Giant ficus trunk progressing into ..........?

[lennard]

This tree taught me the most about Ficus and I am learning more every day.

This trunk was dug in spring 2009 (September) because it was planted on top of a sewage pipe. We cut the top and I planted the tree in a self made plastic bag.
I did not want to cut it too low because I did not want to waste the rest of the trunk, thinking I could do a few air layers on this. It started sending out new growth quite quickly and I cut it back two times over a three months period.

The trunk in December 2009:

trunk December 2009.jpg

The cut for the air layer in December 2009:

die sny verklein.jpg

The completed air layering process:

S4010007 (2).jpg

I have wasted a lot of time doing the air layer - I should have done the chop of the main trunk earlier and forgot about the air layer. But then again, the air layer taught me a lot. I will start a separate progression series on the air layered part later on.

To force the air layer higher up I did another 1cm cut lower down the trunk. Notice the roots that have formed in the open air. With dryer weather they died.

layer.jpg

I removed the air layer July 2010. Some growth have replaced the roots on the lower cut:

voor a 2.jpg

The rest of the trunk removed in September 2010:

Image1.jpg

I removed some of the growth - there are now six main branches left. Last weeK I decided to give the tree a new "pot" and some new soil. I was also curious to see what was going on inside the bag:

January 2011 - the bag removed and soil washed away a bit:

cleaned up.jpg

I have cut away some of the roots:

rootwork.jpg

The work completed for now. I hope the tree is happy with it's new pot:

Finished.jpg

Any advice and comments welcome.

Lennard

[rowan]

Nice progression, thanks.

[Beaumatsu]

great nebari

[Ash]

Hi Lennard,
Hey at least you have a couple to work with now!
I would do whatever I could to smooth the change over from the vertical trunk to those branches. Perhaps bind them upwards like a broom Zelcova and then allow them to grow for a couple of years? Two years ago I did a cut down of a Ficus microcarpa and then wired the branches downwards. They have thickened and it now looks most unatural as each branch does a '7' off the trunk. I think I should have treated them as trunks and then wired branches out off them.
Keep us posted!
Ash

[kcpoole]

Love those Roots!!
You going to have to do fair bit of work on the branching I think now to catch up to the root developments

Ken

[Tony Bebb]

Great roots alright Lennard.

Two trees was a great option due to the lack of taper in the original trunk. Ash and KC make a good point. You will have some work to do to create good taper in both trees now. the air layer will be easier than the original.

The air layer I would prune the side branches short and let the top centre branch in the pic grow like buggery to fatten up and creat taper. The original I would heed Ash's words and get the branches upright to create better taper. You might want to tie some hard plastic from an old pot around the trunk so the branches fatten over the cut and not bulge out in front of it as it will creat unsightly knobs there. Would also be good to do this just to the top branch on the air layer for the same reason. I woild pick the best front on the root system for the original and develop the best branch for that front as the leader and get all the branches off that one. You could then trim the sides of the cut down to create a better angle into that branch when it gets a lot fatter.

Look forwrad to seeing the outcomes on these trees.

Best Regards

Tony

[Pup]

Tony has said it all, except for one thing.
I notice that when people do an Air-layer they cut STRAIGHT across the trunk. Invariably the trunk they are layering, is also straight so no taper is aimed for from the GO.

When I do a layer unless I have movement in the top. I make the cut at an angle, so you have some movement, to help with the all important taper for the future.
Just a thought.

Cheers Pup

[Taffy]

That's an interesting one Pup. I've done heaps of air-layers and have never thought about angling the cut. I think I might try it on my next layer.

Good - and useful info.

[Mitchell]

So this is the tree. Nice. good to see where the pic you posted for me came from. Cheers mate.

[lennard]

Thanks for all the encouraging words and advice on this one.

From the time I have posted the tree here I have visited the tree a few times.

The probability of the branches forming bulges occurred to me a time ago and I was thinking of using inner tubes of tires(cut into strips) as a tourniquet to keep the bulging to a minimum. I have also noticed on the air layer that if the deadwood/bark just behind the branch is hollowed out that the bulge grew more into the hollow than bulging out to the bark's side. I believe this and the tube strips will keep the bulging to the outside to a minimum.

The vision I have for this tree is a kind of open umbrella natural Ficus style as described by Charles Ceronio in his book, Bonsai styles of the world. In this style the trunk is very short and the width of the canopy very wide. This style is also typical from the trees in the area where I live.

Doing this style by using a new leader to create taper, is going to be very difficult. My initial thoughts was to hide the wound by the branches thickening and closing up the wound - even if there was going to be a hollow in the middle of the tree.

But I think it is going to be possible to grow a new apex/leader right in the middle/little bit to the front of the tree by using fused roots, cambium growth (from the developing branches pushing to the middle) and branch growth(Three of the branches from the back(1) and sides(! each) being brought to the required position.) I only need 2-3 branches from this fused orgy to achieve what I have envisioned for the tree.

This is what I have in mind for the tree:

Low canopy:

low canopy.jpg

or

Not so low canopy:

not so low canopy.jpg

Do you guys think this process will work?

Lennard

[Andrew F]

Bump. update.

[lennard]

Bump. update.

february 2012.jpg

Not much going on except for a lot of growing.

I need the branches coming out of the trunk to get thick so I am not doing any pruning or styling.

Lennard

[Andrew F]

Bump. update.

february 2012.jpg

Not much going on except for a lot of growing.

I need the branches coming out of the trunk to get thick so I am not doing any pruning or styling.

Lennard

Thats awesome, look forward to seeing what shes hiding under her foliage.

I've taken my fair share of Hard wood cuttings but i wonder if one that size would take....and if council would mind me taking a chain saw to their trees

[The Hacker]

Hi Lennard,

Nice work & should turn in2 a very nice tree, but i agree with pup to get a nice tapper an angled cut on the top would have helpped get that tapper much faster & there would have been less work in it

Regard's

The Hacker

[lennard]

The deadwood in the middle of the trunk cracked a lot so I sealed the wound with waterproof sealant - did not need the trunk rotting away before the new branches have thickened up - half of the air layer died and that added to my worries. I had to cut back the branches a few times to develop the branch structure and to prevent the heavy branches from tearing away from the trunk. Here is the tree today and I am happy with it's progress so far:

March 2013 verklein.jpg

To solve the chop problem I convinced myself that the tree could be grown as a far view tree as a focus point in my garden.

This year the tree has grown a lot of aerial roots close to the chop:

march 2013 air roots.jpg

The roots opened up the possibility of covering the wound up with fused roots and roots fused to twigs that I can bend back to the center of the trunk. As these roots developed I directed them back to the chop area:

march 2013 top.jpg

I will start this fusing project in September 2013.

Any thoughts and ideas on this will be appreciated.

Lennard