Help out a newbie!

[Aliesha]

Hi All,

Just a newbie to bonsai (haven't actually started with it yet, just looking for the right one to start with), and I am desperatly looking for a place in Brisbane that deals with Banyan Figs. Can anyone tell me if there is a place in or near Brisbane city that I can go to for help? Is the Banyan a good one to start with (I heard that figs are an excellent beginners plant.)

Thanks All!

Aliesha

[Scott Roxburgh]

Figs are great beginners plants Aliesha, in Bris. you should have no trouble.

Best advice I can give is to get Leong's book on figs:

http://www.bonsaisouth.com.au/cms3/inde ... &Itemid=63

The best thing i can tell you about figs, being from the frost capital of australia, is that you should buy the fattest fig you can find with the lowest branches you can find.

Then when growth starts, leave it in the pot that you bought it in(hopefully a large one), and chop back to a low branch for some initial movement and wire like there is no tomorrow.

sorry about the poor response but at work atm.

p.s. there are plenty of really smart people on here so you've found the best resource you could have in bonsai!

Cheers

Scott.

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Aliesha
Are you looking for a finished tree or a starter ? Depending on what side of the river you hail from you could try a bonsai nursery. Unfortunately there aren't any close to the city.

[AndrewM]

Hi Aliesha and welcome

Figs are great to start with. If you are on the south side there is Australian Bonsai Grower at 190 Hubner Rd Park Ridge and on the north side there is Bonsai Northside at 15 devine CRT Morayfield these 2 nurseries have a great range of starters to advanced stock for you to pick from.
Good luck with it and enjoy bonsai

[Glenda]

Hi Aliesha and welcome to AusBonsai!

As another beginner, take the advice and get a fig. Once you know you can keep a fig alive, you can move onto other things. Figs are great for many reasons - they are hardy, they grow very quickly in Qld, they are suitable for many different styles, and they cn be quite dramatic, stunning bonsai. Once you get the basics down with a fig of some sort, you can use what you have learned on other species.

Good Luck!

Glenda

[Jamie]

hi aliesha,

firstly welcome to the site and to the art of bonsai, it will be a very rewarding path! you have chosen a great species to work with, ficus is exceleent for beginners and being up here in QLD you shouldnt have any problem keeping it alive, i have put them through hell and back and they still keep growing, i havent lost one yet.

now as for what sort of fig you want there are a few i reccomend microcarpa retusa, any othe the retusa cultivars are good. QLD small leaf ficus eugonoides or obliqua, these you should be able to collect pretty easily, ficus rubignosa is the port jackson fig i would look for the little ruby cultivar as these have small leaves perfect for bonsai.

now as for choosing a tree, depending on what size you are after and how much you want to spend will vary. what you want to look for is an even root spread, nice thick trunk and plenty of low branching. three charachteristics that are important, but low branching isnt super important as figs will throw a whole new set of shoots without a drama. if you can get leongs book- ficus in the temperate climate, it will be a huge help, it is a bout 40 bucks but worth every cent.

also being that you are in bris i suggest you find a club, they will be able to guide you very well and help with choices
right now i wouldnt worry bout what sort of style you are going with as you dont have the tree, keep in mind what you are after and try and picture that when looking for stock and if the stock you are looking at will work. when ya find something you like, post it up and we will help where we can
there are a lot of posts on ficus here, i have quite a lot myself. have a look around and dont forget to enjoy yaself!!


welcome to the site again and good luck


jamie

[Regan]

Hi Aliesha

welcome to the forum

great choice with a fig to start with, what part of brissie are you from and what size of tree are you looking for I'm going on a bit of a dig tomorrow if I see anything that fits with what your lookin for I'll get it for ya, so let me know what you'd like

cheers Regan

[dayne]

yeah go a fig or allso try celtis sinensis (chinese hackberry) or a privett these are all fast growing and hardy

[Jamie]

clerodendrum is also quick growing and very hardy

[Regan]

I'll deffinately have a celtis for ya tomorrow if you want one

[Aliesha]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for all your help and support. Great suggestions all. I have now decided that I definately want to start with the Banyan fig. They're so beautiful! Thanks also Regan, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Have anything that I may be interested in? I actually saw a program on telly about the bonsai nursery in Morayfield. A bit far for me, but I think that the trip will be worth it.

Wish me luck!

Aliesha

[Jamie]

good luck Aleisha,

there are a few nurseries inbris that might be closer to you, there is a small one in oxley i think it is, and there is also australia bonsai grower out on the south east side of bris. he has a huge range!!

let us know how you go

jamie

[Aliesha]

Wow, thanks Jamie!!

I live in West End, so I'm really smack back in the middle of the CBD. Thanks for the info, I'll check it out!

[Jamie]

i would check out the small oxley one then mate, it will be easier to get to. when i am in bris i find it a nightmare to get around by car, but you might be more used to it. northside isnt to far from the city, overall from the cbd to northside shouldnt be more than a 30 min or so drive, on the right time of day aswell!

[Regan]

Where in brissie are you, there is a nursery at oxley. The bimer show is on this weekend you should be able to pick up something from the trade table.

There should be a few members meeting up on Saturday morning

I have some fig cuttings that you are welcome to have you'll just have to wait until it roots though

cheers Regan