Newly Aquired Ficus Forest

Erik

Hello everybody. Here is a willow-leaf ficus forest that I aquired recently. It's in serious need of repotting (as you will see in the closeup), and I would like some opinions if possible.

The woman who gave it to me suggested removing the tree in front that looks like it's being hugged by the roots of the tree behind it.

Any virtuals of the forest would be nice as well.

Thanks

Attached Images

ficus_forest.jpg (68.6 KB, 148 views)

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Erik

And here's the closeup.

Attached Images

ficus_closeup.jpg (70.8 KB, 141 views)

ripsgreentree

First this looks to be a great gift.
Second is that this is more a bunch of trees in a pot and less a forrest arangment.
Last I would concider repotting these trees into a diffrent arangement in a diffrent container with some effort to make them look more like a forrest.
The best thing is that it looks like you have some good material to work with. It should be interesting to see what you do with it.

Glenn

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ripsgreentree

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KZitzewitz

Wow, it looks like the pot is a kitty litter box... lol... who was it that was using kitty litter for the soil, well you were on the right track, poke some holes in a box and you have a cheap, shallow but wide and long bonsai training pot...
The trees look nice enough, you might be able to use them as single trees not in a forrest too, I would break them up and look individually at each ones heigh and shape, maybe plant them in thei own single pots for a season while you refine them, and design a sillohoute for a forrest...

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Tony

Hey, don't laugh. Kitty litter pans are great for starting cuttings and training them to a shallow root system. After that they need to be planted in a grow box or out in the ground to grow quickly.

Tony

BonsaiMon

I see pretty much the same as the other two post
Ficus have such good rootage esp. the nerifolia
I feel the trees are way to tall...may get as many good size cuttings as trees...
the major work needs to be done when you can provide
full sun, high humidity, and 70's as night time low
i tink early summer where you are?
for what it's worth part of the saving grace in the present
planting is the roots wrapping around the two trees in front
If you what to keep it together as is with some changes,
you might turn it counter-clockwise looking in from the left side.
I'm not sure how the trees will line up? It is difficult to see from the angles provided. Elimination of the telephone pole tree on the left front and some in the back I don't know?
And bringing the canopy way down to about a max of 12" or so.
The nerifolia is my ficus of choice for being creative. You can
cut it to any line you need. Roots will take as cuttings also..
If you can get some other front views , we can play with it some more...

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tom stoute

http://bonsaiinsights.spaces.live.com/