60 year old Moreton Bay Fig "Bonsai" Help

[SVuka]

Hi, my name is Scott and this is my first post to the forum.

My knowledge of Bonsai is quite limited. In the late 1980s, as a teenager, I took a 5-day course at a Bonsai nursery where I learned the basics like traditional branch structure and plant care. I have a couple of old books from that time, but I haven't cared for any Bonsai in 30 years.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the hobby and appreciated it from afar over the years. My interest in Bonsai led me to a greater interest in Japanese Culture / Language which in turn led me to studying and working there, getting married, having kids before all returning to Australia.

Now, to the plant in question. In the early 1960s, my grandmother found a Moreton Bay fig growing in the stump of a dead tree in her yard. She put it in a Bonsai pot and essentially did nothing to it for 40 years beyond watering and repotting once. About 20 years ago, my mother took it to a Bonsai nursery to get it "fixed". I'm not sure what the nursery did to it as I wasn't in Australia at the time beyond severely pruning it (both top and root) and repotting it.

Over the next 20 years none of the branches were trained and they just grew very leggy with leaves constantly falling off and regrowing. My grandmother passed and the plant went to my mum where about 6-8 weeks ago she just cut off all branches and let resprout naturally as seen in photos. She has since passed the plant onto me.

Any advice would be very much appreciated, I am best just trying to focus the plant to grow a few main branches and train from there (have bonsai wire and wire cutting tools). Is it too late to apply Japanese bonsai cutting paste / putty to branches cut 6-8 weeks ago? Youngest son just returned from Japan two days ago so brought supplies. Assume no point applying to very old cuts? Repot? I would like to fix that big cut root that sticks out of pot. Any help would be great. Thanks.

[Muddy]

Has it not been repotted for 20 years since your Mum had it done? I am an amateur myself, so don't take what I say as gospel.
If it were my tree, I would repot into a larger pot, fresh bonsai soil, and just let it grow wild for a season. Let it recover well before deciding where to take it next.

[melbrackstone]

Hi Scott.

It's very important that you put your location in the info that's supplied with your nick. Where you have the tree is helpful for those who might have relevant information to help you do what needs to be done.

Depending on where you live you will have different options that will work best.

[SVuka]

Hi Scott.

It's very important that you put your location in the info that's supplied with your nick. Where you have the tree is helpful for those who might have relevant information to help you do what needs to be done.

Depending on where you live you will have different options that will work best.

I'm in Brisbane. Will try and work out how to add that info to profile.

[SVuka]

Has it not been repotted for 20 years since your Mum had it done? I am an amateur myself, so don't take what I say as gospel.
If it were my tree, I would repot into a larger pot, fresh bonsai soil, and just let it grow wild for a season. Let it recover well before deciding where to take it next.

Hi, The palnt has not been repotted in 20 years. Since the post was made I have cut back the one big root overhanging the pot and cleaned up another on opposite side, adding cut putty to look more natural (would add photos but not sure how to in reply), I've only been to one bonsai Nusery but couldn't find a pot large enough (current is 450mm dia.) that I would like to / or would suit in my opinion the plant. I have hoverwer purchased some 25 ltr of " Hidden Valley Bonsai Soil". The current pot is light on soil and as I poke around the edges with a chopstick it seems like the plant will come out of current pot without issue. I was thinking of just taking out of current pot, giving light root prune of any issues, then repotting in current pot untill I can find a pot that would be suitable. Does this seems reasonable?

[melbrackstone]

Thanks Scott, it does help to get the local info.

This time of year is pretty good for root pruning figs in Brisbane usually, though if you do, I'd keep it out of the midday sun for a few weeks so it doesn't suffer too much from the heat after you're done.

The bag shaped pot might mean you will likely need to slice straight down and sacrifice the roots that have populated the area in the bulge. If, as you say, there isn't much soil, it shouldn't be a problem this time. Once it starts growing strongly in better mix it might be a different matter next time.

The leaves look a good colour and there are plenty of shoots, so it's doing ok, considering. Should only get better with proper care.

[Bougy Fan]

Which side of the river are you ? I would suggest taking it to a club for some help. If you are on the bayside then Redlands Bonsai Society would be the best place to go. On the Northside you could try Bimer and the Bonsai Society on the southside. Most of the clubs have workshops where you can get some help with repotting, and even supplies.

[SVuka]

Which side of the river are you ? I would suggest taking it to a club for some help. If you are on the bayside then Redlands Bonsai Society would be the best place to go. On the Northside you could try Bimer and the Bonsai Society on the southside. Most of the clubs have workshops where you can get some help with repotting, and even supplies.

I'm in Centenary suburbs (Westlake). But yeah tree deserves more care than it's gotten last 60 years (originally wild plant from Moggill) which is minimal despite daily over the years watering, seasol every month or so, she's done well to keep going over the years but would be nice to actually train to get in good form over next few years. Are there clubs or nurseries that would help with what needs to be done every six months os so to get back in shape? I do have a lot of smaller bonsai pots when first got intressed in hobby late 80S (this plant triggered initial interest at the time, travelled as older and couldn't care for, so fell by wayside), So would be good to get some other plants going. This plant has family sentimental value so would be great to get it looking like represent those values and lives well of original caregivers.

[Bougy Fan]

Sounds like Bimer would be the go. They actually have a workshop meeting on Saturday where you can go and get some help from a tutor. It will definitely need a repot, not sure if they will have any pre made mix there. You don't want to use soil or potting mix. It needs a free draining mix made from components suited to bonsai. Definitely the right time to repot and start to do some work. While it has sentimental value MB figs aren't the best bonsai species .