Ground growing ficus?

[GailC]

There is no such thing as large ficus sold here so I have to settle for houseplant sized twigs.
Would I be able to ground grow in the summer, digging up for over wintering indoors?
I have benjamin, it's the only species I can find.

 

[AZbonsai]

You could do that, however, I think it would be pretty hard on the tree in your climate with basically a twice a year repot. You can order good sized ficus on line for a decent price or just keep it in a good sized pot and do the bonsai two step.

 

[Ironbeaver]

I've tried ground planting last year. I don't think there is enough time for roots to establish then start to put on size. I have had some faster/Better growth using deep water culture hydroponics.

 

[BrianBay9]

I agree, in and out of the ground every year is not going to help much. You'd be better off using a grow box outside when you can, and lots of supplemental light inside when you have to. There are plenty of places you could order more substantial ficus and have them shipped to you. Weigert's https://www.wigertsbonsai.com/ , Schley's https://schleysbonsai.com/ , many others I'm sure.

 

[aml1014]

Why not build a small raised bed filled with bonsai soil, then pot the ficus into a good sized grow box. Leave it on the raised bed all year and let the roots run as they please, than in fall, just snip whatever roots have escaped. I've had good results with this kind of technique.

Aaron

 

[Dav4]

Why not build a small raised bed filled with bonsai soil, then pot the ficus into a good sized grow box. Leave it on the raised bed all year and let the roots run as they please, than in fall, just snip whatever roots have escaped. I've had good results with this kind of technique.

Aaron

This was what I was going to suggest. Even skipping the bonsai soil raised bed and just letting the roots escape into the ground would be helpful.

 

[hemmy]

I was just typing same escape root suggestion! But with the caveat that you probably need to be further south with more months of avg night lows above 50F. Northern ID climate charts show only July and August above 50F avg night lows.

My trees grow in winter outside between 40-50F nights and 60-70F days, but it is pretty slow.

 

[GailC]

Yeah, we only get a short time with warm nights. Planting in a grow out box really isn't a option, I have no place to overwinter a box that big.

I'll look into purchasing a tiger bark from a bonsai place, sounds like that would be best for my conditions. The ones I have now I'll grow as house plants.

 

[Anthony]

Gail,

See below -

1 inch deep pot - no need to ground grow.
Problem might be your air / soil temperature.

Though the thermometer might say 75 deg.F air [ for example ]
what is your actually soil temperature [ in full sun ]

Our air temperature averages off at 75 deg.F at night with an average of 82 deg.F
in the sun, air temperature.

The Ficus b. is a Sub-tropical with Scott showing it able to handle snow.
Did you see his images a month or two ago ?

Branch extension of 30 to 36 inches gives about 1" of trunk.
Soil mix here is 9 parts 5 mm gravel to one part compost.
Fertiliser from Mid February until June is 1/3 strength Miracle Gro - Lawn fertiliser
into moist soil.

Placement full sun. This is the local willow ficus ------ same treatment for a Ficus b.



Now at 3 inches of trunk - branch a year - but that was a test, could be done in one year.
Same pot all the way.

 

[GailC]

@Anthony thank you for the tips. I don't know what the soil temps are, I'll have to keep track this year.

Do you grow in full sun? What is your high summer temps? We have a fairly short growing season, only about three months over 75.

I did not see Scott's photos, did he have a benji in the snow? We are still freezing at night, can't wait until it's warm enough to start doing the shuffle.

Your little willow leaf looks great. I thought ficus was slow growing. No way for me to copy your growing conditions but I will get it in the sun as soon as possible and fertilise it well.

 

[GailC]

Oh and when I say twigs, I mean this.