Help needed with my potbelly!

[Ent]

Hi all,

This potbelly fig is about 14 years old and was given to me as a bonsai starter in tiny little pot. It lived in a 6" bonsai pot for most of its life as a root over rock however it outgrew the rock and it was removed when it went into the current pot a couple of years ago.

It has had very little work done to it until a couple of years ago when I started to get more involved in bonsai. I then removed some heavy branches high on the tree, cut back all branches and I had a go at wireing. I have basically kept trimming it to develop ramification since then and potted it deeper to encourage some roots lower on the trunk to improve taper.

It has it fare share of problems! It has reverse taper due to the large aerial roots high on the trunk and a refusal to bud on the trunk so I have not been able to from a sacrifice branch. It still has a couple of heavy branches with no taper or movement that need to go in time and it could really do with wiring. I am aiming for a Banyan style tree. I have some cuttings off this tree that I could possibly use to improve the tree later on.

I would really like some advice on correcting its flaws and improving it as a potential bonsai.


Old front.


Right Hand Side


Back-possible new front.


Removed one of the heavy top branches.


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[Naimul]

seeing as though you have the issue of reverse taper, as a starting point i would get rid of those aerial roots to stop it from getting any worse.

[Pat K]

Hi Ent,

Your potbelly certainly needs help as does mine!

First of all I suggest you remove all aerial roots. Then, working from the final photo, I would remove everything above the lowest branch with the three leaves. Sounds drastic, I know, but I think you would be left with the bones of a future bonsai.

Pat

[Ent]

Naimul,

I have been thinking of removing the top aerial roots but was hoping they would fuse to the trunk. Looks like that's not going to happen though? They do on some angles give the elusion of taper.


Pat,

Have I got this right, you would cut above the small branch at the front in the last photo? That is drastic!

It throws out buds everywhere above where the reverse taper starts so I could regrow branches pretty quickly. Could I keep some lower aerial roots for character and to thicken the trunk?

thanks Ent

[Naimul]

Naimul,

I have been thinking of removing the top aerial roots but was hoping they would fuse to the trunk. Looks like that's not going to happen though? They do on some angles give the elusion of taper.


Pat,

Have I got this right, you would cut above the small branch at the front in the last photo? That is drastic!

It throws out buds everywhere above where the reverse taper starts so I could regrow branches pretty quickly. Could I keep some lower aerial roots for character and to thicken the trunk?

thanks Ent

Yeah, i grew aerial roots on mine trying to do the same thing, but since theyre so fragile before they hit the soil, you really cant press them against the trunk. i let mine drop, and by the time i noticed they had touched ground, it was too late to press them flush with the trunk. i have one long enough to wrap around the trunk, which i might attempt at the next repot.

[Ent]

Naimul,

I removed most of the aerial roots today, leaving the low ones on for now. I gave it a general tidy up and wired branches. I can't bring myself to cut the top off it. The reverse taper starts below any branches so if I went that way I would have to do a clean chop. At this stage I think I will leave it as is and feed it up.

Ent

[Pat K]

Hey Ent......you've got to go with your vision for the tree and perhaps my suggestion was too drastic so I'll modify it.
I would still remove all aerial roots (never liked them), and I would still look for ONE lower branch to provide a subtle change of direction for the tree.
My problem with aerial roots is that unless they're hanging vertically, or follow closely the trunk line, I feel they look contrived.
And one more observation.... a great thing about a forum like this is that if the suggestions don't suit you can just ignore them or screw them up and chuck 'em in the bin.

Pat

[kcpoole]

Hi Ent
Using the third pic as the front because the upper section of the trunk has movement as Pat suggested, Wire and bend the lower branches out and down so they appear old and heavy like all big figs do, then removed wired the rest to shape as needed.

Cut back the branching to develop ramification and smaller foliage and you could end up with a nice small tree.

Ken

[Ent]

Hi Pat,

I really appreciate your advice and thanks for helping. I hope I did not offend you. I still may do a drastic chop, I just didn't feel comfortable doing it. I need to rethink my vision for this tree and take in the advic I receive here, then do what I think will be best for the tree. Please take into consideration that I am new to bonsai so my perspective will be different to yours.

I will post a photo of the work I have done soon when time permits.

Thanks Ent.

[Ent]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the advice and for taking the time to do a virt. The top is now a little shorter than In the virt but I get your drift and I can put movement into the new leader as it develops. I did not like that tall untapered section so I cut it back to a new leader. I seem to dislike all of the heavier branches on this tree the more I read and learn. The biggest branches have now mostly been removed and the tree has some big wounds to heal. I will post an updated photo as time permits.

Thank Ent

[Ent]

Hi all,

Update photo. The top right branch will go when some healing has occurred. Any comments or advice welcome.



Thanks Ent


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[kcpoole]

I would take off that remaining thick branch to the right as well

Ken

[Ent]

Hi,

Just a quick update on this tree. I have removed more of the heavier branches and let it grow for a while. It wasn't doing as well as I had expected so today I repotted it and gave it a trim. I found some rot in the roots probably due to overwatering and a few bulbous roots that were removed.

Ent.

[hard1all]

this tree needs more roots
if you are losing them to rot from watering (I suspect you are)
then you need to get this in to a very, very free draining bonsai mix asap
I'd do it now
good luck

[Ent]

Hi Hard1all,

I agree totally with your comments. It was definitely too wet and not draining well, the top looked ok but the bottom half of the pot was not good.

It's difficult to find a bonsai mix up here. I have tried a couple of commercial packet varieties and I am not a big fan. I have tried two brands and one is much better than the other. This repot I have had a play with materials I can easily get. It's now in a mix of potting mix (50%), graded pine bark (25%) and cypress mulch (25%) that I made up trying to get a better draining mix. It's not ideal I know. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Does anyone know where to get a good bonsai mix in Townsville or have a good recipe made from products available from Nurseries or the big green shed?

Ent