Big Benjamina Freebie

[MHBonsai]

I lucked into a big Ficus Benjamina. I know the hurdles and shortcomings of using these for bonsai, so please spare me the lecture...

This one came from a friend who dearly loves the tree, but isn't able to keep it any longer. Thank goodness my wife is forgiving, the tree is huge. Nearly 10' tall, the base is big, around 8" across. Nebari is OK, but nothing special. It's potted in what looks like peat moss, and hasn't been repotted in a decade.

I'm zone 7A, Nashville TN. It's 20 degrees outside tonight so for now it's living in the kitchen. I need to cut it down to stay inside for the winter, but I don't want to fully chop it mid-winter.

My question - what's the best way to reduce it in size some over the winter and keep it alive inside, force some new growth in the summer down low, and reduce root mass/repot into something more manageable?

Here's my idea. I've done plenty of thread grafts on maples. And I can successfully air layer. There are several weeping long branches that I can bend down into the trunk and thread graft in. I'm considering doing something like this sketch below. The red spots are potential grafts: the new leader, first and second branches. I could do the thread grafts early spring as it's waking up outside. Get them established and growing strong, then do the trunk chops on both of the trunks. Possibly air layer them off at the same time?

When would you repot? The soil is terrible. Would it be better to get it into bonsai soil first thing in spring, or wait until mid-summer? Or hold off?

Is there a better method to getting this down to a more manageable size over the next year?

Thanks - any advice is appreciated!

 

[ColinFraser]

My only advice would be if you’re going to chop it at all, be bold and chop hard the first time. You’ll get one good chance for vigorous budding and growth - don’t let that all happen up high and then have to cut it off again later.

 

[AZbonsai]

My only advice would be if you’re going to chop it at all, be bold and chop hard the first time. You’ll get one good chance for vigorous budding and growth - don’t let that all happen up high and then have to cut it off again later.

I would second that from personal experience. I chopped one and did not go low enough. Luckily second chop produced a plethora of new shoots so it survived.

Can you post your thread graft steps. I would sure be interested!

 

[choppychoppy]

If it was me I would chop it here.

 

[ColinFraser]

If it was me I would chop it here.


View attachment 171088

Yep, or cut off the bigger subtrunk and keep a few inches of that lowest one.

 

[MHBonsai]

I would second that from personal experience. I chopped one and did not go low enough. Luckily second chop produced a plethora of new shoots so it survived.

Can you post your thread graft steps. I would sure be interested!

My thought was to in springtime use the branches like so:

I would do the thread grafts early spring, and make them as big as possible. Wrap the branching in parafilm to thread them through to keep as many growing tips going through as I can. Once I get some good growth going through the grafts I might defoliate the rest of it to drive energy into those three branches alone. Once they take I would chop the rest of the branches down.

 

[MHBonsai]

Another ... my photoshop skillz are awesome. I like the gradual taper that the trunk has like it is when I chop it like this, with a taller design than a totally low chop/sumo.

 

[ColinFraser]

Another ... my photoshop skillz are awesome. I like the gradual taper that the trunk has like it is when I chop it like this, with a taller design than a totally low chop/sumo.

I think I’d keep the other one - more taper and starting lower

 

[AZbonsai]

Can you show me a picture of the wrapped branches?

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I have a braided ficus b. that I have kept as a house plant for about ten years now. And I would recommend keeping this one as a houseplant; They are fantastic for air quality in the house. Do some chopping at the branch level, so that it fits your space better. And, keep an eye out for airlayer and/or cutting opportunities. These root pretty easily, especially in the outdoor season and you can have a nice truck and branching pretty quickly if you keep your target at small to medium bonsai.

 

[MHBonsai]

Can you show me a picture of the wrapped branches?

I'll do it like this (great thread btw):

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/grafting-101.26456/page-4

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I wouldn't do anything to it until the Spring. Then reduce the tree right as you put it outside, so that it has a full season of warmth and growth to recover.

 

[MHBonsai]

I wouldn't do anything to it until the Spring. Then reduce the tree right as you put it outside, so that it has a full season of warmth and growth to recover.

Agreed.

What about the repot? Would it be better to do that springtime at the same time as the cutback, or wait a year before root reduction?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Yeah I don't agree with the chopping back hard part. That's a nail in the coffin for this tree. It's winter and the tree looks weak. Chopping this tree, if you're lucky, would maybe give you a bud (again if you're lucky) after chopping it in its current state.

The only thing you can really do is wait until you see some sort of growth then slowly begin to chase the foliage back and hope something pops somewhere.

 

[ColinFraser]

Just to clarify, I didn’t recommend making a chop now, just making it low whenever it does happen.

It’s true these don’t backbud well/predictability but chasing it back slowly is a seriously losing proposition with material like this. If hitting it hard (and I agree it would be ideal when growing vigorously) kills it, then it cost you nothing and you’ve saved yourself years of disappointment and frustration If it buds (and a big chop like that is the one time you can be reasonably sure with these) then it’s on the way to something interesting . . .

 

[MHBonsai]

Just to clarify, I didn’t recommend making a chop now, just making it low whenever it does happen.

It’s true these don’t backbud well/predictability but chasing it back slowly is a seriously losing proposition with material like this. If hitting it hard (and I agree it would be ideal when growing vigorously) kills it, then it cost you nothing and you’ve saved yourself years of disappointment and frustration If it buds (and a big chop like that is the one time you can be reasonably sure with these) then it’s on the way to something interesting . . .

All true. This tree has the advantage of some pretty big flexible branching that I can set in place via grafting pre-chop, and I'm hopeful that these will speed up the process, as well as ensure I get the initial branching where I want them for the design. So I'd thread graft first early spring and 'semi' chop it - cut off everything but the big bent down thread-graft branches, let them set for the summer, then chop the remainder when they have fused properly and are being fed by the trunk.

 

[sorce]

You got a pretty good chance of getting a sucker started low that may work....

See the progression...
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/purpose-of-the-past-post-giant-ficus.17047/

Had I have just cut back to it years ago, I may be farther along.

What I'm counting in now...
Is more root growth for height, so I can gain some height raising it out of the soil...
Making that once, too low branch, useful as a new leader.

Its still a coin flip for sure backbudding.
Graft....or use what you got!

Nice.

Sorce

 

[MHBonsai]

You got a pretty good chance of getting a sucker started low that may work....

See the progression...
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/purpose-of-the-past-post-giant-ficus.17047/

Had I have just cut back to it years ago, I may be farther along.

What I'm counting in now...
Is more root growth for height, so I can gain some height raising it out of the soil...
Making that once, too low branch, useful as a new leader.

Its still a coin flip for sure backbudding.
Graft....or use what you got!

Nice.

Sorce

I read that thread like 16 times before agreeing to take this thing home. Lol.

Seeing how yours has grown, when would you recommend I do the drastic root prune and pot up in bonsai soil? Leave it as is in the peat for this year, or do it all together?

Thanks

 

[sorce]

I read that thread like 16 times before agreeing to take this thing home. Lol.

Seeing how yours has grown, when would you recommend I do the drastic root prune and pot up in bonsai soil? Leave it as is in the peat for this year, or do it all together?

Thanks

Seems a situation where it will be happy to get into new soil....even with just a few roots.

Me....

I'd cut it down to the closest place you can find one healthy growing tip, pot it, and get it manageable.

If it buds, great.
If not, one of the hundred cuttings will root and you can graft it later. From a pot, within a small manageable space.

Let it see earth next summer and it will decide the next step.

Sorce

 

[choppychoppy]

My thought was to in springtime use the branches like so:

I would do the thread grafts early spring, and make them as big as possible. Wrap the branching in parafilm to thread them through to keep as many growing tips going through as I can. Once I get some good growth going through the grafts I might defoliate the rest of it to drive energy into those three branches alone. Once they take I would chop the rest of the branches down.

Hahaha