New ficus bonsai

[Trimaptim]

I am working with this new ficus. I would like everyone's input on the branch structure and how to get the desired full tree look in a done top canopy like the crude drawling shows. I'm somewhat new to these trees so I'm not sure best methods for building a show quality tree in the future. Thanks in advance.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Ramification 100, Beginning the Process

Leaves grow in the same direction that the bud points. Most primary growth is to outward, making twigs longer and longer into branches that grow longer and longer, always reaching for light. You allow buds to emerge that point in the direction that you want growth in. As branches reach the limits of your imaginary canopy, you cut off buds that are going to grow beyond your imaginary canopy limit.

If you leave the primary bud at the end of a twig, the twig will get longer as the bud expands into a leaf, develops another bud in the axil of that leaf, which then emerges as another leaf, ad infinitum. (All subject to the arrangement of the foliage: see below) If you damage or remove that primary bud, the buds further back on that branch closer to the trunk change to primary buds and grow twigs in the direction that those buds face, which is usually sideways from the twig rather than the direction of the original primary bud that you cut off.

When you want foliage to grow closer together than typical for the type you continually thwart the primary buds by pruning them off and the response of the plant is grow inner buds, sideways, over and over. The exact pattern depends upon the species of plant.

The primary buds are at the tip of these twigs and new growth will be more or less straight from the tip if there is 3 buds at the tip as you can see with Opposite buds. The two side buds will grow out at an angle of 30 to 60°, depending upon species. You can see that the Alternate and Spiral arranged buds grow in a less-straight path from the tip and about the same 30 to 60° angle for the side buds. If you look at the tree you have (any tree), you will see an arrangement of buds and pattern of growth. Plan on using it rather than trying to make it grow differently, but the method of use is always the same as outlined above: remove the tip to get sideways growth, or leave the tip and it continues to grow straight out.

 

[Shibui]

The ramification is developing nicely. technique and knowledge is one thing but the other requirement to create good ramification and finish a tree outline is time. Sometimes there is nothing that will speed up the process. Just keep growing and selectively pruning until the shoots reach the desired shape.

 

[Forsoothe!]

the other requirement to create good ramification and finish a tree outline is time.

Absolutely true. There is no substitute for time in-process.

 

[sorce]

I think you will save a lot of time by starting with appropriate forking.

This also has MUCH to do with sustainability of design. You want a show tree. Do you want to show it five years, or 5 hundred years?

You should get rid of this 4 banger by making these 2 right red cuts. The green are branches already prepared to take their place.


The left red cut will rid you of that 3 banger, improve your taper, and you already have replacements for there too.

Near the green V, you can see how so many branches from the same spot are already in conflict with each other, they cross.

What is ultimately worse that Humans rarely think about, and this is why I ask for how long you wish to have it displayable....

Is the need eventually to cut it back really far to "start it over" at some point.

If you have 4 branches from one spot, when you have to cut it back that far, you have a 4/1 taper ratio in that segment. Like a sumo for a branch.

It's not always the look of the 4 currently that is bad, we call it "acceptable of you can hide it".

Acceptable for short minded folks.

It is for years into the future which we must remove these things.

When we plant trees, they get thinned , Vegetables, thinned, branches, especially ones we are trying to show, also need their room to grow.

Sorce

 

[Trimaptim]

Thank you all for the ideas and advice. I think it will need to be pruned like you mentioned Sorce. But all good thoughts. I just didn't know if I should cut it back now to fix the branches or if I should just wait a bit since I just repotted it.

 

[Trimaptim]

I think you will save a lot of time by starting with appropriate forking.

This also has MUCH to do with sustainability of design. You want a show tree. Do you want to show it five years, or 5 hundred years?

You should get rid of this 4 banger by making these 2 right red cuts. The green are branches already prepared to take their place.

View attachment 318354
The left red cut will rid you of that 3 banger, improve your taper, and you already have replacements for there too.

Near the green V, you can see how so many branches from the same spot are already in conflict with each other, they cross.

What is ultimately worse that Humans rarely think about, and this is why I ask for how long you wish to have it displayable....

Is the need eventually to cut it back really far to "start it over" at some point.

If you have 4 branches from one spot, when you have to cut it back that far, you have a 4/1 taper ratio in that segment. Like a sumo for a branch.

It's not always the look of the 4 currently that is bad, we call it "acceptable of you can hide it".

Acceptable for short minded folks.

It is for years into the future which we must remove these things.

When we plant trees, they get thinned , Vegetables, thinned, branches, especially ones we are trying to show, also need their room to grow.

Sorce

Is this what you were referring to? I made a few cuts and wired a few branches.

 

[leatherback]

Haha, you had me scared I was going to see an IKEA ficus on here. But you whacked me with this little beast. Nice tree!

Not growing ficus anymore, as in the wrong climate. So I am just going to enjoy watchng this one develop!

 

[Jeremy]

Nice! From what i can see it looks like a Green Island/Green Mound Fig. These tend to grow as a more low lying shrub than massive tree so trunk size is impressive. I like the idea of having 2 apex, i think you need to define the height between the two though. The one on the right probably needs to be chopped lower. Grow shoots to 6-10 branches then cut back to 1-3 depending on which direction buds are facing. I would retain the aerial roots in order to give the lower trunk more thickness and the illusion of taper

 

[Forsoothe!]

I'm hearing the beat of a different drummer. I hate the trunk, but love the branch arrangement. I would grow it out as is, ramify it to thicken branches over time, -no hurry, as they present. The bottom of the canopy could be a little lower to hide the telephone pole trunk which is un-changeable except if the roots below it that can't be seen are (or become) pretty enough to accentuate. The trunk presented as a mystery! But, overall the canopy is intriguing, a one-off in game of copy-cats.

 

[sorce]

Plus 2 for hide the trunk, once you get enough roots growing in them gaps, this'll be pimp.

I waited way to long to start grafting such things to mine. Which entails jamming cuttings in the soil, and grafting them above when they take.

Of course, they will probably fuse themselves eventually.

Sorce

 

[Trimaptim]

Thank you all for the compliments and ideas on the tree. I know the trunk needs work and is my least favorite part of the tree as well. I will be working on the trunk and hopefully grafting roots for better taper. I do love the canopy and I'm not sure what you mean by developing into 2 canopies. Can you explain Jeremy? Anyone else show me your ideas as well. I just got it so I'm still going over all the ideas and I love the size of the tree as well. But I was thinking it was just a jade ficus. Am I wrong in thinking this?

 

[Trimaptim]

Haha, you had me scared I was going to see an IKEA ficus on here. But you whacked me with this little beast. Nice tree!

Not growing ficus anymore, as in the wrong climate. So I am just going to enjoy watchng this one develop!

What IS the ideal climate for these? I have a few younger ones as well in my collection and I will be moving to tennessee soon. You think they will do well there? I will already need to build a green house for a few more tropical climate trees I have. I was told they were jade ficus, but I'm not sure of the exact type they are.

 

[leatherback]

What IS the ideal climate for these? I have a few younger ones as well in my collection and I will be moving to tennessee soon. You think they will do well there? I will already need to build a green house for a few more tropical climate trees I have. I was told they were jade ficus, but I'm not sure of the exact type they are.

Moist subtropical is usually best. Except for of course the mediteranean ficus, that gives us figs, ficus carica. But moest figs do best in heat and moist conditions.

 

[Trimaptim]

Moist subtropical is usually best. Except for of course the mediteranean ficus, that gives us figs, ficus carica. But moest figs do best in heat and moist conditions.

Well I'm not sure it'll do so well in eastern Tennessee where I'm heading by the end of the year...

 

[leatherback]

eastern Tennessee

What sort of weather do they have?
You can of course keep plants indoors part of the year.

Nice thing about temperate zone: Summer days are MUCH longer than in the tropics. Tropicals love the summer here, even though it is a bit cold at times (Today we did not top the 20c / 68F)

 

[Forsoothe!]

You have Ficus microcarpa 'Green Mound' has pointier leaves than F.m. 'Green Island'

 

[jason biggs]

Florida seems to have supreme growing conditions for ficus...
You have awesome starter material here.

 

[Trimaptim]

What sort of weather do they have?
You can of course keep plants indoors part of the year.

Nice thing about temperate zone: Summer days are MUCH longer than in the tropics. Tropicals love the summer here, even though it is a bit cold at times (Today we did not top the 20c / 68F)

Where are you located?

 

[leatherback]

Where are you located?