IKEA Gensing ficus tube chop

Phillthy

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i bought this tree at IKEA knowing it had a bad reputation for bonsai because of the massive root tubes. I wanted to play around with it and see what I could make of the situation. Here's what it looked like in January when I bought it.
 

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Phillthy

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I have a few questions. What's the next step? I'm still undecided on the front of the tree. And what do I do with the new growth? Do I let it grow and then cut it back?
 

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aml1014

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Wait until it survives, then worry about what to do with it lol but a very nice start indeed.

Aaron
 

cockroach

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Sun, sun sun. Then add some good old full sun. Fertilize like it is three times that size and water like the Amazon gets rain: heavily and sometimes twice a day if hot full sun is beating down.
 

Carol 83

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I did the same thing to my gross Ginseng Ficus this weekend. I planted the top in one pot, and buried three tubers with roots attached in another pot. If anything comes of them, I'll be surprised. If not, good riddance to ugliness. But looks like yours is showing progress, good for you.
 

Phillthy

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I did the same thing to my gross Ginseng Ficus this weekend. I planted the top in one pot, and buried three tubers with roots attached in another pot. If anything comes of them, I'll be surprised. If not, good riddance to ugliness. But looks like yours is showing progress, good for you.
I feel like the rooting powder really helped me out. I'd love to see photos of yours!
 

Phillthy

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Sun, sun sun. Then add some good old full sun. Fertilize like it is three times that size and water like the Amazon gets rain: heavily and sometimes twice a day if hot full sun is beating down.
Is there any fertilizer you recommend? At the moment I only have all purpose miracle gro
 

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Carol 83

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I deleted the before picture, but there is a picture of it in the Ugly tree thread, if you want to see. This is the after.ficus chop.jpg
 

cockroach

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Is there any fertilizer you recommend? At the moment I only have all purpose miracle gro
I am not someone that raves about others' methods and say you must do X according to so and so. Having said that, I do implement Walter Pall's method for fertilizer. Cheapest fertilizer you can get and lots. Then water heavily to make sure you don't burn the roots. I put about a hand full of organic pellet fertilizer ($4 per 5kg bag here) on a tree that is shohin size.
 

Phillthy

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I am not someone that raves about others' methods and say you must do X according to so and so. Having said that, I do implement Walter Pall's method for fertilizer. Cheapest fertilizer you can get and lots. Then water heavily to make sure you don't burn the roots. I put about a hand full of organic pellet fertilizer ($4 per 5kg bag here) on a tree that is shohin size.
how do i go about buying fertilizer on this site?
 

Redwood Ryan

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This has good potential, but I'd work on that chop site.
 

Saddler

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Don't over water your ficus. That is the only thing I have found to reliably kill them. I let ficus get so dry they feel a little squishy when you squeeze it. Sometimes I only notice it needs water when the leaves start dropping off, but they get replaced in very short order.

Ficus are very hardy trees. I have finally figured out how to deal with the stupid tubes. Cut them off leaving only the top of the tube you want as nebari. My only remain ficus had three huge tubes coming out at about 120º from each other from previous trimming. Then I cut everything off but a thumb nail flap coming off the trunk on each tube. The whole bottom was an exposed cut and this is key. If there is any old bark on the bottom, roots will form from there. You will get nice radial roots coming out from the cut line. When those roots swell, repeat. I usually heavily water and fertilize the tree a week or two before I root prune. I give it indirect sun for a few weeks and wait until the new leaves start to harden. The old leaves almost always fall off soon after the repot.


I would let it grow for a while and see where you get new branches before carving.
 

M. Frary

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I am not someone that raves about others' methods and say you must do X according to so and so. Having said that, I do implement Walter Pall's method for fertilizer. Cheapest fertilizer you can get and lots. Then water heavily to make sure you don't burn the roots. I put about a hand full of organic pellet fertilizer ($4 per 5kg bag here) on a tree that is shohin size.
But don't water the same day you pour the fertilizer.
You just wash it out.
I actually will let my trees sit as long as I can before I water after a good dose. Like 2 if it's overcast.
 

Redwood Ryan

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I was thinking of taking a dremel and hollowing it out. What would you do?


I wouldn't necessarily do that, because that's not wood you're working with. It's that gross weird tuber material that doesn't feel right. You could easily just take some concave cutters and cut back until you get to live....tuber flesh. Then seal it and let it be. Will it heal over? I dunno because I've never seen it happen, but it's worth a shot.
 

cockroach

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But don't water the same day you pour the fertilizer.
You just wash it out.
I actually will let my trees sit as long as I can before I water after a good dose. Like 2 if it's overcast.
Are you using liquid ferts or slow release pellets?
 
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