening in a small space drew me to Bonsai.

That completely makes sense to me. I was a landscape designer for 40 years and a horticulturist for 50. Literally started with plants when I was 9 years old using my little wagon to bring trees home from the woods to plant in my parents yard. First nursery job when I was 13.
Sorry for being off subject from original post.