Carving big ficus stumps

[Sambow]

Hi guys...today I scored about 20 big ficus. Some have low branches others not. The truck thicknesses range from 4 inches to 6inches. I've cut them all at about a 45 degree angle between a half a foot and a foot and a half. They are mix of port jackson....flash and obliqua. I scored a couple of dozen smaller ones too with 1 to 2 inch trunk widths and lots of arial roots. I cut them back to about 15 to 20 cm. I found another dozen beasts down the back of the nursery in 100ltr bags.....ill get to them tomorrow. The nursery owner said i could have the lot [ASTONISHED FACE].....

I recently got a die grinder. The kutem carving tools havnt arrived yet.

How soon can I get the die grinder into the trunks to do some carving?

Should.i.let them bush up first?

Should I cut the roots down on the big ones and repot them...they've been in these bags for years?

I was think of leaning some over and having some upright. I'm totally new to this level of bonsai....any advice would be great.

I think I'll keep the smaller ones for root over rock style...
I'll post some photos tomorrow.

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[Sambow]

1

[shibui]

I would normally wait until the stumps start growing before carving the trunks. That might be next spring I know you're excited and want to get it all done NOW but bonsai is a patience game
In my experience stumps (of any species) do not always bud where you want them to so it is difficult to plan any carving or shaping when you have no real idea where all the branches and new leader is. For that reason I usually trunk chop with a flat cut for a start and make the final angle cut when I see what shoots the stumps give me.
It is getting a bit late in the season down here to be repotting figs. Nights are already starting to get cool. I assume you will have good growing weather for quite a bit longer so repotting should be OK for you. The good news is that figs seem happy enough to live in a small amount of soil and don't mind being root bound for years. they do grow better with fresh mix and room for new roots but unlikely to die if left a little longer.

[Sambow]

Thanks shibui...good information

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[Rintar]

How did this all go