Just cuz I can. Salicaria Mame.

[carp]

Earlier this year, I did this post;

http://godzilladontplay.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/marinara-cup-mame/

So, 4 months have gone by, and I will post some update pics.
Let me emphasize again, these cuttings have been growing in these small marinara cups from Pizza Hut for about 1 year and 4(?) months.
If you read the WP post, you'd see the photo of when the cuttings were started in June 2013.

The first shows the amount of taper that's been developed into the cutting while growing in the small portion cup. Once the lower branch begins to thicken to a safer size, the top will be cut out.
The second shows all of the Salicaria cuttings I'm developing for Mame in portion cups, taken about a month ago, trimmed them.
The third picture is taken from the blog to show the cuttings that were stuck right in a soil flat, at the same time, as the ones grown in marinara cups; they have a lot less character.
The fourth is a tree you should recognize from the blog post. Obviously healthy right?
The last shows three trees, two from the blog post, that I decided to do an initial wiring tonight.

Even from the time of the blog post, you can see with the tree in the fourth photo how the branching has developed.
While being grown in the internet's least favorite soil substrate, and in a marinara cup, seems impossible to grow a healthy plant like that.
And I wired it...they're goners...

And before we talk about branch placement, ramification, nebari, or anything like that; let's remember these are slightly older than a year.
Maybe a switched trees again to get a little attention?
That sounds about right.
Smh.

 

[KayaMooney]

These are some sweet little trees Seth, developing mame in Florida is always fun.

 

[Neli]

Job well done Seth!
Mame is a challenging material to work with, and not an easy one.
In Japan the prices of good mame can be more expensive than a large bonsai, for they are not easy to style, and difficult to keep alive.
Remember...mames dont have many pads...one usually or none some time...and they are repotted every year.

 

[Jason_mazzy]

how well do these trees root cuttings? How large can you make a cutting?

 

[ericN]

Hi Carp

Awesome! I'm a big ficus mame fan

Eric

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Awwh. I want one. I just can't resist. Too cute.

 

[carp]

oh. btw.
here is a few i have with me currently that i've been working on.
hopefully will be moving into a house, and get all my plants back within by 11/1.
the tree on the far left is a ficusa retusa kinmen, and the rest are salicaria.
the three to the right of the retusa are the marinara cup trees, decided they would look pretty in pots.
the fifth from the left is my avatar.
and the last is the tree that made a few users on this forum call me a liar for a blog post.

they're all in development.
the retusa was restyled as a mame this year.
the apex of my avatar tree is very immature, had an accident this year, had to regrow the leader.
and the last tree, i'm still looking for better branch placement and haven't been getting the bud pops where i want them yet.

it is what it is.

 

[quietobserver]

how well do these trees root cuttings? How large can you make a cutting?

http://www.bonsaihunk.us/info/FigPropagate.html

Meislik's the author of the Ficus book everyone sells and knows his stuff.

"Ficus cuttings of 4 inch caliper or even more can be rooted." Better have ideal aftercare, but you get the gist of it. They store so much in their wood they'll hammer all the energy out into new roots under favorable conditions.

 

[bwaynef]

oh. btw.
here is a few i have with me currently that i've been working on.
hopefully will be moving into a house, and get all my plants back within by 11/1.
the tree on the far left is a ficusa retusa kinmen, and the rest are salicaria.
the three to the right of the retusa are the marinara cup trees, decided they would look pretty in pots.
the fifth from the left is my avatar.
and the last is the tree that made a few users on this forum call me a liar for a blog post.

I've been looking for stock similar to this.

 

[carp]

I've been looking for stock similar to this.

If you're implying you want to buy something, most of these trees have higher sentimental value to me, than $$$ value to you. Unless you're made of $$$.

 

[Vin]

Very interesting blog and progression. They responded well indeed. Did I miss when you plan on moving on from the marinara cups? Looking forward to seeing them next year.

 

[carp]

I got antsy and put the three from this post into bonsai pots, look at the picture of the trees on the hood of my truck. I'll probably put them back into the portion cups in April though. I have 7 others that are in cup now that I intend on keeping them in cups for at least 5yrs. Maybe longer.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Looking good. I'm wondering if I can pull this off up here in Indiana. I'm guessing that the humidity there has something to do with how well they grow in the tiny containers. Did you cut the tops back any while they grew?