AusBonsai

So, this is my Ficus Benjamina "Kinky" plant (I attached an image of it). I hope it will become a real bonsai sometime in the future. I'm planing to let it grow as it wills and cut it back every now and then - this should give it a little thicker trunk with a nice taper. I'll be updating the progress of the plant in this topic.

You should ideally plant this in a normal pot or in the ground for it to grow like crazy for probably a couple of years before you think of chopping it down. I have heard somewhere that metres of growth equates to centimeters of trunk.
Good luck

Slowly slowly it will get there, Yep a bigger pot will accelerate the process but thta is probbly not what you want to see and hear

I would lop the top a little and wire the lower branches so they do no rise up like they curently do. A Ficus the branches start upward and then curve down due to the weight of them. As bonsai we need to apply wire to make them do that

The bit you lopped off the top? Put that in a propagating tray and one it has roots, put that in a big pot to develop the thick trunk so in a few years will be ready to develop when you have more skill too

Ken

Yes, when it comes to bonsai, I am a complete beginner. I'm keeping this plant in the pot - i have three other ficus trees growing in big training pots. I guess they will grow quicker.

"We shall see", said a blind man

I have a varigated Benji as well, and even in a big pot and warm Brisbane, i find it very slow to grow.
Good luck and enjoy the journey mate.
Pierre

Pierre wrote:I have a varigated Benji as well, and even in a big pot and warm Brisbane, i find it very slow to grow.
Good luck and enjoy the journey mate.
Pierre

I got given a very large verigated Benji and I layered it into 4 sections with trunks about 4-6 inches in diameter. They are slow to recover and push on I agree.
I sold one of them at the sale day and have about 3 more. I think I will only keep 1 of them for myself.

Good onya Phobos for having a few more developing on. I think newbies should always get a few of each tree, 1 to work on and learn on and anotherto develop on for when the skills and desire for better trees comes to the fore

Ken

Hmm, too bad that this variety grows slow. Well, I hope fertilizer will give it a kick start. Two of the other three Ficuses are plain green Benjaminas, the third one is kinky.