The Ficus Experiment

[Altariel17]

I purchased a Ficus from Lowe's several months back, and have started the process of converting into workable bonsai material. This is the first plant I've tried to make the conversion with, and am basically using it as learning experiment that will hopefully turn into something useful.

It was pretty much a bush when I bought it, and cut it back hard immediately. It responded well to the cutback, and a month later I repotted it. I am trying to encourage it as much as possible to grow aerial roots, so I keep a plastic bag wrapped around the pot and lower trunk most of the time to increase the humidity. So far that phase of the experiment seems to be working! I'm calling this one Ficus A.

I also saved some of the cuttings and planted them. One of them really took off, and has considerable roots of its own now. I've moved it into a larger container and am eager to see if it continues to do well. This one is Ficus B. I'll let it grow for a few years before trying to mess with it at all.

I am planning to repot Ficus A into a bigger pot again in the next week. The roots are growing out the bottom of the pot its in now, and I just want it to focus its energy on being healthy for the moment. I'll probably do a bit of root trimming when it repot it, but not much.

The next phase after that will be defoliation to encourage smaller leaves. I'm thinking of waiting about a month after the second repotting for that step. Then nothing further will be done with it until at least next spring.

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions about my plan, I would like to hear them.

Thanks!

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Looks like a variegated benjamina, not an ideal subject for bonsai. You won't be able to get the leaves super small since benjamina leaves don't reduce all that well, unless it's a dwarf cultivar. Being variegated doesn't help a whole lot either, as they're generally weaker than your regular species. It's good learning material, but it may not be a specimen one day.

 

[Altariel17]

I have heard that about Ficus benjamina. I'm partly using it to lean on, and that will tell me more about what a Ficus can handle so I'll be better equipped to work on my other trees in the future. I'm a very hands on learner and experience tells me more than just reading about techniques. I have a couple trees of other Ficus species that will probably benefit. At any rate, there's no harm in trying to make it usable along the way.

Do you know why some of the leaves have the variegation pattern on them and some do not? I've been wondering that for a while. I suspect it may have something to do with the light it receives, but I rotate it for make sure it gets even light.

 

[sorce]

I am planning to repot Ficus A into a bigger pot again in the next week. The roots are growing out the bottom of the pot its in now, and I just want it to focus its energy on being healthy for the moment.

It will be more fun....
And a longer moment....
If the f worst part of this statement didn't exist.

I meant to type "first"....but "f worst" is just as good....or better!

You can learn a lot with it.....
But not if.....not if.....

Sorce

 

[aml1014]

This is one of my variegated benjamina clumps, leaves range from one third to one full inch, much smaller then normal.

Aaron

 

[Altariel17]

I like your ficus, Aaron! Did you do anything in particular to get the leaves to be smaller?

Sorce, I'm not sure if I know what you mean. Could you please clarify?

 

[Lane]

Some variegated trees only throw out the variegated leaves during spring and autumn, leaves throughout summer may revert to the normal green.

 

[aml1014]

I like your ficus, Aaron! Did you do anything in particular to get the leaves to be smaller?

Sorce, I'm not sure if I know what you mean. Could you please clarify?

I just let shoots grow about 6 to 8 leaves then cut back to 1 or 2 depending on where they are pointing. I wire maybe 2-3 times a year and I let it cut in slightly, if you don't, they just don't stay in place plain and simple.

Aaron

 

[sorce]

Could you please clarify?

Don't repot!

Unless repotting is smoking another dube,
While contemplating not changing the trees container!



Sorce

 

[petegreg]

RR is right. + this variegated benjamina is less vigorous than green form (@aml1014 , can you confirm it?), not the best fig for learning. I've seen only few nice trees...

 

[aml1014]

RR is right. + this variegated benjamina is less vigorous than green form (@aml1014 , can you confirm it?), not the best fig for learning. I've seen only few nice trees...

Only non variegated one I have is a mame at 3in tall, so I really couldn't tell you which grows faster lol.

Aaron

 

[petegreg]

I've got both, variegated was wired 2 years ago...the greens are rewired twice a year and pruned and trimmed and growing...

 

[GSCarlson]

I am growing a variegated over a rock and it is a slow but steady process. I would recommend leaving the leaves as is until the tree has grown to it's final size. Otherwise, you will be slowing it's growth even more.

 

[Altariel17]

That looks very cool! I wish you luck.

I see the point about not defoliating it yet. But i think i may have to repot it. Here is a picture of the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. I feel like I should do something about this. I do want the plant to be healthy, but can it be healthy if it's root bound?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

can it be healthy if it's root bound?

Yup. Some even say Ficus grow faster when root bound.

 

[aml1014]

Yup. Some even say Ficus grow faster when root bound.

My teacher usually leaves hers alone about 6 years between repots, she says they prefer being rootbound.

Aaron

 

[Altariel17]

That's interesting. Very good to know. Alright, no reporting for sure then.

 

[cockroach]

One of my most flourishing microcarpas has been in the same pot for 5 years. I have had to cut trailing/escaping roots every year. Not sure how there is soil left inside but it is going for gold.

 

[sorce]

Potbound will also help it push....

aerial roots

When the pot roots can't get what they need....
It throws roots higher.
With only shade.

Sorce