[IBC] Banyan trees

Ben

Hi all,

Last February i brought a small shoot from a Banyan tree from Calcutta
(Ficus benghalensis) home to Belgium.
Since it's such a nice tree to see (out in the open) i nurished it a few
months and many big leaves have come, and a bark is being formed (bottom
feels like a proper trunk).
Anyways, i was playing with the thought of making it into a bonsai. Don't
know really if this is advisable with this type of ficus but i assume so
'cos i think it's better of inside the house (climate is quite different,
chillier over here).
Some facts:
- I keep it in the kitchen where you get a sort of greenhouse effect (glass
all around, so lots of sun) thinking it woudl need a lot of sun.
- Current height: about 15cm. it's not already growing at a speed of 3
cm/month, each time a new leave opens a new shoot (leave) appears.
- I'm keeping it in a 20cm diameter shallow pot (looks more like a plate)
about 2 cm deep

I've found some bonsai info on the web, but not really answers to some of my
questions:
- when can you prune? can you start off as early as this?
- the leaves are becoming bigger and bigger. any hints as to keep them
small?
- how do you make it grow thicker instead of taller? put it out of the sun?
- food? what to give, what not to give? I've seen special bonsai food in
green centres (shops) when to start with that, if at all?
- any do-s and don't-s
- where to find good information
- aerial roots: can you induce those? how?
- am i doing things i shouldn't (spot, pot, food..)

Thanks a ton for any help,

Ben

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Ben

confusing typo:
- Current height: about 15cm. it's NOW already growing

"Ben" <bennospam@tiscali.be> schreef in bericht
news:Ge6uc.590$TS7.252731449@hestia.telenet-ops.be

Alan Walker

Ben: It may seem to you that your kitchen is like a greenhouse with lots of sunlight, but I wager that if you measure the light, you will find that it has considerably less light than outdoors or even a greenhouse. And that is the primary key to the large leaves you are observing. Plants need to photosynthesize, and that requires light. If light levels are low, then plants adapt by making larger leaves to be able to capture more light. That
is fine for the plant, but not good for us who want leaves to be smaller to enhance that illusion we call bonsai.

You also mentioned the desire to encourage the growth of aerial
roots. This will require high humidity, the likes of which you will not be able to sustain indoors. You can keep humidity higher by putting wet sphagnum moss around the areas you wish for roots to appear.
So, while your banyan fig will certainly grow indoors, it will not
perform to bonsai standards indoors. Try to find a nice outdoor place for it, and bring it indoors only to protect against frost.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

Henrik Gistvall

Ben wrote:
>
> I've found some bonsai info on the web, but not really answers to some of my
> questions:
> - when can you prune? can you start off as early as this?
Let it grow free for now.

> - the leaves are becoming bigger and bigger. any hints as to keep them
> small?
> - how do you make it grow thicker instead of taller? put it out of the sun?
A big pot (quite shallow and wide) and sun will help. A seedling in a
bonsai pot will stay a seedling in a bonsai pot. You need to let it
grow.

> - food? what to give, what not to give? I've seen special bonsai food in
> green centres (shops) when to start with that, if at all?
Often just an expensive version of regular houseplant fertilizer. Start
now and just follow the label.

> - any do-s and don't-s
Use a well draining soil mix not just regular potting soil. Let the soil
dry up between waterings (not bone dry) and wather thoroughly when watering.

> - where to find good information
Look for a local bonsaiclub. Look for books at the library in a shop or
on the web.

And last, I´m not familiar with this species so I can´t even say if it´s
good for bonsai. I´ll leave that to someone else.

Henrik Gistvall, Uppsala, Sweden

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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Carl Rosner

Dear Ben:
You should obtain the new book by Jerry Meilik, who is
a member of the IBC. The book is called "Ficus: The
exotic Bonsai".

It is without a doubt a terrific book and will answer
all the questions you posed about aerial roots etc.

You can contact Jerry at: bonsaihunk@hotmail.com

Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
http://bmee.net/rosner
http://www.jamesbaird.com/cgi-bin/J...stid=0000006848






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************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++

Ben

Thanks guys, this certainly helped.

Some more things (while i haven't visited the library for some good
literature on the topic):
> Let it grow free for now.
* Do i need to let it grow for another year or so, what signs would
indicate it's time to? i believe pruning can be done twice a year (before
and after winter, right?).
* branches.. still to early, but i was wondering when branches normally
appear.. for all i know it can become a tall tree before any branches appear
(let alone growing aerial roots) any way to help forming branches?

i'll be transferring it into a bigger pot later on.
regards,
Ben

Ben

Thanks guys, this certainly helped.

Some more things (while i haven't visited the library for some good
literature on the topic):
> Let it grow free for now.
* Do i need to let it grow for another year or so, what signs would
indicate it's time to? i believe pruning can be done twice a year (before
and after winter, right?).
* branches.. still to early, but i was wondering when branches normally
appear.. for all i know it can become a tall tree before any branches appear
(let alone growing aerial roots) any way to help forming branches?

i'll be transferring it into a bigger pot later on.
regards,
Ben

Ben

thanks, looks exactly like what i need
"Carl Rosner" <arteacher3725@YAHOO.COM> schreef in bericht
news:20040529233126.2922.qmail@web21508.mail.yahoo .com...
> Dear Ben:
> You should obtain the new book by Jerry Meilik, who is
> a member of the IBC. The book is called "Ficus: The
> exotic Bonsai".
>
> It is without a doubt a terrific book and will answer
> all the questions you posed about aerial roots etc.
>
> You can contact Jerry at: bonsaihunk@hotmail.com
>
> Carl L. Rosner - near Atlantic City zone 6/7
> http://bmee.net/rosner
>
http://www.jamesbaird.com/cgi-bin/J...stid=0000006848
>
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger.
> http://messenger.yahoo.com/
>
>
************************************************** **************************
****
> ++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
>
************************************************** **************************
****
> >>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
> +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++
>

Henrik Gistvall

If you let it grow to approx 50 cm and then pinch of the leader,
branches will start to grow. Once again you let the tree grow free,
especially the lower branches. Keep them as sacrifice branches that help
to increase the girth and taper of the trunk. These will be removed
later on when you are starting to get satisfied with the thickness of
the trunk, but before the sacrifice branches are so thick they will
leave an ugly scare after removal.

Henrik Gistvall, Uppsala, Sweden

Ben wrote:
>
> Thanks guys, this certainly helped.
>
> Some more things (while i haven't visited the library for some good
> literature on the topic):
> > Let it grow free for now.
> * Do i need to let it grow for another year or so, what signs would
> indicate it's time to? i believe pruning can be done twice a year (before
> and after winter, right?).
> * branches.. still to early, but i was wondering when branches normally
> appear.. for all i know it can become a tall tree before any branches appear
> (let alone growing aerial roots) any way to help forming branches?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
>>-->> The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ <<--<<
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail BONSAI-REQUEST@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM +++++