Pure_Ignorance
Seedling
Howdy.
I have 8 Ficus that I think might be Ficus benjamina that I'd like to shorten and train to be nice little bonsai. I already put them in shallow pots and trimmed their roots about three years agao, as well as chopped them down a bit over that time.
I have seen lots of advice on how to get these guys shorter, but am curious how strictly work needs to be done in spring and summer if I'm in a warm temperate zone.
I cut them back quite hard a few weeks ago, thinking it was still pretty warm and they seemed to be actively growing even though its technically autumn. I watered a bit extra for a week, and then it rained heavily for a week.
Since some of the pots aren't draining as well as they should, and are suffering(see pics). I am tempted to repot them now rwther than wait until spring like I planned.
Also, while I've been playing with them today I tried a few grafts (pics as well). I have no idea how much to graft onto the trunks, I want to have some leaves and new growth on there though cause these guys seem to just die if theres no leaves on a branch. And in any case, it's probably not gonna go well since the weather has suddenly gotten cold this week.
So my questions are, if theres new growth and it doesnt get too cold, can I repot these? Also, is the grafting doomed at this time of year, and what makes a good 'scion' for grafting branchers lower on a trunk for these plants?
Edit: added a pic of one of the healthy ones to show how much they were cut back, to compare to the waterlogged one whose roots I am worried about.
I have 8 Ficus that I think might be Ficus benjamina that I'd like to shorten and train to be nice little bonsai. I already put them in shallow pots and trimmed their roots about three years agao, as well as chopped them down a bit over that time.
I have seen lots of advice on how to get these guys shorter, but am curious how strictly work needs to be done in spring and summer if I'm in a warm temperate zone.
I cut them back quite hard a few weeks ago, thinking it was still pretty warm and they seemed to be actively growing even though its technically autumn. I watered a bit extra for a week, and then it rained heavily for a week.
Since some of the pots aren't draining as well as they should, and are suffering(see pics). I am tempted to repot them now rwther than wait until spring like I planned.
Also, while I've been playing with them today I tried a few grafts (pics as well). I have no idea how much to graft onto the trunks, I want to have some leaves and new growth on there though cause these guys seem to just die if theres no leaves on a branch. And in any case, it's probably not gonna go well since the weather has suddenly gotten cold this week.
So my questions are, if theres new growth and it doesnt get too cold, can I repot these? Also, is the grafting doomed at this time of year, and what makes a good 'scion' for grafting branchers lower on a trunk for these plants?
Edit: added a pic of one of the healthy ones to show how much they were cut back, to compare to the waterlogged one whose roots I am worried about.
