Ficus suggestion

[darryl1]

I'm brand new to bonsai. Was given a little pre-styled juniper over Christmas and now I'm hooked.
Started looking around my yard for some potential specimens and noticed my ficus has this interesting root ball. It's been in this pot for maybe 25 years. Is this worth chopping and can I save the top? Would prefer to keep it alive since I've had it for so long.

 

[sorce]

Do it!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[badatusernames]

I'd look into air layering, it's a technique I've not tried before but it looks like you could air layer that from top to bottom over time and get a bunch of trees out of it, as well as end up with the base at the end. I think it looks like a great project tree.

 

[darryl1]

Do it!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

Thanks for your reply. I think I saw one of your threads about a ficus.
I'll wait another month or so then air layer and hopefully give it a chop later this year!

 

[darryl1]

I'd look into air layering, it's a technique I've not tried before but it looks like you could air layer that from top to bottom over time and get a bunch of trees out of it, as well as end up with the base at the end. I think it looks like a great project tree.

Yep sounds like a project. I'll document it here. Thanks for replying!

 

[River's Edge]

I'm brand new to bonsai. Was given a little pre-styled juniper over Christmas and now I'm hooked.
Started looking around my yard for some potential specimens and noticed my ficus has this interesting root ball. It's been in this pot for maybe 25 years. Is this worth chopping and can I save the top? Would prefer to keep it alive since I've had it for so long.
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View attachment 349451

If you put your location in your profile it will help other provide better advice over time. For example the timing for air layering. Also you will not be able to air layer and chop in one year. The timing is important for both procedures.

 

[JustinD]

Looks like a benjamina, do you know if it is? Got one beginning of fall; so have been doing some research

 

[darryl1]

Looks like a benjamina, do you know if it is? Got one beginning of fall; so have been doing some research

I'm not sure what type it is. I've had it for so long. It started indoors and has moved with me to 4 or 5 houses. It was near death so we put it outside 15 years ago and it's been doing fine since. Still the original soil - never repotted. It's survived a lot of neglect so I would like to make sure it continues to live.

 

[JustinD]

I'm not sure what type it is. I've had it for so long. It started indoors and has moved with me to 4 or 5 houses. It was near death so we put it outside 15 years ago and it's been doing fine since. Still the original soil - never repotted. It's survived a lot of neglect so I would like to make sure it continues to live.

Well then to err on the side of caution, benjamina and prob other in the genus often experience die-back from pruning. So I’ll being careful to reduce mine in stages. If cutting back hard, make sure it’s only when tree is growing strong and leave some foliage present on the branches you want to keep. Other than that, I’m learning too

 

[Soup Dragon]

Well then to err on the side of caution, benjamina and prob other in the genus often experience die-back from pruning. So I’ll being careful to reduce mine in stages. If cutting back hard, make sure it’s only when tree is growing strong and leave some foliage present on the branches you want to keep. Other than that, I’m learning too

This is good advice. I killed a fine benjamina by thinking that it would behave like a microcarpa,