My Fig - First Bonsai

[Joey]

Not sure of the species of fig, and am still not sure which pot im going to put it in, this is my first bonsai and I'm hoping that it will turn out well. Any help is much appreciated.



Joseph.

[aaron_tas]

hey there joey!

hmmmmmmmm, it looks like it could be port jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa).

probably need a macro of the leaves to get a better idea...

and personally i think your green pot to the left of the photo is better suited to your fig, which definitely has potential.

but a tree with character as this one has, may be worth growing on a bit more in the bigger pot you have it in (although i never did when i was first starting )

thanks for posting

[Joey]

As this tree has been in that plastic pot for a long time, the root mass seems huge! The roots are poking out the bottom drainage holes and are quite thick.

awsome that you can make out that it my be a port Jackson, that photo is not of good quality..

[Jon Chown]

Well Joey, Not the best of stock to begin with. It is up to you now to find the best trunk line within. The real problem that strikes me is the way that the apex or leader has that acute zig zag. If it were mine, I would repot into the larger pot (the black one) and I would cut the branches off at the red lines in the photo below. I would then wash off all of the dirt around the roots and remove any ugly and crossing ones and repot leaning the tree to the right substantially. The little branch on the bend on the RH side would become my first branch and the small one remaining at the tip would become my new leader.

Joey 2.jpg

I hope that this helps. First lesson - find the smallest tree in the stock. While this will give you a small bonsai, it will have better taper and thus a better future.

Jon

[Asus101]

jon, i think there is another way to fix that issue.
i would undercut the branch similar o a ground layer, letting roots form. Potted up this would allow them to thicken and fuse, thicken the trunk and getting rid of the odd bend there.

[Steven]

While I do agree with your idea Jon, I'd prefer to see what is under the soil before deciding what to do.

Joey if your up for it, would you consider washing off all the soil then posting a couple of pictures from different sides?

Your ficus will be fine if the roots are kept in a bucket of water for a few hours or a day. This will give us time to let you know what "we" would do and you can make your mind up from there. Or, you can just go ahead and pot it up now.

Regards,
Steven

[Joey]

Jon, thanks for the help on where to cut the fig... Thing is I choose this particular tree (out of a few that where availiable) for a couple of reasons:
One, The tree looks like A larger fig I used to climb when I was a younger kid, and fell from a number of times
And two, the silly looking, almost 90 degree bend in the "main" trunk which just intrigues me for some reason. Not sure if I'm going against Bonsai "rules" with this tree but I plan on keeping the over all shape somewhat that it is now.

I'll try to get a photo of the roots at a latter stage, it is still in its plastic pot.

[Jon Chown]

Hi Joey,
I understand that you are only young and that this tree is your first and perhaps only tree, so please take my comments in the good spirit that they are intended.

The reason that I answered your first post was because you stated:-

Any help is much appreciated.

You also said,

this is my first bonsai and I'm hoping that it will turn out well

Because of these two statements, I assumed that you were keen to learn and begin your Bonsai Journey. I see that you have a long way to go before you take your first steps so I will attempt to analyse your replies to the help that was offered by myself and other members.

One, The tree looks like A larger fig I used to climb when I was a younger kid, and fell from a number of times

Cute, but has no bearing on the process of designing a pleasing bonsai.

the silly looking, almost 90 degree bend in the "main" trunk which just intrigues me for some reason

I can’t possibly imagine why – perhaps you could make a rope swing and hang it from this bend.

Not sure if I'm going against Bonsai "rules

In my opinion, this statement is the most educated one that you have made. It suggests that you at least assume that there may well be ‘rules’ and to this I would answer and suggest that perhaps you attempt to find out and learn ‘the rules’ before you attempt to break them.

I plan on keeping the over all shape somewhat that it is now

I can never understand people who ask for help only to say that they know what they are doing. I am hoping this is not the case with you Joey. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that what you really mean is:-

1. It’s my only tree and I don’t want it to die by working on it.
2. I have no tools to work on it with.
3. I have no money to purchase wire, tools, soil or other things that I may need.
4. If I cut it back as hard as is being suggested, it will look silly on my bench.

Joey, the reason I make those comments is because I and most others on this site have been in this position at one time or other. I’m begging you not to make the same mistake that I or we did. Dead trees are a part of the price of learning and believe me getting your hands dirty and cutting back and reporting this tree right now will provide you with the best learning you can get.

Sorry If I seem a bit harsh, but there really is no other way to put it.

Your Bonsai friend
Jon

[Joey]

Sorry Jon, I didn't intend for my post to come across that way, and I did contradict myself somewhat by also giving my own opinion on my own tree (maybe I was after an opinion on my own opinion??)

Jon, you seem very passionate about bonsai and this forum! Keep up the good work.

Joey.

[Joey]

Here you go guys, what would YOU do?


Full tree


Roots

[Bretts]

I would do what Jon Says and get it back in the soil ASAP
Edit now my shock is over.
Those roots to me are very disapionting. There is little there to work with wich is a pity as I like the kink in the trunk I find it intresting.
All I can say further is after cutting the trunk like Jon suggested I would also cut the roots back hard and put in a very free draining gritty mix. This will hopefully create a much better root sysytem so when you repot again in a year or two we may have the start of a good root system.
I am not a fig expert though so you may get better advice yet.

[Jon Chown]

Good on you Joey for having a go - 10 points mate. There isn't much there that makes me want to change my original thoughts. Try it, you have very little to loose and an awful lot to learn. If you do loose it Joey, I'll shout you a new one.

Jon

[aaron_tas]

hey joey,

i have a technique for you, now this is your tree and you need to decide what you'de like to see in it. but...

if you want to see nebari before that reverse taper, consider an air layer, but below the soil, and making no cuts into the bark.

all you need to do is get some wire, loop it around the trunk and twist it up (where the red line is). not too tight, but you want to see the wire tighten into the bark a little. this will SLOW the flow under, and increase the need of flow above the wire.

ficus copy.jpg

then in the blue circle section, put a buttload of sphagnum moss soaked in vitamin b or seasol or superthrive or something similar, tight around the trunk.

bury it a bit deeper, and on the right angle you'de like to style it at.
and before you know it, kazaam!!

ficus 2 copy.jpg

[Joey]

I cut the root alittle under the red line in your picture Aaron_Tas and potted it in the green pot in my first post. I'm starting to think I've just killed it

Hmmmm, I'd like to see more roots from the side of the trunk grow down! For how long do I leave it on there I've already potted it so is it too late? Thanks for the help guys!

[anttal63]

you are on your way joey, cant kill these if you try. the size pot you plant in will determine how much growth you get over a period of time. if you want a taller, fatter tree that pot is to small for now. but if you are happy with the general size and you just want to grow branches and style it you'll be fine with that.