Ficus retusa 'Ginseng'

[Fallen_Reality]

I have started a Ficus retusa 'Ginseng'. I repotted it recently, removing a bit of the large tuber and putting the rest in the soil so that the actual truck, all two inches of it, was above the soil. It has a few yellow leaves near the bottom, and was wondering if this happens when large roots are removed. So far, it's not too serious, but I will keep watch.

Also, I've read that Ficuses like a 3-1-2 fertilizer, and Miracle-Gro is 12-4-8, so that should work, correct? The instructions say for potted plants is 1/2 teaspoon for 2 quarts of water, every two weeks. I've seen that a few places suggest making fertilizer at half strength for Ficuses. Is that because ficuses are sensitive, or just because the people writing about them don't want you to over fertilize?

Thank you for any help!

 

[BonsaiMon]

Not sure where you are attempting to proceed with this ficus.. 1st pic is a bush and the second is a blurrr . Back up a lil when taking your picture. The ginseng ficus is a hardy plant and will handle about anything you might do to it. No worry with the yellowing leaves.. take them off. Ficus aren't fussy about fertilizer. where the plant is growing and soil .. will determine when and strength of fertilizer.

 

[Fallen_Reality]

Not sure where you are attempting to proceed with this ficus.. 1st pic is a bush and the second is a blurrr . Back up a lil when taking your picture. The ginseng ficus is a hardy plant and will handle about anything you might do to it. No worry with the yellowing leaves.. take them off. Ficus aren't fussy about fertilizer. where the plant is growing and soil .. will determine when and strength of fertilizer.

The pictures were quick and dirty. The first is to highlight the yellow leaves, the second is showing the pruning scar and how little the actual trunk is. I have taken a photography class, and yes, they are poor photos, but they didn't need to be fancy to illustrate what I wanted them to.

As for what I am attempting to do with it, it is a mallsai, and needs to grow a lot before I can do anything with it. I plan to cut back much of the current growth leaving only the top pieces to grow larger. Because I just repotted it, I wanted the roots to heal before I did any pruning. I was also planning to take the cuttings from it and grow them into more plants.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Unfortunately, from what I've seen and read, the tubers will never go away. You can hack at them all you want, but they eventually come back.

 

[BonsaiMon]

My point concerning the pic quality was that it was difficult for me to see what you were starting with...
It appears that it was allowed to grow and then the top chopped shortly before selling.
I am working one which hasn't been lopped and I'm allowing low branches to help with a more tapered look in the trunk. I also have one that is short and will be working for more of a banyon style.
Cuttings take easily with these.
I have another, which had another type of ficus, I have not verified species, grafted to it, which I cut the original growth off and I'm growing it on with the unidentified species on the ginseng tuber. I rooted the cut off portion .. clump style ..
Not many artist work with this variety because of the tuber look.. I like long term projects... time will tell.

Hey Ryan... never say never.. lol