Port Jackson Fig Newbie
-
wudyl
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 10
- Joined: February 7th, 2009, 6:27 pm
- Favorite Species: fat trunks and aerial roots
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Gold Coast
Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Got a new bonsai today very young. How long should iwait to start pruning or styling????? Anything else i should do at this stage?????
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
its nice to be important, but its more important to be nice
-
Elias
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 371
- Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 11:10 am
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Bonsai Club: 0
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Hi Dylan,
At this stage this plant is still a little immature, personally I would put in it in a larger planter to let it develop. Also think about the style and look you want to achieve.
I believe Hoy Leong Kwong has a great book on these species 'Ficus Bonsai in the Temperate Climate', I intend on purchasing it myself and have read some good reviews.
Good Luck,
Elias
At this stage this plant is still a little immature, personally I would put in it in a larger planter to let it develop. Also think about the style and look you want to achieve.
I believe Hoy Leong Kwong has a great book on these species 'Ficus Bonsai in the Temperate Climate', I intend on purchasing it myself and have read some good reviews.
Good Luck,
Elias
-
Hector Johnson
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 279
- Joined: December 30th, 2008, 6:57 pm
- Bonsai Age: 0
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Find a bonsai nursery... Red Dragon in the Gold Coast hinterland, for instance, and do a course.
That's the smartest thing to do, so you've got the best chance of learning what to do.
If you do a course with a reputable nursery then you've got a good start on it.
You can get all of the advice in the world from a forum like this, and learn nothing.
Too many conflicting opinions and too many different skill levels.
That's the smartest thing to do, so you've got the best chance of learning what to do.
If you do a course with a reputable nursery then you've got a good start on it.
You can get all of the advice in the world from a forum like this, and learn nothing.
Too many conflicting opinions and too many different skill levels.
-
Bretts
- Bonsai Philosopher
- Posts: 6670
- Joined: November 14th, 2008, 11:04 pm
- Favorite Species: carpinus jbp
- Bonsai Age: 12
- Location: Jervis Bay NSW
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Doing a course is great but I think we can help you out with this one for nowYou can get all of the advice in the world from a forum like this, and learn nothing.
Too many conflicting opinions and too many different skill levels.
That soil does not look great for a fig or any other for that matter
It is always a good idea to have your soil ready before you start repotting. I have various ingredients these days but I have found the most important ingredient in bonsai soil is sifting. Ingredients from left to Right Good quality Potting mix( trial and error will get a potting mix that is not too wasteful when sifted), aquatic mix planting medium (no real need to sift) zeolite(I would usually use more than this but it was wet, hard to sift and a bag of only 1-2mm from a recent pool filter refurbish), attapulgite clay(a hard clay that will not break down when wet) and crushed granite. I would recomend sticking to the potting mix and crushed granite to start with crushed granit can be broadly called grit. This could be blue metal, coarse sand try a landscaping supplies near you. I reckomend buying a sifter but you can use fly wire to sift out the fines and then pick out any larger pieces. You can buy a soil from a bonsai nursery but still sift out any fines. A fig likes a coarse free draing mix so go heavy on the grit at least 50%
Get this organised ASAP because we should repot and prune now. I would chop the trunk as indicated This will make that branch the new top. It will put out new shoots on the trunk for branches.
Remove from pot. Remove all the old soil, This should be pretty easy by the look of it. I have a feeling there are not that many roots there so I would suggest triming any dead or rotted roots and repot. See here for more detail
http://www.bonsaigardener.org/bonsai-vi ... video.html
A google search on repotting bonsai will give you heaps to think about
After care will be very important. Keep in a shaded area for a couple of weeks be very carefull with watering and gradually move out to a more sunny area. Figs can tolerate full sun but I would take it slow with this one until it has plenty of roots.
Then when you get to some classes get some advice on material that will be good to work with for the lessons.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Bretts on February 8th, 2009, 12:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
It's too bad your in such a hurry cause the stories I could tell you, Bushels and baskets of stories, hole crates full of stories. But if you can spare a moment I will tell you one story.
-
Hector Johnson
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 279
- Joined: December 30th, 2008, 6:57 pm
- Bonsai Age: 0
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Ok, now that it's started here are a few things about figs.
- You will get reasonably quick growth out of them if you overpot them or let their roots make it into the ground. Far quicker than you'll ever achieve in a bonsai pot.
- The species you have there will tolerate complete defoliation. Cut the leaves off at the pase of the leaf, leaving the petiole (leaf stem) behind. They will fall off in a week or so and a small branch will grow in place of the leaf you removed. Do it before the end of February, in SE Qld. I'm not sure about timing in southern states.
- The figs will all do well if you select a new shoot to grow up and remove the competition around it. Wiring branches on figs is pretty easy until they are about the thickness of a pencil. After that they stiffen up a bit. Buy proper bonsai wire. It's cheap and essential for good results.
- I'd select the third branch (to the left in the photo) to be my top leader. It will give you more height and more options than the second branch. Good suggestion, soltan, but there are then two low branch options and the third branch has three leaves along it that will produce branches when you leaf prune tyhe tree.. I'd wait to see what happened but probably remove the bottom branch after it had helped thicken the base. It's too low on the trunk and will eventually mess up the perspective of the tree if it stays there forever. Figs heal over well so it won't scar badly even if it's quite thick when you remove it.
- The little crown in the top of this tree is a jumble of rubbish. It can be removed safely, though leave a short stub, about 1-1.5cm, to prevent possible dieback taking out the top branch. It doesn't always happen but it can be pretty disheartening when it does. If you want, you can select a couple of the branchlets in there to keep, removing the others. Wire two of them down, in opposing directions, about 120 degrees apart, both facing forward, with a third one leading upwards. This is not strictly following the "rules" but there are no real rules for fig species, as they are not often used in Japanese bonsai, so we can sorta make our own rules a little with them.
- Don't wire figs too tightly. They can thicken very quickly and wire may leave sacrs that take a few years to grow out, especially in the upper branches, as they are apically dominant (strong top growth) trees.
- When you repot, look to see if you can identify a few (5-7) roots that you can splay outwards, to begin to develop a good basal flare on the tree. It may seem silly in the early stages but it will pay dividends later. Don't be afraid to even wire roots, to get them to go where you want. Remember to keep an eye on the wire, to ensure it doesn't choke the root. Cut it off if it starts to bite into the root.
- Root cuttings may be taken on some species but not on most figs. the roots will stay alive for ages but for some reason fig root cuttings don't throw shoots. I had one survive two years without leaves before I threw it out.
That's a pretty good start. Though, as I said, there's really no substitute for getting into a course and learning from someone who makes a living from bonsai. I may be blowing smoke up your arse, for all you know. There's a lot of that goes on, in discussion threads on the various bonsai fora. Hell, I can remember one thread where a heap of people piled on and told a guy in the Caribbean to only water once a week, even in summer. He was practically on the Equator and they were given him advice from states up on the Canadian border.
Local knowledge from a good teacher, in your immediate area, is pure gold.
- You will get reasonably quick growth out of them if you overpot them or let their roots make it into the ground. Far quicker than you'll ever achieve in a bonsai pot.
- The species you have there will tolerate complete defoliation. Cut the leaves off at the pase of the leaf, leaving the petiole (leaf stem) behind. They will fall off in a week or so and a small branch will grow in place of the leaf you removed. Do it before the end of February, in SE Qld. I'm not sure about timing in southern states.
- The figs will all do well if you select a new shoot to grow up and remove the competition around it. Wiring branches on figs is pretty easy until they are about the thickness of a pencil. After that they stiffen up a bit. Buy proper bonsai wire. It's cheap and essential for good results.
- I'd select the third branch (to the left in the photo) to be my top leader. It will give you more height and more options than the second branch. Good suggestion, soltan, but there are then two low branch options and the third branch has three leaves along it that will produce branches when you leaf prune tyhe tree.. I'd wait to see what happened but probably remove the bottom branch after it had helped thicken the base. It's too low on the trunk and will eventually mess up the perspective of the tree if it stays there forever. Figs heal over well so it won't scar badly even if it's quite thick when you remove it.
- The little crown in the top of this tree is a jumble of rubbish. It can be removed safely, though leave a short stub, about 1-1.5cm, to prevent possible dieback taking out the top branch. It doesn't always happen but it can be pretty disheartening when it does. If you want, you can select a couple of the branchlets in there to keep, removing the others. Wire two of them down, in opposing directions, about 120 degrees apart, both facing forward, with a third one leading upwards. This is not strictly following the "rules" but there are no real rules for fig species, as they are not often used in Japanese bonsai, so we can sorta make our own rules a little with them.
- Don't wire figs too tightly. They can thicken very quickly and wire may leave sacrs that take a few years to grow out, especially in the upper branches, as they are apically dominant (strong top growth) trees.
- When you repot, look to see if you can identify a few (5-7) roots that you can splay outwards, to begin to develop a good basal flare on the tree. It may seem silly in the early stages but it will pay dividends later. Don't be afraid to even wire roots, to get them to go where you want. Remember to keep an eye on the wire, to ensure it doesn't choke the root. Cut it off if it starts to bite into the root.
- Root cuttings may be taken on some species but not on most figs. the roots will stay alive for ages but for some reason fig root cuttings don't throw shoots. I had one survive two years without leaves before I threw it out.
That's a pretty good start. Though, as I said, there's really no substitute for getting into a course and learning from someone who makes a living from bonsai. I may be blowing smoke up your arse, for all you know. There's a lot of that goes on, in discussion threads on the various bonsai fora. Hell, I can remember one thread where a heap of people piled on and told a guy in the Caribbean to only water once a week, even in summer. He was practically on the Equator and they were given him advice from states up on the Canadian border.
Local knowledge from a good teacher, in your immediate area, is pure gold.
-
Bretts
- Bonsai Philosopher
- Posts: 6670
- Joined: November 14th, 2008, 11:04 pm
- Favorite Species: carpinus jbp
- Bonsai Age: 12
- Location: Jervis Bay NSW
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
Thats the spirit Hector 
I am envious of people that have access to classes. I haven't had that oportunity. I do get to the city for the odd major event when I can. I am not missing Peter Adams this year if possible.
Sifting through lots of conflicting advice is very hard but I believe it has been for the better for me. It allows me to take in alot of different styles from acomplished bonsaists all over the world and still come out with a perception that is my own on what I like and want to do.
I typed more but I will save for a new thread later
Good Luck,
Elias
Heaps of good advice
I am envious of people that have access to classes. I haven't had that oportunity. I do get to the city for the odd major event when I can. I am not missing Peter Adams this year if possible.
Sifting through lots of conflicting advice is very hard but I believe it has been for the better for me. It allows me to take in alot of different styles from acomplished bonsaists all over the world and still come out with a perception that is my own on what I like and want to do.
I typed more but I will save for a new thread later
Good Luck,
Elias
Heaps of good advice
It's too bad your in such a hurry cause the stories I could tell you, Bushels and baskets of stories, hole crates full of stories. But if you can spare a moment I will tell you one story.
-
MelaQuin
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1340
- Joined: November 7th, 2008, 2:16 pm
- Favorite Species: olives & natives
- Bonsai Age: 20
- Bonsai Club: Illawarra Bonsai Society, Bonsai Society of A
- Location: St George Area, Sydney Australia
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Port Jackson Fig Newbie
I'd repot into coarser soil, splaying the roots and cut the trunk to just above the first branch and wire that branch as the apex and let the tree develop from there. The trunk above the first branch is not particularly thrilling but by developing the trunk from the first branch, then branches off that, you can get a nice tree in several years.
