My first Port Jackson (Ficus Rubiginosa) Fig

[daiviet_nguyen]

This is one of the first trees that I bought when I started bonsai. I think the year was 1992 or a bit later,
but not much. I was still in uni then. It was from Mr. and Mrs. Dickenson's bonsai nursery in Blackburn,
Victoria. This nursery had been closed down a few years ago -- another victim of the drought?

I paid $6.0 for this tree. I had not worked then, this was the Austudy money I received from the
government. So this tree was bought with tax payers money! (I did not know the phrase "tax payers"
then, only "government".)









The pictures were taken on 15/March/2008. It still looks pretty much the same now.

People have commented that this tree has no shape. After thinking about it a bit, I incline to agree.
But I still like this look. I have no plan to make any drastic changes yet. And I hope to keep it at this
size too, and in the same pot for as long as possible.

Trunk diameter: 15 cm. Measured right on the surface.

Tree height: about 42 phân. Measured from the soil-surface in the pot.

Average width of the leaves: 3 cm.

Average length of the leaves: 5 cm.

A few months before the photos were taken, I had defoliated it almost totally. I think this is why
the leaves were still small -- even till today (28/November/2008.)

This is a Chinese pot, I think the quality is better than a lot of other Chinese pots. It was a 2003 Christmas
present from my former boss.

Pot length: 49.5 cm.
Pot width: 37 cm.
Pot height: 6.5 cm (including the "legs".)

I have done quite a few cuttings from this tree. A better one is in this post:
url=https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=132

[aaron_tas]

nice sized tree!

which of those photo's is your front

that's quite a tree to buy for 6 bucks

i think if this tree was mine to style i would choose a front with the "child" tree or large first branch most visible from the front...

nice tree

[ketutg]

since you used tax payers money to buy it i guess you could say we all contributed to the tree ;p

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi aaron_tas,

Thank you for your comments. I do not think this tree has a front. Although I like to look at with at long
size of the pot -- as in the first and the second photos.

I paid $6.0 way back in 1992. I was told that it was about 1-2 years old then.

Hi ketutg,

I guess so. I hope the money was not wasted. If I wanted to, I could easily sell this to some dealers
for a reasonable return on the $6.00

Best regards,

V.

[aaron_tas]

uh, what was that

[mudlarkpottery]

That's the spammer.
Penny.

[daiviet_nguyen]

More than three (3) years have passed... seeing that it is not bonsai yet, I have tried to make it a bonsai.

On the 15/03/2009 I wired it for the first time. I cannot remember when I took the wires off; then sometimes later wired the same lower branches again.

I do not think I have repotted it during those three (3) years. I plan to do some cuttings next week. And repot it around mid-October. These photos were taken today -- 02/10/2011:


View 2 - 1


View 2 - 2


View 2 - 3


View 2 - 4

It does not have any foliage pads yet. And still has multiple leaders, which can all become apexes. I am still not sure how style it yet. Something will come if I keep looking at it...

[Hornet]

Looks great mate, sooo much potential there

[Gav]

Hi mate, that is one impressive looking trunk. Looks like you put jabba the hutt into a bonsai pot. Be interested to see how this turns out...

[Luke308]

Looking good mate, just curious, why have you got the trunk wrapped, and what is it wrapped with?

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Luke308 and Gav,

No, not Jabba the Hutt. It's coconut coir mulch, just a few cms around the trunk. I am trying to keep some arial roots alive.

If you look at View 2 - 2, just above the cloth-line, you can see a single root running down. This root is about 3mm large. I have seen two other, small ones. During Summer 2010, I actual left the pot in water up the rim. I do not know what else I will find inside.

Best regards.

[daiviet_nguyen]

I repotted it this afteroon, 15/10/2011. The aerial roots:


View roots - 1


View roots - 2

I covered the whole trunk with coconut coir mulch again.

[matlea]

...view 2 and 4 look good... the wiring of the branches down makes a huge difference....Looking good!!