Help needed for Ficus Rubiginosa (Port Jackson)

[kaoswolf]

Aus Bonsai Community,

I'm new into the art of bonsai and I would like to get opinions from the community.

I have attached three photos of my port jackson bonsai. I have just been pruning the buds and I have never removed a branch.

I'm thinking of removing a branch indicated in the photo. However, I'm not sure if it's a good idea. There is a bump there, which i want to remove too, but I'm not sure if it's going to leave a big scar or damage.

Furthermore, I'm not sure where would be an appropriate front view of my bonsai for display.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Jiro]

Personally I don't think that is too bad a spot for a first branch but the design is up to you.

Having said that, it is also in a good position to add some girth to your trunk if you leave it for a few more years as a sacrifice branch.

ficus are great in that they are very good at healing scars, in time of course. The best way to assist in that is to use the right tools. Use a concave cutter and apply a cut past to the wound.

Overall, my advice is to wait 2 more growing seasons before you make your decision.

In the meantime, practice your wiring and pruning and take advantage of the warm weather with a good organic fertilising regime.

If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

*edit* at a quick glance your 'back' looks like a reasonable front and is that a weed in the front? get it out! it's only draining nutrient from your bonsai. Also, I would put it in a larger (much larger) but still shallow container if you want to increase your trunk/base size in 2-3 years rather than 10. Then you can work on reducing it down to a smaller 'show' pot.

[kaoswolf]

Hi Jiro,

Thank you for your feedback. I had a feeling that maybe the Back photo could be the front view of my Bonsai.

In regards to fertiliser, what would you recommend? I was thinking Osmocote 500g fertiliser https://www.bunnings.com.au/osmocote-50 ... r_p2961295 . But I'm not sure if this is appropriate? The nursery in Sydney has their own mix. Is it better to buy it at a Bonsai nursery than bunnings?

Regarding with pruning, should i cut some leaves? or just cut away some buds?

With wiring, I'm not sure which branch should I start to wire. Furthermore, I'm not sure what the thickness of a wire i should use?

I will find a larger shallow pot sometime soon.

I appreciate your advice.

Thank you.

[Raging Bull]

Hi kaoswolf,
And welcome to the forum. In your own interest it would be a good idea to aquire a good beginner's bonsai book and familiarize yourself with the basics. There is also a lot of info available online in the way of videos just by Googling "beginner's bonsai basics" or something similar. If you do that research over the next couple of weeks you will look at your tree in a more informed way, and the tree will not have got out of hand during that time.
Cheers, Frank.

[Jiro]

You can use a slow release pellet fertiliser in conjunction with an organic fertiliser like Nitrosol or similar. An organic fertiliser can be applied every 4-6 weeks (in the growing season) and brings the added benefit of introducing micro-organism to your soil. Additionally, If you want to grow your tree out in a larger container some seasol or other seaweed extract is a great way to promote root health and accelerate overall growth (accelerate being relative to tree/plant time)

I don't want to over complicate things for you but I had a few bonsai in small bonsai pots for close to 8 years without realising that you are in for a very very long haul to get some decent size on your trunk. A tree will grow in a bonsai pot but it takes a really long time. If you go down to the fruit shop and get a polystyrene box with drainage holes, that would be a free and suitable container. A couple of years in that and some proper care and your tree will flourish into the beginnings of a nice bonsai.

Have look at this thread for how to do that, minus the first few steps regarding starting it from a cutting:viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6717

An important thing to keep in mind is two stages of bonsai: development and refinement.

If you have the time and money I advise getting a few more bonsai/trees at various stages of development or refinement so you can practice your techniques. It will keep you hooked and excited about bonsai rather than painfully watching a single tree.

Bonsai Illigan is a good youtube channel for ficus species, he has all manner of videos for beginner, intermediate and advanced techniques. httpss://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNHu-E ... 6WJr_g2JnQ

httpss://www.bonsaisouth.com.au/bonsai-videos-tutorials/

There are plenty of videos and websites but read and watch widely as you will see so many points of view and they are sometimes conflicting. Ausbonsai is great even though I only just recently became a member myself. Ultimately though nothing beats talking to and learning from other more learned bonsai practitioners, a great way to do that is to join a bonsai club. And of course books are great although not all books are equal.

https://www.bonsaisouth.com.au/forum/ind ... ainmenu-62

[Deleros]

I really like first branch very low, specially in Ficus.

Now I would like you to consider some basics about your tree (and bonsai in general):

A. Unless you are trying to have a father-son structure, or double trunk, avoid the tree to grow from the roots.

B. Branches never grown in a wheel radius shape. In every floor, one only branch predominates and kill the others. So, one branch per floor.

C. There are things in a tree that you could easily change (branches) and others with a lot difficulty to be modified (nebari). Work in roots is continued.

I understood you have not very much experience with trees, so I will suggest you a couple of things to do safely and will help you to improve your skills.. If it's not this way, I'd be sorry cause I misunderstood you because English is not my mothertongue language!

1) you need to cut the son that is growing from the roots, and a part of the first (ichi) and second (ni) branches as they are doubled..



2) low the first and second branches. The firsts branches of a tree are pretty heavy. You may use a 1.5 mm wire, it would be perfect with your tree. I attach a photo of my own fig tree for you to analyze how..





3) after that I would change the pot. A bit wider one, but not too much wider.

- If you want your bonsai growing really fast, use a plastic strainer or a basket for clothespins. This will give the roots extra air, avoid large roots spiraling in the substrate and multiplying capillaries.
- Fulfill half the pot of substrat, put in there some flat surface (size a bit smaller than the pot, as an old CD), cut the main central root of the tree an maintain lateral roots.
- put the tree with roots in star shape directly over the CD ( this will make roots growing horizontally) and cover with substrat.
- You must water once at day.

4) cut all structure over the second branch. Try to maintain at least 1 inch over the branch anyway. In short your tree will give you a lot of new branches you could easily work with, and redesign your tree.

Regards


instagram: Deleros Bonsai
Visit me at: El Jardí Petit

[KIRKY]

I like the side picture as your front. Agree with deleros’s first picture, remove whatever is growing in the pot weeds? Suckers? However I would not remove the top until you wire the branches first to see what style you have or want to work with. Once you have decided on a style you can then look at removing any branches, top growth that is not required.
The pot needs to be changed definitely wider but not deeper. Are you intending to grow this Ficus inside? If you are looking at it as an inside bonsai then the fertiliser will be different. I do not believe your partner or you will want fertiliser that is palletised, as the odour can be very offensive. If you are growing it outside then either get shallow orchid black plastic pots or as suggested poly styrene fruit box from the green grocer. This will speed the growth rate. Ficus love humidity, fertiliser and water. The more of this the better the growth rate you will get over summer.
Cheers
Kirky