ok so i got this as a full size house tree. I did several air layers and now im left with this base. It looks like it could have some potential. Just need help from yall to what you think i should go with it. A vert would help alot. Id like to chop it down to a lower branch and regrow it but dont know for sure. Help please....
Ficus B. help plss
- Thread starter buffrider
- Start date
will0911
Shohin
I've only been doing bonsai for a few years but others might say the roots are too big...
jk_lewis
Masterpiece
Well, it's a fig. They do that. You can disguise it by planting the tree a bit deeper, or you can carve the roots. It's a LOT better than having no base.
On the tree, it looks like a nice start. I'm generally no partial to F. benjamina as a bonsai, but this one appears to be large enough that it can be made to look fairly natural. I would allow all the branches to grow -- a LOT.
After you have a foot or so of growth, cut them back to the first side branch or first new pair of leaves. Let them grow again; cut at the first new pair of leaves. Repeat, repeat, repeat. That will bring the branch size into proportion to the trunk.
Alex DeRuiter
Chumono
With the current proportions of the tree, I think the roots may look a bit off. I wonder if you could ground layer it. The way I'm picturing it, you could have the top of the stripped area at the crest of the roots (similar to the picture I'm including). This would help with the flare of the base as well, and would create a textured nebari as the top of the big roots would still be slightly visible...but agian, this is all in my mind.
What do you have it planted in? Looks convenient
What do you have it planted in? Looks convenient
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will0911
Shohin
Axxon, that's what I was trying to write...I guess I didn't say it write and pictures are worth a thousand words
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
What do you have it planted in? Looks convenient
Well i found this in the yard next to my house and asked the owner if i could have it. I have no clue what it is used for other then a plastic tray. So i just drilled holes in it and then put drainage mesh on the top handle holes. I like free pots......
tatorger
Sapling
i have a ficus b. and i wouldnt recommend chopping it. The reason ficus b. doesn't take to bonsai culture well is that it doesn't back bud reliably. I chopped mine back once and it back budded just fine. the second time, almost 6 years after the first, I only one bud from it. luckily i had been taking cuttings from it for years and was slowly able to make it look presentable using grafts
stacy allen muse
Chumono
would happen to agree with tatorger... I personally wouldn't chop it either, at least not for now.
Seeing that most of your branches that you have growing are not even that old. When did you last cut this ???
I couldn't have been that long ago ???
I'm thinking that perhaps B-NUT should change the name of this forum to "Stump Cutters United" ,or something... since everyones problems seem to be solved by cutting everything off. The funny thing is, that when the new growth comes back, usually you will find yourself back in the same situation. Even more so with benjamins...
I would let the thing go for now... think about wiring what you do have, winter is comming so there isn't much point in cutting now anyways. It's a very good time right now to wire, the plant's growing cycle is slowing and the wired will not bite as bad.
As far as the roots, they need in the future to be addressed. I would perhaps work on them in early summer, depending on how this looks at that time.
Seeing that most of your branches that you have growing are not even that old. When did you last cut this ???
I couldn't have been that long ago ???
I'm thinking that perhaps B-NUT should change the name of this forum to "Stump Cutters United" ,or something... since everyones problems seem to be solved by cutting everything off. The funny thing is, that when the new growth comes back, usually you will find yourself back in the same situation. Even more so with benjamins...
I would let the thing go for now... think about wiring what you do have, winter is comming so there isn't much point in cutting now anyways. It's a very good time right now to wire, the plant's growing cycle is slowing and the wired will not bite as bad.
As far as the roots, they need in the future to be addressed. I would perhaps work on them in early summer, depending on how this looks at that time.
awesome well i did do the cuts about a month ago. I know they back bud very crappy for me i was talking about choping to a lower branch but i will just let it grow. Ill wire it tomorrow and take some more pics of it.
As for the huge roots, would yall think a splitting of the roots would do it or what?
As for the huge roots, would yall think a splitting of the roots would do it or what?
GerhardG
Mame
Hi
Sorry to have to disagree, but Ficus b. under the right conditions is all about back budding.
I love ficus and did most of my beginner learning/killing on them, my tastes have grown and moved so I don't have that many anymore.
Few years in I find it difficult to do any convincing styling on them, it's spring here and I've started drastic changes on all except one.
That tree is a great start!
Sorry to have to disagree, but Ficus b. under the right conditions is all about back budding.
I love ficus and did most of my beginner learning/killing on them, my tastes have grown and moved so I don't have that many anymore.
Few years in I find it difficult to do any convincing styling on them, it's spring here and I've started drastic changes on all except one.
That tree is a great start!
jk_lewis
Masterpiece
That'll just make more scarring. Sometimes the best thing to do with a tree you are unsure about is to leave it alone.
edprocoat
Masterpiece
I too have found that all Ficus, even the Benjamina are prolific back budders. The Benjamina is about the most finicky though and usually produces very small branches that take a long time to develop, but they can become a nice tree. It is hard to do a style that mimics nature or even the idea of a Bonsai that most people have, but they always produce unique styles, if you let them.
ed
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