Brad75 wrote:If you want a cascade you should probably let the tree grow more branches before you style it further.
Just a thought; there is a book on figs by the man who runs Bonsai South in Caringbah here in NSW. It will be a big help to you so you might want to check it out. Just google "Bonsai South" and you will go to his website.
Cheers,
Brad.
Thanks Brad. I've owned Leong's book for a couple of years now. Know it well. Not sure how more branches will help? I think as Kez said, cluttering is potentially the issue, not being too sparse, but maybe you have something more specific in mind. Thanks again for the reply.
kez wrote:Hey mate,
Good start on the tree. For what it's worth from my basic level of knowledge, I would encourage you to remember that your primary branches are your skeleton of the tree you hope to create. You wont see a finished shape with these branches so don't look for that, what you want is to be able to imagine how the secondary branches from the primaries will fill out and turn the tree into what you have in mind. If you can see this happening with the branches you have selected then I would leave them as is, if you feel like it might be too cluttered then take what you are looking for back to the barest of bones.
Remember figs shoot back everywhere, and are very vigorous so you wont have to wait long even if you strip it right back.
I hope this helps.
Kez. Big help. Thank you! I can see where each branch will fill out and make a canopy, so that's reassuring. At the moment I think what throws me is that it looks maybe too 2dimensional or too cluttered or something.... I'll keep thinking. But thank you.
kez wrote:
I also wanted to add, with regards to your post slipping back so far with no replies, it has had 50 odd views! I ask the senior forum members and advanced bonsai artists for an explanation here, what is going on? With all due respect from someone as new as myself, this forum seems more interested in looking at and congratulating finished trees than it does with helping out people who are starting out and need the advice of people who have been there and done that. This isn't a bonsai gallery, it is a community that is available to all levels with, I thought, the aim to promote education and the furthering of bonsai in this country.
I also have made numerous posts asking for help with tree's, and have received much the same less than enthusiastic responses. Most of the time it seems to be posts from other eager new members who state that they are also new, and share in my excitement at starting out (which I think is great). I am fortunate enough to be starting Leongs course tomorrow, and it's just as well, because unfortunately I have resigned myself to the fact that I wont be posting tree's up on here for guidance for the above reasons.
I have no expectation that all my posts will get replies. People are volunteering their time in the end, so anything that is said, even unhelpful, negative or critical is still generous of them - they have no duty to reply. And I really love everything Steven and all the mods do. This site has been unbelieveably helpful to me. I've learned so much more than I have from any bonsai book or other site i've seen. I see my post slipping as merely there being other active posts here while I posted mine. And 50 views isn't really that many in my experience (there are a lot of guest views and others who don't feel experienced enough to answer the questions).
Thanks again Kez your post has helped me.
but I can't pinpoint it. Would love your advice. I've not really completed the primary branching of a tree before.
Large amounts of DL do result in very good and fast growth gains, but one of the other things it results in is much longer internodes. The last thing i want on my primary branches, especially my cascade branch is long internodes. Hence I've halted the DL (will use a sprinkle on occasion) and switched to a liquid fert i'll apply every now and then. 
