ok, what am i doing here.... i need some direction with my ficus b. (w/pic)

Squeaker

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ok, i really dont know what im trying to do here. what i do know is that im going about it ALL WRONG! it started out as 3 roughly 2 foot tall trees, now its down to about 9" at the tallest point. every time it grows a new shoot down lower, i trim it above that spot. im also trying to fuse the trunks. the 2 trunks on the sides will hopefully be branches one day but nothing is fused as of yet.... i dont know how tall to make the main trunk to the first branch, or.... really how to do anything with this plant lol. currently, the main trunk (the cluster of 3) is about 3 inches tall.

i know im not doing this right and its my first attempt at making my own bonsai instead of just buying one. i only have one other bonsai, a boxwood. so really, i dont know what im doing and i need some clear direction and suggestions. its in a big pot now, but will be transfered when it look more.... bonsai-ish.

and please, be polite :rolleyes: i know im not doing this properly, i just need some helpful suggestions. thank you!

ps- i posted the wrong pic and cant remove it for some reason..... the one that says attatched thumbnails is what it used to look like when i first wrapped the trunks. the other one is its *ahem* current state.
 

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Redwood Ryan

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Well, it looked like it was going well, until you pruned it :cool:

Why exactly did you prune it? Are there now branches that don't even have leaves? In order to really get the trunks to fuse you'd have to let it grow unrestricted for at least a year, maybe even more, in a non-tropical climate. Fusing takes a looong time to look decent.
 

Squeaker

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Well, it looked like it was going well, until you pruned it :cool:

Why exactly did you prune it? Are there now branches that don't even have leaves? In order to really get the trunks to fuse you'd have to let it grow unrestricted for at least a year, maybe even more, in a non-tropical climate. Fusing takes a looong time to look decent.

Lol yeah.... wellllll...... the original idea was to make it shorter :/ the one that doesn't have any leaves is because I accidentally knocked that sprout off when I was moving it a couple days ago. By "growing unrestricted", do you mean don't touch it with scissors for a year? :-]

What's a non tropical climate? I grow mine on my kitchen table... does that help?
 

Redwood Ryan

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Lol yeah.... wellllll...... the original idea was to make it shorter :/ the one that doesn't have any leaves is because I accidentally knocked that sprout off when I was moving it a couple days ago. By "growing unrestricted", do you mean don't touch it with scissors for a year? :-]

What's a non tropical climate? I grow mine on my kitchen table... does that help?


There's your problem, ;). You shouldn't try to shorten it when trying to fuse the trunks. And yes, growing unrestricted means letting it grow without pruning it at all. As for that leafless trunk, it may or may not live, but don't be surprised if it dies. Benjamina can be finnicky.

A non tropical environment is anywhere where it's not tropical like weather year round. I'm not too familiar with where you live in California, so I can't advise you on whether or not you can leave it out year round. It probably isn't getting enough light on your kitchen table, so I'd definitely give it as much light as possible.
 

Squeaker

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There's your problem, ;). You shouldn't try to shorten it when trying to fuse the trunks. And yes, growing unrestricted means letting it grow without pruning it at all. As for that leafless trunk, it may or may not live, but don't be surprised if it dies. Benjamina can be finnicky.

A non tropical environment is anywhere where it's not tropical like weather year round. I'm not too familiar with where you live in California, so I can't advise you on whether or not you can leave it out year round. It probably isn't getting enough light on your kitchen table, so I'd definitely give it as much light as possible.

It gets lots of morning sun through a window a couple feet from the table. And I won't touch it with scissors any more :eek: suppose that other trunk does die, will the live trunks fuse to it or should it he removed? Would it look awful with only 2 trunks? Honest opinion.... should I just start over? My feelings won't be hurt, I just want to know honestly if I've ruined this tree and if I'm wasting my time :rolleyes: is it possible for this tree to ever look nice?

Oh and there's little sprouts comming from the dirt, on my roses, I call them suckers, not sure if that's what these are. I know you said not to touch it, but should these stay?
 
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jk_lewis

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You have now discovered that bonsai isn't as easy as it might seem.

Please rush down to your local public library and check out a couple of books on bonsai and READ THEM.

Then go somewhere and buy a decent plant.
 

Squeaker

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You have now discovered that bonsai isn't as easy as it might seem.

Please rush down to your local public library and check out a couple of books on bonsai and READ THEM.

Then go somewhere and buy a decent plant.

I have a library on my phone.... they call it the internet ;) j/k

Sooo this one is a lost cause basically?
 

KennedyMarx

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Benjamina is the worst of the ficus species to use for bonsai and this one is a lost cause. You should resign it to house plant status and find something else for bonsai. There are a ton of resources out in California, from Bonsai clubs to nurseries, that you have access to. If you want a ficus try a microcarpa or willow leaf (salicifolia/nerifolia). They don't die back like benjamina has a tendency to do and the leaves reduce way better.
 

ABCarve

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There's your problem, ;).

A non tropical environment is anywhere where it's not tropical like weather year round.

That's a very informative answer. Thanks... now I know "what's not" tropical.
 

ABCarve

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It's a great answer!!! I does make you think though.... Cheers
 

Squeaker

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I was thinking tropical type climate would be made in a green house or something and non tropical could maybe be on my table with less intense sunshine.

But thanks... now I feel dumb.
 

Squeaker

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Benjamina is the worst of the ficus species to use for bonsai and this one is a lost cause. You should resign it to house plant status and find something else for bonsai. There are a ton of resources out in California, from Bonsai clubs to nurseries, that you have access to. If you want a ficus try a microcarpa or willow leaf (salicifolia/nerifolia). They don't die back like benjamina has a tendency to do and the leaves reduce way better.

OK. Failed attempt. I'll just leave it alone and see what happens. If it fuses great if not that's fine too. My true passion is orchids. Bonsai is new to me, ask me how to grow an orchid and I could go on for days, maybe I should stick with what I know and quit bonsai. My boxwood is healthy and happy, but iono maybe I'll just let it do what it wants. Its so rigid I'm not sure how to really wire it without breaking the branches.
 

Redwood Ryan

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OK. Failed attempt. I'll just leave it alone and see what happens. If it fuses great if not that's fine too. My true passion is orchids. Bonsai is new to me, ask me how to grow an orchid and I could go on for days, maybe I should stick with what I know and quit bonsai. My boxwood is healthy and happy, but iono maybe I'll just let it do what it wants. Its so rigid I'm not sure how to really wire it without breaking the branches.

I wouldn't quit the hobby, it's a very rewarding hobby. You just need to read up more on styles, techniques, etc. and pick species that make good bonsai subjects.
 

ABCarve

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OK. Failed attempt. I'll just leave it alone and see what happens. If it fuses great if not that's fine too. My true passion is orchids. Bonsai is new to me, ask me how to grow an orchid and I could go on for days, maybe I should stick with what I know and quit bonsai. My boxwood is healthy and happy, but iono maybe I'll just let it do what it wants. Its so rigid I'm not sure how to really wire it without breaking the branches.
Don't give it up!! All things learned are hard fought and experience is the best teacher. If it dies...well... then you know...maybe. Many of my trees I just "dare to live". Most of them rise to the occasion.
 

Squeaker

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I wouldn't quit the hobby, it's a very rewarding hobby. You just need to read up more on styles, techniques, etc. and pick species that make good bonsai subjects.

Good bonsai subjects such as......? Please don't say juniper. I hate those. Anything but juniper. I won't give up, but hey not all hobbies start out successful, I killed my fair share of orchids when I first started that :rolleyes:
 

ABCarve

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Good bonsai subjects such as......? Please don't say juniper. I hate those. Anything but juniper. I won't give up, but hey not all hobbies start out successful, I killed my fair share of orchids when I first started that :rolleyes:

If you didn't fail, you wouldn't know what a success was. Looking at a polar bear in a snow storm.
 

amcoffeegirl

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Ficus are way easier than orchids. I can never get mine to rebloom. Get a willow leaf ficus. And look up clip and grow method on your library. If you give your ficus a warm environment and water it when it needs it you will get good growth which you can direct through trimming. It is quite fun. Also look up soil for bonsai. It is best to get a good soil. Roots are just as important as the tops. Have fun
 

Squeaker

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Ficus are way easier than orchids. I can never get mine to rebloom. Get a willow leaf ficus. And look up clip and grow method on your library. If you give your ficus a warm environment and water it when it needs it you will get good growth which you can direct through trimming. It is quite fun. Also look up soil for bonsai. It is best to get a good soil. Roots are just as important as the tops. Have fun

Growing the ficus isn't the problem.... it was my spectacular pruning skills lol. I'll look into the willow leaf.

Ps- feel free to PM me if you'd like a few orchid tips :) that's one subject I know lol
 
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