Ficus Ben over Rockish type Material.

[sorce]

Nutters,

A cutting from my original Ben, I put it on this (melted asphalt Rockish type material) rock about a year ago.
The rock is about 4-5 inches with about an inch over the soil now, I intend to expose it to an inch under the soil in spring, and maybe pot it proper.

It will stand about 8-9 inches from soil to top then, as the tree from the rock to top is roughly 5-6 inches.

Some notes.
This is the only one kept out in summer. Brought in once at 50 degrees and placed under 16 hr fluorescents, IT DROPPED NO LEAVES.
I cut it back twice already since fall. Once to backbud(and remove a 1.5ft sacrifice), once for selection.
I bought some Vigoro slow release pellets in spring that I never used. 16-4-8 for outdoor stuff.
I dosed all my ficus with it about 2 weeks ago. Overdosed. By about 10 times considering.
They are going apedung. Which makes for an interesting winter!

I will update after spring repot.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Wired!

What do you think?

Sorce

 

[JJshives]

As you know, I have some benjaminas so I can really appreciate the work here. I think it looks great and I really like the planting angle. I haven't wired a benjamina to that extent yet, and the limited wiring I've done bit in pretty quick (3-4 weeks) and after removal the branches lost some of their movement. What's your plan with wiring in regards to that? Any before pics?

Awesome little tree you have there.

 

[JJshives]

At first I missed the pic with the proposed pot. While I think it would look great, I wonder how a cream or unglazed pot would look to contrast more with the foliage. Have you tried any others?

 

[sorce]

Thanks JJ.

I only own 5 pots. This is the only one close to working.
I figured the grey will pick up the rock. And the drips, the bark.

The above is the only before pic.

Of the wire.
If you really break the branch, twist and leave it on for long, they should stay.
I had a trunk(other tree) I really didn't want to spring back, so I slit it with a razor.
Cut healed and it is not gonna move now!

Actually, you can damage the $;*( out of them and they won't die. So I give em hell.
They set to where they will not move again.

Sorce

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'm hoping you share pictures of those roots when you uncover a bit more. Looks like a fun project!

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Is that an ikers pot?
I am a fan

 

[edprocoat]

Is that an ikers pot?
I am a fan

It certainly looks like his style. I am a fan of his pots too.

ed

 

[sorce]

Yeah that's an Iker!

And I just got 3 more!

Chuck is great.

I like the simple beauty of his pots.

Sorce

 

[Anthony]

Sorce.

coming along very nicely.
Thanks for taking the time to post.
Please keep updating.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[sorce]

Removed the wire today. In Boon fashion. Thanks to that SOB and one of our most valuable S'sOT Adair.

I don't know if palms up applies to ficus too, but it worked, I had to keep reminding myself!

I knocked off only one leaf and 2 buds, likely because the larger 2 wires were too large.

I love copper. I have manipulated it for roofs, gutters, Freon lines, and water pipes. Understanding it, I believe, makes it easier to work with. I try to find some everyday. When my pile of scrap gets big enough, it's going toward a real tree. By that time, I will have built my skills to perfection, or at least confident enough to wire said tree.

To the newbs, practice wiring, a lot. Our "sticks in pots" are for learning. Wire them. And make them "sticks in colanders" . We should not have sticks, or seeds, in our pots!

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice job, pleasing movement, placement, and taper to those branches. On to the secondaries...

 

[sorce]

I found some before pics.
10/12/2012


6/15/2013

10/28/2013


Sorce

 

[sorce]

Before the trim. Last week.


Post trim.

Sorce

 

[Smoke]

Fast grower for 3 years. Looks like a tree.

 

[sorce]

Bring-in pruning.

I got a few detailed shots of each section. Not cuz I'm a pro, but because it could help.

I cut some upon bringing in to control the shock, give it something to think about instead of losing leaves. I've never had a full leaf drop. Only a couple at a time. And not for a long time!

Before. I wired that left branch a couple days ago. Electrical tape to keep an old wound closed. I'm letting the bottom run to heal that wound, then it's gone.


Here's the left trunks right fork.

Left side is low, has 2 branches already. The right side high, has one branch, that will be ramified and allowed to thicken slower than the left.

The right trunk left fork.
Left side high, gets 2 buds, right side low gets a bud and a branch. These little differences in energy really keeps things in order.

If I could count cells, I would.

More branches and a final to come.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Right trunk right fork,



Left low left alone. Right high, back to one bud on each branch.


Here's the back branch, which is the most problematic. I want to get it to bud back a little better for placement. But not too far in as to kill my depth.

From through the Front.


And from the low back. Lucky the scars that aint healing well are in the back. Cut the wrong way, I've since learned to cut with the sap flow, not perpendicular to it.

Here's the Front view post cut.
This forms the low back. The top of the 3 was removed, you can see the apex branch there taking its place.

Left branch took back to one branch with hopes of more buds further in.

Couple more and that final.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Apex



Nice bud there to get going!

Tops before and after.

And that final.

Under 2 4ft bulbs cocked on the 45 and a cfl on the other 45.

It's wild how I care for this one different and it turns out different!

Making the moves pays off!

Thanks!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

This is really one trunk, to 3 trunks, which each have two subtrunks, so what I cut back to and grow now are really my first branches.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Good sign I guess.

You could see where I knocked it off better!

Can't have that!

Diligence.

I called this dude I used to work with Dilly for diligent. Then it became another dudes name, Uncle Dilly, as in Dilly Dally.

I love pickles.

I went to the Vienna factory for lunch.
No burritos. But there is a storm called El Farro,? that's a burrito place!

Sorce