Any advice for ficus?

[Markel]

Got this ficus, it’s my second bonsai after a Fukien tea that unfortunately died after 8 months. I’ve been researching how to care for it and make it look better online but would appreciate any advice or ideas for what to do with it. It was recently repotted, so I’m going to let it adjust and grow for a bit before doing anything to it, but I do want to improve the roots which go deeper than I want. Almost all the feeder roots are at the bottom of the bulbous ones which go about another two inches into the ground, and I want to have more feeders closer to surface. It is currently in a south facing window which I heard was ideal. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[MHBonsai]

Welcome! If you are able to keep this outside for the summers it will grow exponentially better. The key to growing roots is vigorous growth up top, and that’s really tough indoors.

If you have just repotted (that has a lot of different meanings), focus just on keeping it healthy and cranking out new growth. Once it is thriving, you can do all kinds of interesting things with these.

Soil looks pretty organic and heavy - the tuber roots can get waterlogged and rot out of it is overwatered. The soil shouldn’t get bone dry, but should get to ‘just moist’ before watering again.

 

[Markel]

Welcome! If you are able to keep this outside for the summers it will grow exponentially better. The key to growing roots is vigorous growth up top, and that’s really tough indoors.

If you have just repotted (that has a lot of different meanings), focus just on keeping it healthy and cranking out new growth. Once it is thriving, you can do all kinds of interesting things with these.

Soil looks pretty organic and heavy - the tuber roots can get waterlogged and rot out of it is overwatered. The soil shouldn’t get bone dry, but should get to ‘just moist’ before watering again.

Thanks! The soil looks heavier than it is, I mixed in some peat moss and a bit of small rocks with the soil, but I’ll definitely watch the roots and make sure that I don’t overwater.

 

[oranjeaap]

Try keep it alive for 2-3 years. Do only minor pruning should it get too big. The trunk that grows the leaves is the interesting part, but its grafted onto the weird fat roots. It's not actually 1 tree. So to get an interesting tree you should first expand the interesting part of the trunk, aka let it grow in size unrestricted.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

If this were mine, Id first get it outside into full sun as soon. That would mean 2 -3 weeks of slow transition from the shady inside to a full sun outdoor location.

Once outside, Id let it grow unrestrained all year. In the fall as temps begin to fall, Id move it back inside. At that time, Id prune the strongest shoots and root the cuttings over winter. Next spring, with successful cuttings rooted, I would repeat the process until I have enough rooted cuttings to be happy with and simply dump the ginseng ficus you have now.