I Likeus the Ficus

Mellow Mullet

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Cool website, I like it a lot. Love how wild the nebari became compared to the 2002 shot.

If you don't mind me asking, did you build the website from scratch or off some platform?

Thanks! It's kinda what you mean by build. I use the Joomla CMS with the Flex template. You can build a pretty decent site just with Joomla, but Flex really dresses it up. There was a huge learning curve for me, my last site used Frontpage. I don't know much about code, computers weren'the around when I was in high school and college. It is not hard though, once you get the hang of it. I am still learning.
 

AZbonsai

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Don't be afraid to let that ficus fill out the pot with strong roots. They do not mind tight roots, but if you repot too often you won't let the tree really bulk up.

Also, I use defoliation as a development method on all of my developing ficus. I wait until early spring when they are waking up from winter (March or so here in southern Cal), and I defoliate them completely. If you do it at just the right time you will see only limited sap flow from the wounds. Then I wire the branch structure while the ficus is completely leafless. My ficus are right now just starting to push new growth everywhere. Once the growth sets, I remove the wire. I want the new growth completely hardened and set by June in time for the July heat.

Only do this with strong trees in development. As the tree matures, you can do partial defoliations on the outer pads, while leaving the inner growth alone, and the tree will fill out strongly from the inside out. If you do not defoliate (or at least heavily thin) the outer growth, the inner growth will get blocked from light and will weaken and die back.

View attachment 141138

Good grief man that is beautiful!
 

pweifan

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Any updates on this one, John? It turned up as a random picture in the banner today so you might have other people bugging you as well ;)
 
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I was looking through your website at the progression, and I think this may be the first/best example of a transition from a braided trunk to legitimate bonsai.
 

pweifan

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I had no idea this began life as a braided trunk. That was a fascinating transition. Your father was no slouch at bonsai! Talented family :)
 
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Mellow Mullet

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Any updates on this one, John? It turned up as a random picture in the banner today so you might have other people bugging you as well ;)

I was hoping to get around to this one today, my only day off until Friday, but I did not. I is growing well and I will trim her up on Friday as it is gonna be in the club's show Saturday. I'll post pictures then.

I was looking through your website at the progression, and I think this may be the first/best example of a transition from a braided trunk to legitimate bonsai.

I had no idea this began life as a braided trunk. That was a fascinating transition. Your father was no slouch at bonsai! Talented family :)

Thanks, guys, Dad is good, we work hard at it. I think he told me it cost a couple of bucks at Lowe's years ago. It was in the throw away pile and he basically just wanted the pot.
 

Tiki

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Looks great! There seems to be a cigar trunk on that lower branch that just doesnt have the movement the rest of the branches and trunks have.
Maybe try this technique to induce movement into very thick branches, I remember a video on youtube floating around of a guy in the Philippines that did this as well as seeing Juan Andrade do it at a workshop I attended. They would make a cut on the inside of where you want the bend and cut in about half way with a VERY thin saw blade. Think like a japanese flush cut blade or something. So after they made their cut they would push down(or which ever direction is needed) to close the gap between where the cut was made and on the same spot cut again. Do this instead of trying to cut wedges because if you are off on your degree of the wedge cut it wont seal up flush, while pushing and cutting on the same spot over and over till the bend is where you want it will leave a very clean scar behind every time. Then just secure with guywires and wrap up the cut like you would a graft. I should add that this only works well of fast growing material such as Ficus.
Dunno if the branch was intended to be that way but any rate, there you go!
 

Tiki

Mame
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Heres a link from Jerry Meislik roughly talking about the same thing, but hes got pictures!!!! :D

http://www.bonsaihunk.us/HeavyBranches.html

Again, Ive tried the "wedge" method and its really hard to cut right and get the correct angle of bend you wanted in one shot. Or worst case senario over cut and now its too far past where you wanted the bend.
 

Mellow Mullet

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Heres a link from Jerry Meislik roughly talking about the same thing, but hes got pictures!!!! :D

http://www.bonsaihunk.us/HeavyBranches.html

Again, Ive tried the "wedge" method and its really hard to cut right and get the correct angle of bend you wanted in one shot. Or worst case senario over cut and now its too far past where you wanted the bend.

I have tried this method on ficus, it works great on neriflora, but not so much on this type. While it grows foliage fast, it is slow to heal wounds. Most of the branches that are tethered have been undercut.
 

Tiki

Mame
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I have tried this method on ficus, it works great on neriflora, but not so much on this type. While it grows foliage fast, it is slow to heal wounds. Most of the branches that are tethered have been undercut.

Alright. Well if it heals slowly that's no good, you don't want that. Just send it my way and I'll get rid of it for you. ;)

At any rate, it's shaping up real nice. Always look forward to your updates..expecially on your azaleas. Keep em comming!
 
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