The starter Ficus repository!

[Starfox]

My air roots just dry up as soon as I bring them home, even though it can be humid here I just don't think it is enough. Maybe they would go better in a green house but that isn't happening.

Well average 14 i guess
For 2 months it freezes at night and around 5 to 10 °c at day time and ice skating isn't rare around here in winters lol

Yeah I spent a few winters as your neighbour so am somewhat familiar. One winter was particularly harsh a few years back.
2 months of sub zero temps and no snow, everything was just a block of ice. A real eye opener for an Aussie.

Anyhoo....
Was checking out the ginseng today and discovered ants in the roots so decided to do something with it. It was a mass of roots, no way I could totally bare root it. My plan was to put it in a nursery pot maybe a bit lower down and just leave it for a few years which I did do but I took a bunch of root cuttings as well.



Potted a bit lower, just in nursery soil. It now resides in wasp city by the A/C run off. Figured it's a bit more humid over that way.

And I cleaned up and potted the cuttings. Hope they make it.

 

[defra]

Hmmm our humidity is higher then Spain but the season is way shorter
Indoors is no way aerial roots will form as the air inside is bone dry because the heating is on almosth 24/7

I guess you mean belgium by neighbour yes from november untill at least februari it can be cold without snow here lol

 

[Starfox]

It's weird here during summer, humidity runs about 50-60% by day and 80-90% by night but it is like a dry humidity. Although everything is wet in the morning from dew.
We get very little rain, harsh sun and loads of wind. The countryside is dry, brown and semi-arid, I imagine a more lush environment and it would be more tropical.

Yeah we lived in Brussles for a number of years, both kids were born there. I wasn't into bonsai back then though.

 

[Starfox]

I'm also contemplating digging this up, it can't really stay there. As it grows the roots and the wall wont make good friends. No idea why the previous owners planted it there. It doesn't get looked after at all where it is, no water or anything and it took a bit of a hit last winter so if I dug it at least it would receive some care.
It's not ideal though, the trunk is straight as a tack but it does have some character to it and it is pretty thick but it will need to back bud down lower I think, from reading this is not a strong point of benji's.
Might do it anyway. Chop it about half way leaving some green and pot it up.

 

[defra]

Hmm goodluck !

 

[Starfox]

I know right?

 

[defra]

You could always airlayer higher above the ground or plant it slanting style infinite options lol

 

[Starfox]

It's even less impressive higher up, lol. I don't know, all I do know is it will have to go at some point. There is no rush, I can always give it a good feed and come back next year. Might take a bunch of cuttings first.

 

[defra]

In that case try to get it to backbud while in the ground
Cut 50% of its foliage feed and water it properly lol

 

[Starfox]

Yeah that would make sense, I had thought of that. Chop the top off and leave it.
I took a bunch of cuttings from it yesterday so if they take I might try fusing them all together.

 

[defra]

I took the time to study my ficus yesterday found some flaws that need to be adressed and actualy i do like the base of the tree as it is ill see if the weather allows me to take some pics today to discuss my ideas and flaws here

 

[Starfox]

So here is 3 and a half months of growth after the first defoliation, I had to remove the wires a month ago as they were biting in quite well.



Here it is after this mornings defoliation, I left the downward and low shoots as I will take cuttings from them.



You can really see how much new growth it put on, good technique to not only see what is happening but building up a bit of ramification.



Football is just starting so going to trim it back and stuff later today.

 

[Omar]

Hello all, I could use some styling advice. I took 5 whips and tied them together with raffia in an attempt to fuse them. About a year later I chopped them and moved into a pond basket with a more suitable soil mix. It's grown very well this summer but I don't even know where/how to begin styling and pruning with such dense growth.
Should I wait a bit more before cutting back or is this a good time?

 

[StoneCloud]

So here is 3 and a half months of growth after the first defoliation, I had to remove the wires a month ago as they were biting in quite well.

View attachment 157465

Here it is after this mornings defoliation, I left the downward and low shoots as I will take cuttings from them.

View attachment 157466

You can really see how much new growth it put on, good technique to not only see what is happening but building up a bit of ramification.

View attachment 157467

Football is just starting so going to trim it back and stuff later today.

Nice!!! well placed roots

Cut the growing tips off the branches you want to ramify further and not grow longer (if you weren't planning to already )

 

[Omar]

Nice!!! well placed roots

Cut the growing tips off the branches you want to ramify further and not grow longer (if you weren't planning to already )

I'm still confused when it comes to that. Do I let branches get to a certain thickness before cutting back and beginning to work on ramification?

 

[GSCarlson]

So, this is my "potato" mallsai. I have had her for almost a year. Just letting it grow, clipping to train the canopy.

Never gave much thought as to doing anything with the large tubors; just wanted to develop a nice, wide top. Then I had the crazy idea of carving them; or, at least for now, the largest. I'm not sure where this will lead to.

So far, I like it. Much more interesting. I don't think this will effect the health of the tree. She has good roots and grows like a weed.

 

[StoneCloud]

I'm still confused when it comes to that. Do I let branches get to a certain thickness before cutting back and beginning to work on ramification?

Ramification is one of the last steps in completing your bonsai. If the tree is at the height you prefer, trunk thickness as well as the shape and style then begin to work on ramification.

Reason being.......let's say your tree is 24 inches tall and you want it to ultimately be 16 inches tall........

If you spend time ramifying branches at any height above 16 inches it'll be pointless b/c you will ultimately cut all those off anyway.....

Now, on the same token there is nothing wrong w/ practicing ramification to learn how the tree will respond.

Regarding thickness:

yes you want your branches to "taper." so the primary branch should be thicker than the secondary branch and the tertiary branch should be the thinnest. So From this point yes, if your secondary branch is starting to get as thick as the primary it should be pruned. Same way we want the trunk tapering, same thing for the branches.

This explanation though is really over simplified.

Here is a better explanation of it though:

https://adamaskwhy.com/2012/10/15/ramification-the-next-step/

Also, if you search on here, there is sooooo much info on this forum, you'll get much more in depth explanations!

Cheers!

 

[Starfox]

Hello all, I could use some styling advice. I took 5 whips and tied them together with raffia in an attempt to fuse them. About a year later I chopped them and moved into a pond basket with a more suitable soil mix. It's grown very well this summer but I don't even know where/how to begin styling and pruning with such dense growth.
Should I wait a bit more before cutting back or is this a good time?

View attachment 157534 View attachment 157535 View attachment 157536 View attachment 157537 View attachment 157538

This looks super healthy.
I'm not sure on your climate but you could just let it grow for another year and attack it in spring or summer next year.
You could probably do a little bit of trimming now like removing anything that points downwards if you have to as a starting point.

It's hard to see in there but looks like a promising little tree.

 

[Starfox]

Love that carving idea, immediately looking way better. It shouldn't do it too much damage. I reckon that is pretty cool.

Nice!!! well placed roots

Cut the growing tips off the branches you want to ramify further and not grow longer (if you weren't planning to already )

Yeah it is still developing and I have some ideas for next season. There are a few areas that I want to cut back but seeing as I wired those areas already I will leave them this year.

Frankenficus is only just warming up.

 

[sorce]

cutting

Hey bro....

This is growing great for you.

How bout cutting that ass hammer loose......

Run a guy (white) to roll that part down and to the back.
And then somehow pull that yellow part forward again.

So it sits in that green area.

You'll disruption that line across the top and I swear that placement would be near perfect.

This is a dope ass tree.

Sorce