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2-Oct-2002
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#1 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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Here Is My Ficus Kiki (Weeping Fig)
Since I've seen so many other people's plants, I thought I should offer mine. I didn't think ahead and take a before picture, so I'll just explain that it was very bushy, and had lots of branches that I removed with glee.
Story: It was extremely rootbound in the pot, the roots curling back and forth over each other. To correct the error I ended up pruning around 70% of the roots I would guess, so I had to prune 70% of the branches (it was exciting chopping so much). I grabbed wire after I was done pruning, and did my First wiring job. I would like to say that it was around 3 times as difficult as I thought it would be. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to put strong wire around flimsy branches with leaves that didn't mind falling off. I think I ended up losing around 1/2 the leaves that I'd leftover on the tree. In either case, if it lives, I had fun. Tell me what I did wrong, I can take it! Front View:
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It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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Here Is My Ficus Kiki (Weeping Fig) |
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2-Oct-2002
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#2 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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Top down view one.
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It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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2-Oct-2002
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#3 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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Top down view two.
__________________
It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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2-Oct-2002
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#4 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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The nebari that I didn't chop off, and the crispies it's planted in (about 85% turface, 15% peat moss).
__________________
It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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2-Oct-2002
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#5 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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A closeup to a branch I wired.
__________________
It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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2-Oct-2002
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#6 | |
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GUEST
Join Date: Jul-2002
Country: Australia
Posts: 291
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Quote:
Good for you.Thats what we need to see more of. Now for some constructive criticsm.This an excellent example of a plant going places.The only problem with this tree is that it appears to have four main branches whereas it should have either three or five.As in forest settings where they go 1,3,5,7 etc. In bonsai even numbers are not used as this gives them a man made look instead of a random natural look. |
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3-Oct-2002
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#7 |
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bonsaiTALK Master Craftsman
 
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sounds like you did alot of good tings to your tree...
this is a tropical..root zone likes to be 70 + in recovery of drastic pruning,.. which you did..an electric propagation mat will be helpfull .. early summer is a better time to do this type of severe prunning, then you can get it out into full sun to give it a real boost. Soil mix is good just remember to feed. Your styling trends toward banyon..?.. it's a ficus...it will grow...plenty of choices down the road.
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peace, tom stoute http://bonsaiinsights.spaces.live.com/ |
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3-Oct-2002
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#8 |
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Greybeard
 
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I think chopping plants is where the most fun in bonsai starts. You have made a good start here by chopping the plant back to induce back budding and to generate new branches. Problem is, you did to your tree what I did on the double trunk maple. You cut both trunks off at the same height. If you are going to keep both apex, one should be higher than the other. Both trunks have been cut rather short back to the main trunk, so correcting this later will be a problem. If you are going for a broom style, leave it alone for a while to see what you get.
The problem with the tree the way it is now, is that if your not going for broom style, eventually one of the trunks will have to come off. The "y" will continue to thicken faster than the trunk and develop a bulge there, and the "y" starts too far up on the trunk giving you a slingshot look in the trunk. Not good for single trunk bonsai. On the plus side the tree looks like it has a very good trunk for broom style. The nebari looks like it is well on its way. The wire job looks like you been studying the books real close. Fine job. Regards, Bonsaial
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Real men don't wear coats with "happi" in the title. Last edited by bonsaial1 : 3-Oct-2002 at 01:35 AM. |
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3-Oct-2002
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#9 |
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bonsaiTALK Craftsman
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I knew about the odd numbers being used in forest plantings, but I wasn't aware the same concept was used for branches. Now that I looked at it again, that was one of the things bugging me, was how it looked a bit contrived with 4 branches sticking out from each corner. I am definately planning on growing more out so it wouldn't be obvious in the future, but I'll need to think of some solution.
As for the tree recovering, it's been in the 70's around my area during the day recently, so I've been putting it outside when I leave for work, and taking it back in when I get home. The house is plenty warm for it, so I just have him sitting near a big sliding door where he can get as much sun as can make it's way through the glass. Quick question, would a normal humidifier pointing towards my tropicals keep the humidity up around them without causing any problems? I was trying to think of a somewhat easy solution to keep the humidity up, without resorting to massive plastic bags around everything. As for style, I was looking towards Banyan style. I haven't seen many good Banyan style Ficus, so I'm wondering if it's a difficult thing to do. I'm simply looking at the pictures of Banyan's and doing my best to move from them. I was wiring the branches to move horizontally away from the tree, and then in the future I could encourage aerial roots to form from those branches, heading down into my hypothetical Bonsai pot. This is the best example I could find.. though slightly larger than I think I will be able to create anytime soon: http://www.tropicalbonsai.com/ficus_philippinense.htm Thanks for all the suggestions and such.
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It's not the size that counts, it's how you wire it. |
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