My story and a few questions as well!

TimD

Ya should check around your area for clubs. It doesn't mention in your profile where your from. Toss it out there. Who knows, there may be some of the folks here right around the corner.

You mentioned the window issue but what about a porch? back yard? I live in an apartment on a busy street and although I have to fight the crackheads from stealing my trees I've been able to make it work. The reason I ask is because your living situation can limit you greatly. Or just narrow down the species you'll be able to work with.

I think that little fatty you've got looks great and has lots of potential. Great tree to start with and like you said "keeping it alive" is the best place to start.

Welcome to the addiction we call Bonsai.

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coolcat600

I already located a club in a town about 30-40 minutes away. I doubt there are any in the city I'm in. There is a nursery in the town close as well, so I will probably go down there as soon as I'm sure I can keep this alive (to get tools) or get a new one (so that I can properly start over, lol).

Hopefully the tree is ok. I'm going to go out the next nice day and check the roots (doing it right next to my keyboard is a bad idea I think). The leaves look good, and I think that it is healthy b/c I accidentally scratched a little bark when removing the rocks and it was a nice green color, also - they say that ficus are picky and when they're not doing well they lose their leaves.

No matter the case, I am happy that I'm able to start taking care of it

ficusfanatic

i vote for repotting, but that's just how i do things. i hate the black mush potting "soil" that nursery plants come in. i get my plants into a mix from a local shop asap. i even keep all my house plants in it now. the black stuff just stays wet too long. try not to do too much with any given plant, if you repot now, wait before doing major trimming or vice versa. remember everything you hear- even/especially from me- is opinion or the way someone else does things, there is no gospel, and do what works for you....

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-chris-

coolcat600

I think I am going to repot too. Mostly b/c I have had the plant for a few days now and the soil is still pretty wet - and who knows when the last time they watered it was (just checked with bamboo skewers). I'm going to go to a local nursery and see if they have any shallow pots as the 'chain' stores that have garden centers don't have anything of the sort. Bought a couple books today (101 essential tips and Ortho's All about Bonsai). Hopefully they'll give me some good information. Also got a plant bulb today for my lamp. Hopefully it'll help.

I was looking, and there is just flat out a lot of leaves on this tree, so I think I will repot it, wait a few weeks, and then prune. Still undecided about what I want to do, but I'm almost 100% certain I want to do roots over rock, as far as the branch configuration, still very much up in the air about that. Only thing w/ roots over rock that I'm concerned w/ is the possibility that it could be very hard on a tree, and being new that I won't do it right, so *shrug*.

No matter the case, my fiancee made the comment "you're really getting into this" (as I looked for a magazine at barnes & nobel). I told her I'd been wanting to do this for a long time, she just gave me the excuse.

ficusfanatic

well if you want root over rock, you actually need a deep pot. you want to encourage long roots. or wire it onto the rock and bury the whole thing in well drained soil. gradually lower the soil line so that the roots grow, below the rock.

this all depends on the root structure of course. if you do have enough long roots that are flexible enough and where you want them, again wire to rock, arrange the roots and wrap the roots and rock with sphagnum moss and plant it in soil as you like it. again very gradually removing the moss in stages to slowly harden off the exposed roots.

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-chris-

coolcat600

Yeah, one of the books I read talked about this. I seemed to have not bought that one, but the idea was the same. They had you taping the roots (which seemed odd) to the rock, then burying it up to its normal state in sand, and then letting it go like that for a year.

I keep going back and forth on the root over rock, because I wonder if as my first... if it would be a little much for me, and if I shouldn't stick to something simple, get the feel of everything, and then go from there. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, I can always do root over rock later - if not with another tree. I don't have the room for another tree right now (one tree, plus my cat grass and my catnip is almost too much for my space).

No matter the case, I've kinda loosened up the soil so that will get me through till I can find a nursery with the appropriate items I need.

soltan

I get kinda worried when I see advice to repot a tree out of season just because the soil is not perfect.
It has been shown that a tree can survive root bound for many years (I have seen this pushed 27 years just to see). Yet you can kill a tree in an instant from Repotting.
As this tree looks healthy I see no reason to repot now.
I guess you are in spring now. I believe the repotting time for these is early to mid summer.
I say take your time. Use the submersion method to water the crappy soil. I have one of these carrot root figs and they like to dry out in the soil so I suggest submerg watering and then let it dry out no mater how long that takes i think the tree will be fine for a while.
The more important issue is getting the tree in ideal light conditions. You may find that soon you will lose lots of leaves after they turn yellow. This will most probably be from the change in light conditions it is going through.
I have mine inside at the moment for winter and I use no added light. It does not need to be near the window only some were that light will get to. Mine sits about 3 meters from any window.
Just don't panic if the leaves start to fall This is common when this tree gets a change in enviromental conditions. It is only when owners kill them with kindness that you gety trouble Just don't over water and this tree will be fine.

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coolcat600

Thank you for your advice soltan. It currently is now sitting below a plant bulb (60 watt) so its getting light. though not all the leaves are getting light because it is quite bushy.

As far as repotting - if I kill the tree, I'll get a new one I suppose. The whole "the tuition one pays to learn bonsai is in dead trees" or however it goes works fine for me, as long as I can afford it >.<

soltan

Thats the spirit have fun

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