My fig devoured the rock she was growing on

[Amanda]

Hello, my first post but a long time lurker

I have an MB fig which has been in no defined training for roughly 25 years, snip n go just to keep her under a metre. The problem is she started as a 5 year old baby in 1980, root over rock, but due to some neglect she has completely devoured the rock
There has never been a front either. She was popped into a larger but fugly pot about 2 years ago and has been happier since with aerial roots forming and fusing all over the trunk and branches, bit leggy though as she's been in shade for much of her life but the trunk looks really strange now given there's a big rock inside her belly and I'm not sure where to go from here.
The trunk splits into two equals about halfway up, there's no defined front.. this tree definitely has potential for something, and I need a little inspiration? I want to widen her foliage to about twice the current width to give her that true banyan look and need help with how to do this? Leaves are pretty big.. is it too late to defoliate?

If I post photos later on, can I grab some advice please, maybe some virtuals? I only have my iPhone cam so not going to be great shots, unfortunately.

Argh, I have discovered an ant nest colony

Thank you

[Jamie]

gday mate

i think once we see pics we will definately be able to offer some helping advice welcome to the forum and i look forward to seeing the tree

jamie

[craigw60]

There are a couple of good articles in bonsai today dealing with this very issue. Root over rock style has a very definite use by as inevitably the tree will out grow the rock. What the Japanese do when this happens is layer the tree and convert it into a standard informal upright. I would guess since your tree is a fig that would be a pretty easy thing to do.
Craig

[Amanda]

Thanks Jamie, I tried photos this afternoon but it was too dark. Morning will be better

Craigw60, do you have a copy of the issue (or number) by any chance? I managed to see some of the rock after scraping away some moss, I thought it would have been much higher up inside the trunk.

[ketutg]

sounds like an interesting tree. pics will definitely help. by the sounds of it some hard pruning may be needed to get it back into shape...

[Jamie]

there will be plenty of options, i reckon you could even cut around the roots that are attached to the rock at a point where you could get the rock out then treat the tree like a big cutting

[EdwardH]

Hi Anja,
Depending on the size of the bulge you could just say that the tree has a seedling in the oven
Welcome to this sight. You will get plenty of good advice here. I look forward to seeing a picture of the tree.

[craigw60]

Hi Anja will need to go through my mgazines tomorrow and let you know
Craig

[Amanda]

Thanks Craig! I really appreciate it

I've managed some photos this morning, but not sure how to attach them to this post?

[Rhiannon]

When you post you will see an "upload attachment" tab right next to the options tab underneath the text box where you type. If you select it you'll be able to upload your files from there.

I think there's a thread somewhere describing in detail how to use it, but I've never read it so I've no idea where it is.

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Anja
Just make sure your photos are small enough otherwise they wont load. I first tried loading them direct from Adobe Photoshop, but they were too big. Rather than stuff around resizing I just emailed them to myself, saved them and uploaded that photo. When Adobe emails the photos it compresses them to a size that is easily uploaded. Welcome to the site and I hope you find it a great as I do.

[Amanda]

Thanks Rhiannon, I got it!
Bougy Fan, cheers for the tips, I'm hoping I have resized them OK.

I've added a succulent to show the placement as I rotate the fig for the photos. Really in need of a better pot too.
BTW I prefer a crownie Would love some ideas!

[craigw60]

Hi Anja, Bonsai today no 24, page 22.Looking at your tree this article may not be relevant but could give you some ideas.
Craig

[nealweb]

So where's the rock! I can't even see it I reckon just ignore the rock, forget it was ever there and just work with the tree as it is. Its got a great flared trunk, looks good!

[Amanda]

Thanks Craig, I'll have a look into that back issue, I appreciate you hunting for the article

Nealweb, there's about an inch of rock showing right at the bottom... somewhere almost completely hidden by roots though so certainly not a feature any longer. No wonder they are named strangler figs! There's aerial roots making their way south from the very tip of the highest branches. I'm building a hot house for Winter, the temp drops at night have come on pretty suddenly. Would it be a bad idea to defoliate now?

What can I do to produce that wide look? Feed her up and just let her grow?

I also found there's slaters/pill bugs as well as the ants, are they going to pose a problem if left?

Thanks all, sorry for the inundation of q's