Ugly ficus cutting potential raft?

Tycoss

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About a year ago, I cut a trunk section off of a ficus benjamina in an attempt to get some taper on the original tree (which later got left outside too late into fall and froze). Instead of layering it normally, I laid it on its side propped up at an angle by a rock. I covered one end with sphagnum moss and put it in an oversized bonsai pot in order to start building a raft style. The resulting growth upwards was fast and messy. When I removed the sphagnum, I found the root growth was even more so.

I was wondering if it might work to put it in a longer container and cover the other end with sphagnum moss. I could then select some of these former branches and grow them to 2 feet or more high. I could then remove the new moss to reveal some new roots, and could cut back the trunks to create a "forest on a bridge" style raft. What no you think? Any other suggestions?
 

sorce

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It looks wildly nice in that pot with the plants.

But even for a wild ficus the roots are:confused:.

I'd play with it....learn,
But when you find it in you to give it away, as I did with about 6 of mine this year, you will be in a better place!

IMO.

Sorce
 

GrimLore

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Any other suggestions?

Slip that plant as is into a shallow long box as you planned being certain it is no deeper then it is right now. I would do that and keep all of the roots covered in sphagnum kept damp as well as the other "end" as you mentioned as well. After a year of letting it grow wild trim off a bit of the understory and manage the roots, trimming, cutting, and moving them into less of a tangle. Cover them up and let it go wild another year and repeat the root work and development. Also by then you should have quite a mop top to reduce and start developing. As is it needs some more plant to work with allowing for what you want to create as a decent amount of the old will be cut away ;)

Grimmy
 

Solange

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This is great. If it were me I would work the roots over time as others have said. That branch on the right that doubles back on the trunk would be my new trunk extension, and I would build the canopy right were the canopy is. There is almost already a triangle there if you squint.
 

Random User

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It's too bad dandelions don't grow reasonably large and live a long time... imagine how much material we'd have to work on without worrying about replacement costs if we made a mistake.

The ficus IMHO is pretty close to the same thing... I'd try to dream up the wildest approach that I could with this tree and see where it takes you... it's interesting already.
 

armetisius

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Take it whatever way you can imagine;
whatever it is could not hurt to pursue.
IMO has all sorts of "twisted" possibilities.
 

Tycoss

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this is a bad virt but will hopefully give you an idea of what i mean?View attachment 122408
I have never considered the approach pictured in your virtual. I find it really intriguing, as it creates some order out of the chaos which is this ficus. It also seems very "do able" with the material I have. Good eye!
 

Solange

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I have never considered the approach pictured in your virtual. I find it really intriguing, as it creates some order out of the chaos which is this ficus. It also seems very "do able" with the material I have. Good eye!
Glad you found that intriguing. As others have said there's a lot of ways you can go with it, and that's a good thing. At least figuring out your direction won't be boring :)
 

Tycoss

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IMG_1892.JPG An alternative (far worse) virtual of my ficus as a "bridge style" raft. It would involve stimulating root growth on the far side. I would then style the top as a tiny "forest". Of course, I would use an odd number of trunks of different thicknesses, unlike the virt. The process would take about 2 years, a big grow box, a lot of sphagnum moss and a bit of wire. All that unchecked growth for a while should also help close some large pruning scars. What do you all think? Really just a visual of what grimmy recommended.
 
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Solange

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If that's what your feeling I encourage you to go for it. You could even practice some low risk grafting with a project like that, might move it along a bit faster?
 

Tycoss

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Now I'm a bit conflicted though, since the design in your virtual is pretty nice too.
 
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