AusBonsai

This was purchased with small change , never had one so i grabbed it after seeing a clump style benji in the top . I set an open pot layer on it back on November 20 and removed it yesterday . With a quick repot i took it to the club meeting last night and chopped it back a bit rough and ready. No real styling took place as i set another layer in the same fashion on a Ficus Natalensis during the course of the evening .

Cheers Alpineart

Well done Alpineart,very smart way to get a multi trunk.
Anthony

Hi anthonyW , not my favorite fig , but for $5 it was worth the investment .

Cheers Alpine

Wow the roots look really good from that layer! Thick, and a really nice spread

Do you have any plans for the one that's dead straight? Or is it a case of just let it grow, see where it goes?

Top notch root spread on that layer Alpine, what sorta mix did you layer it with?

Jason wrote:Wow the roots look really good from that layer! Thick, and a really nice spread

Do you have any plans for the one that's dead straight? Or is it a case of just let it grow, see where it goes?

Hi Jason , good methods produce good results , I open pot layer all material . I plan to set a layer mid way up the trunk and grow another thick trunk , from there i will see what sprouts .The mid section removed was taken as a cutting , if it grows it grows as there is no shoots or buds and I'm not all that fussed .

Cheers Alpine

Andrew F wrote:Top notch root spread on that layer Alpine, what sorta mix did you layer it with?

Hi Andrew F , mate this is typical root mass of an open pot layer on most material , I have learnt the bigger the pot the better the spread . The mix is scoria and pine bark with a handful of fine river sand . Basically its my bonsai mix , as with all other layers , i just thought i would throw a handful of sand in this one . With open pot layering anything that is free draining would work as long as it doesn't dry out , dissolve , or turn to mush .

Unlike spagnum moss this bonsai mix is removed with a gentle teasing so the results can be seen at the first potting and this root mass hasn't bee trimmed . It was watered every day in the same fashion as my tree's , bonsai and grow beds . I just squirt them all with a hand held hose .

Cheers Alpine .

Been out of sorts with bonsai and work lately but I did managed to hack this back and re pot it today .With a new bulk purchase of 3-8mm bonsai wire just delivered I will take this fig to our club meeting on Tuesday night and wire the basic shape into it .

Cheers . Alpineart

Looking forward to see the Alpine magic on this one. They get a bad wrap in my opinion.....Keep us posted. Cheers John.

This was wired and left for too long which has scared the trunk but it didn't matter as it was time to cut its head off for a major height reduction . A quick root prune and re-pot and its back into the hot house and boy is it hot in there .

Cheers Alpineart