Suggestions on ficus

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

I've had this tree for 15 years. I have a cousin who got married at Franklin park conservatory and before the wedding we walked around checking everything out. I wasn't into trees or plants but they had a couple really old bonsai in there that looked like something you would see in the middle of a cornfield that 4 generations of farmers plowed around there whole life. After the wedding I went to meijer's and bought this ficus. So for 15 years I've watered this maybe monthly and brought it back from many near death experiences by changing the rock hard cracked potting soil to fresh potting soil and watered for a while. So this last winter it was about dead again so changed the soil and decided the tree has been around longer than my wife and I needed to learn how to take care of it. So hit the books and think I have seen every youtube video that was in English for bonsai. I'm hooked now. So a lot of book knowledge and little experience. Here it is now in bonsai soil and has been fertilized over the summer and seen the sun this year for the first time since the big box store had it. would love to hear everyone's suggestions on what they would do. Now I've got a few more trees from nursery stock and a few collected and kept them in full vigor all summer so I think I'm getting the watering fertilizing and soil down to a science. I want to have a plan for this tree in the spring.

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Here's one upright hopefully.

 

[GrimLore]

Honest I would wait for others to pipe in as my experience with tropicals is to ask the Wife if she needs help and proceed with her instructions. I am Pretty certain Ryan will have some sound advise.

Also what is your location and how many and what types are they?

Grimmy

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

I thought I remembered it as a green island but done some research on it and the leaves are more slender than the green islands. I only have one tropical and the rest are outdoors. This ficus had three large bulbish roots and when I reported into the bonsai soil noticed they have already hit the bottom of the pot and growing sideways along with many new feeder roots coming from them. It's a feminine tree so probably take it closer to a 1/6 ratio or let it grow and thicken up a bit.

 

[berobinson82]

my suggestion:

the ol' chop chop

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Looks like a benjamina. I would not chop. I'd give it as much light as possible in hopes that it starts to push lots of new growth. Then, come spring time once it's strong and healthy, begin cutting it back to chase the growth in closer to the trunk.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I agree with Ryan, and I would add to give it as much light as possible. They can get by on low, indirect light conditions, but the more light the better growth you will get to put towards development.

 

[FrankP999]

More light and more humidity. They love high humidity

 

[RECLAIMEDBARNWOOD]

Yeah Frank I read that about tropicals so I had it out all summer and now it's on the shelf above the tub by the bathroom window for the winter. Figured it would be the room with the most humidity but only gets 2-3 hours of full sun. Waiting till spring to cut it back. Does anyone know if your supposed to fertilize tropicals indoors during the winter? I've heard both ways.

 

[lordy]

I feed my f. benjamina forest all year with whatever I have. Indoors after nighttime temps stay below about 50F.
The next time you pull it from the pot, you can cut off the bulbous roots with little effect. My forest developed some on the surface and I cut them after hearing from Jerry Meislik that it would not miss a beat. He was right. I've had those trees for nearly 15 years.
I think light will be more important than humidity if you have to choose. Or you can put it on a tray of pebbles with some water in the pebbles, but give it as much light as you can. Mist it every couple of days, or not.
And Ryan is right on with his recommendation not to chop. Benjamina dont bud back well, but you can trim the ends of the branches little by little and try and force growth back towards the trunk.