New to Bonsai

[Stevo81]

Hi all,

I'm completely new to Bonsai, I have found a few fig trees growing in the very neglected gutters on my shed. Just wondering if they would be suitable to have a go with before i buy a tree. If they are worth trying out, what tools would I need and would I need to wire them at all?

Thanks in advance

Stevo

[The Surgeon]

Hi Stevo,

Welcome aboard the ride that is Bonsai!

Firstly, I recommend you update your details with the city/location for future detailed advice from forum members.

Figs make excellent bonsai, so my view is "grab 'em and pot them up!'

RE: wiring, tools etc. I recommend you search this forum and youtube etc to read and watch techniques on maintaining bonsai. They look like young stock so plenty of time before any major work. Also, you should consider joining a local Bonsai club, always a great resource for information and help

Jason

[KIRKY]

Welcome to bonsai. Figs make good bonsai material especially for beginners. As for tools you really don’t need anything special when you first start out. Scissors, secateurs will do the job. Agree you should look to finding a local club if you can for assistance and information. Definitely collect your trees.
Cheers
Kirky

[shibui]

Figs do make excellent bonsai.
Many beginners believe that they need to start with a little tree and keep it small for bonsai but it is much more common for us to collect larger and older trees and cut them down for bonsai. That way you start with a fatter trunk and get to a more impressive bonsai far quicker so you are on the right track looking at these trees. None appear to have huge trunks but are most definitely a good start.

One of the things that make figs really good for bonsai is that they can be cut hard and will almost always sprout new shoots.
Another great thing is that you can chop roots really hard and they will just grow more new roots.
These 2 factors make it simple to collect feral figs.

In cooler climates figs are transplanted in warmer months through late spring and summer. While they are active they recover much faster.
As you have feral ficus germinating in the roof gutters I assume you live in a warmer area so you can probably move these figs any time of year.
Chop long branches short. That not only makes it easier to handle the tree but will also stimulate the tree to produce new shoots where you will need them for the bonsai design.
It is likely these will have some very long roots. Chop roots ruthlessly. It is not necessary to retain any fine roots or feeder roots when transplanting ficus but if there are a few close to the trunk leave them intact. I have seen ficus growing from cracks in rock walls just sawed off at the base and planted as large cuttings and they survived. Even a few short roots will make re-establishment much quicker and easier for the tree.

Plant in a container with open, well drained potting mix and water well. Keep slightly damp while new roots grow. Semi shade is probably best at this stage.

[dansai]

Yes figs make great bonsai, especially for beginners, but as has been said by the surgeon, putting your location in your profile will help as figs generally like warm weather to recover from hard work. Ive stopped any work on my figs for now nd just letting them d there thing for winter. I live on the southern end of the sub tropics and find if I work them now they may push out new growth which is susceptible to pests. I won't start work on them again until October.

Also you have what looks like Ficus benjamina which can be a little less predictable and positively responsive to bonsai techniques. So you could pull them from the gutter, leave some roots and put them into as smaller pot as you can fit them, (not a bonsai pot, but a plastic pot) without cutting them back and keep them alive for winter and look at working them once the weather warms up.

[Stevo81]

Thank you all for your replies. I have updated my details (Im in Burpengary) the weather is still fairly warm at the moment. Ill definitely take the advice here and pot them up. Looking forward to seeing how they go.

Cheers Stevo

[Stevo81]

Hi All,
I have finally got around to removing the trees from the gutters. The have really large roots and im not too sure where to start. I have seen lots of really interesting trees with exposed roots, however that may be a bit advanced for my first go. any advice would be appreciated. I have them in large pots at this stage with all roots in tact (except 1 large one i broke when removing the tree)

Thanks Stevo

[shibui]

No need to worry about roots on figs. Most species would have to be the best at recovering after root pruning so you can reduce ficus roots fearlessly, even with larger trees and larger roots.
I've seen figs collected from concrete bridges and rock walls where the only way to get the tree was to saw the trunk off and plant it as a large cutting - and they survive that sort of treatment too.
Even way down here in cooler Vic hills I can reduce ficus roots to almost nothing - no feeder roots at all, just stumps - and they just grow new roots and power on.
Warmer weather is generally the best time to transplant and reduce roots on figs

[legoman_iac]

Hey Stevo,

Welcome and congrats on your new trees!!! I've collect figs from brick walls before, they bounce back really well.

Be sure to check out this thread, if you're interested in taking the plunge to the next level, guides starts in August: viewtopic.php?t=6717

I'll be aiming to do this later in the year with some of my figs.

- Daniel