The starter Ficus repository!

So lately there have been a few starter Ficus turning up on the forum and they are a great species for not only beginners but all of us. They are often one of the first trees that you will buy when starting out, I know I got one as my second tree.
With that in mind I thought it might be a good idea to have an ongoing thread specifically for our Ficus to show off how they started out and what work that has been done to them, kind of like an evolution of the mallsai thing.

And also it might be a good thread for us beginners to ask questions that you otherwise might not of asked if it meant you had to start a thread of your own.

It will only work if we all chip in and I hope that others do too as it could be a nice resource to have.
Anyway, I'll get it started, I'm not fraid.

So here are a few of mine, the first I got over a year ago and really this is the tree that inspired this idea. It hasn't really missed a beat. I have for the most part left it alone after an initial repot and tried my best to dig the rusted stainless steel from the trunk.
Soon I am going to defoliate it and have a good look at what is under the canopy for a clear out, I will update here once do it.



Next up is another Retusa, recently purchased. Much smaller and I probably should get it out of the muck soil it is in.


And what Ficus thread would be complete without one of these?


I have not done work really on any of these so it will be interesting to see how they end up, maybe some chopping and growing is in order.

So c'mon, lets see yours if you dare, before and after pics are cool too as it should show you just what can be achieved with starter material.

Very good idea!

I got this tree three years ago for my 17th birthday:



As it sits now:



It needs carving, buds lower on those two grafted sticks, roots around the soil line and microcarpa grafting, as those two low branches are understock foliage.

Most of the ficus I have started out as fairy garden plants from a local greenhouse.
The kind you find in 2inch pots.
Some have multiple trunks but most were single. I found this site and realized that I could keep them alive and thriving in my apartment.
I was told to put them in a fast draining soil- which I did. For the first 5 years I clipped them too much. Kept them short and didn't allow any growth. I made a lot of mistakes and killed a lot by cutting off too many roots.
I often did not give them a chance to recover. If all the leaves fell off I assumed it was dead and it went in the trash. These are a lot tougher than I give them credit for. I will try to restrain myself in the future and let them grow.

I have also purchased some nicer material from wigerts and schleys in Florida.
They are doing well.

One that I think will turn out well in the future

Cool, thanks for sharing guys and gals!

Tentakelaertje said:

I got this tree three years ago for my 17th birthday:

Click to expand...

That is a total transformation from where it began, looks ready for summer.
Did you plant out the cuttings?
I have no idea what to do with mine, it was damaged when wind blew it off my bench and broke it's plastic pot too.

amcoffeegirl said:

Most of the ficus I have started out as fairy garden plants from a local greenhouse.
The kind you find in 2inch pots.
Some have multiple trunks but most were single. I found this site and realized that I could keep them alive and thriving in my apartment.
I was told to put them in a fast draining soil- which I did. For the first 5 years I clipped them too much. Kept them short and didn't allow any growth. I made a lot of mistakes and killed a lot by cutting off too many roots.
I often did not give them a chance to recover. If all the leaves fell off I assumed it was dead and it went in the trash. These are a lot tougher than I give them credit for. I will try to restrain myself in the future and let them grow.

Click to expand...

Very nice, are they willow leaf ficus, I don't see many here but definitely want one?
I think that is why they are great beginner trees, as you say they are tough and also pliable but. That said taking it easy on my first one which has thrived has taught me a bit more patience as the other trees around it that I did more work on died, it is the sole survivor from my first few months.

13'-14'

15'.....

I do not plant my cuttings. I've never really been sucessful with that. I have read with bottom heat they will thrive but I haven't tried that yet. I am currently attempting a root cutting. No buds yet. My first post here was in 2011 so it has taken me this long to really learn the concepts and how to be more sucessful.
If I lived in a warmer climate my ficus could double or triple their growth in a season but apartment life slows it down to a crawl.
I still enjoy it though and will continue to try.
The first willow leaf I ever got was this one. This may be the last one a killed in 2015.
No recent casualties.

16'.....cool-ish summer...for a fig....so just the one shot that I can find...

Indoors took a beating this year. I repotted already, it was in need of an emergency procedure....Bigei...




Once it warms up good, it'll get a good cut-back. Systemic granular on the surface, if you were wondering. Had every manner of bug this winter, and every treatment.....

Lovely Lance.
I don't envy you lot who have to overwinter indoors, I only brought mine in twice when it dropped below freezing at night but it was and still is a long colder winter and spring here. Bring on the warm and bring on the growth I say.

Starfox said:

Cool, thanks for sharing guys and gals!



That is a total transformation from where it began, looks ready for summer.
Did you plant out the cuttings?
I have no idea what to do with mine, it was damaged when wind blew it off my bench and broke it's plastic pot too.



Very nice, are they willow leaf ficus, I don't see many here but definitely want one?
I think that is why they are great beginner trees, as you say they are tough and also pliable but. That said taking it easy on my first one which has thrived has taught me a bit more patience as the other trees around it that I did more work on died, it is the sole survivor from my first few months.

Click to expand...

No cuttings were planted. I figured 1 ficus was enough, but now the grafting stock has to come elsewehere from...

Yours doesn't look too bad either, put it in a deep pot, grow some lower branches and give it a hard cutback. That is essentially what I did and now it's 2000% more banyan than before!

I have one; my only tropical, which I inherited from a 2nd cousin in-law, or something like that. He did bonsai for 50+ years, and when his wife gave it to me, she told me it was his first tree. He lived in NOLA, and later in Virginia.

I received it 8/14, immediately chopped it back; top and bottom, and the last shot is 2 years later, 11/16. New pot soon.

Starfox said:

...willow leaf ficus, I don't see many here but definitely want one?

Click to expand...

Take a cutting from your bonsai friends if you can. I spent lot of time looking for one, finally found through eBay this seller from Germany last year.
http://www.beck-bonsai.de/artikelauswahl.php?kat=Zimmerbonsai~Ficus
Not in offer actually but you can contact him or watch his site.

Here is one of my Retusa's I recently picked up before and after a prune. Not sure how to style this one yet so I'm just letting it grow for now. Working on the aerial roots:

Before:



After:

Oh and all the trees so far are great!!!! Love em, are nice and will be nicer with time! Can't wait to see the progressions after summer!

petegreg said:

Take a cutting from your bonsai friends if you can

Click to expand...

sniff, I have no bonsai friends.

StoneCloud said:

Working on the aerial roots:

Click to expand...

I always remember one of the first things I read on Ficus in regards to aerial roots.

Conclusion. If you are growing figs you must make the effort to grow aerials on your fig and to try to develop at least one tree in the banyan style tree. Let me know how this works for you.

- - - Jerry "Bonsai Hunk"
http://www.fukubonsai.com/1a9a17.html

Sounds like good advice.

This is my potato fig It was a present.
I do not have a "before" photo. As you can see I have incorporated a reddish brown stone between the roots.

I bought this ficus last June from $0.99 Facebook auction. First order of business is to thicken lower branches and truck.