AusBonsai

Another fig collected Jan 09, I am really happy with the progress this little twin trunk semi cascade has made. I am off to see Penny (Mudlark pottery) today, to have a new pot made for this tree. Thought I would start a progression, share some before pics and when I finally get the pot and repotting.

This is one of my smaller trees at 23cm tall & 28cm across, future plans are to slowly increase the gap between the 2 trunks, lower the cascade a bit more and increase ramification. I would also really like to get some aerial roots happening to help tie it with the rock more.

Matt

Looking good Matt!

this will be nice matt! i thought the rock was part of the trunk to start with until you said something. if you could train some roots back that way to create a new section of trunk it will work very well, some nice ramification and you will be well on your way to a corker!

Hi Matt, I would try to force the crown to follow the cascade branch just a little more.
Craig

This summer I have kept my growing fig population in water trays to encourage humidity to increase aerial roots. I can't say I have had any more success with aerial roots than without water trays but I can say that all the figs LOVE the constant moisture and are growing wonderfully well - much better than with a once or twice a day water. You might want to consider this to increase ramification and encourage aerial roots. You have a very nice tree coming along and what you propose to do with it will work to the tree's advantage.

I like the current arrangement of the major trunks and if the tree were mine I would not alter them. Nature will do that as the tree thickens but there is a pleasing relationship between the three.

Had a great couple of hours with Penny & her kooky dogs. I was like a kid in a candy shop as she showed us more & more pots stashed here there & everywhere. See my other post for the pots I got but I thought I would put this here aswell. It is close to what I am hoping comes out of her head & kiln once the AABC convention is over.

A Big Kev EXCITED!!!
Matt

Just a little update on this one. Been thinking over your comment Craig about having the upper trunk follow the cascade a bit more. Looking at the photo's again this morning (its amazing how much a photo shows that you miss with the eye) I decided to shorten the crown to the branch on the right.
I like the feel of it with the reduced height and terminal direction, just not sure if this is what you meant or if you mean I should bend the trunk a little to the right. Would the bend go at the blue or red line? and how much movement? That trunk is the only part I am not totally happy with as it is dead straight just not sure what to do with it...

Matt

Hi Mat I have a cascade pyracantha that I have been growing for more than 20 years. It had like a little upright top sitting on the cascade until about 3 years ago.
I decided to cut it of and grow a new crown flowing with the cascade, It looks so much better the whole tree now flows with the cascade which is the feature of the tree.
I have seen cascades with an upright crown that are very successful trees but my preference is for trees which flow together.

I have been playing around with pot ideas ever since I got this fig and one day spotted this lovely Mudlark pot while at Penny's. I just hoped it would be big enough to squeeze the rock & tree into.

By mid August I couldnt wait any longer, tied tree & rock together and repotted earlier than I normally would for a fig. Sometimes you just have to see a tree in its new pot even tho you know you should wait I removed as little root as possible but all of the medium. This is one of a wide variety of species that I am trialling in straight akadama and so far have been really impressed with the budding & growth on all that I have planted in it. I did no pruning of growth at this stage other than to remove the very tips of each branch. 3wks after repotting new buds started to appear all over the tree and that was my cue, I defoliated on the 9th of sept. Even more buds started to appear all over this tree and have continued to multiply! The first leaves have now started to appear. I did take some pics but am having trouble getting them off this new(insert favored expletive) camera, once I work it out I will update of the tree in the nude and the buds that are everywhere right up & down both trunklines.

Matt
Edit: forgot photo

nice little tree mate! will PM you shortly regarding those pots!

Cheers Jay.

This is th etree naked and some pics of the abundant buds forming everywhere! Matt

hi mate

I like this little tree, if you can get some roots growing over that rock to give it the same outline to form the tree and it will balance the tree more, the apex trunk could be taken back some to rebuild taper, but thats no big issue, this tree will become a very nice semi, I am quite partial to a good semi cascade so I might be a little bias