How about some ficus benjamina love? (Let's see yours)

[music~maker]

Here's one I've owned since 2000, and it's the tree I've had for the longest amount of time that is still alive. This is a pic from a few days ago.

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I've been growing it outside during the growing season and indoors for the winter since 2009. Prior to that, it lived in an office, and for a number of years was being taken care of by a co-worker while I was out on the road all the time.

This is what it looked like back in 2001 (earliest pic I have of it):

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It was doing OK for a while, and was thriving reasonably well despite being 100% indoors, though I don't seem to have any photos of it from back then.

But then there was "the incident". There were probably 2-3 years in a row where I didn't see it at all, and a co-worker was looking after it, and this is how I got it back from him in 2009:

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Getting this thing to recover and develop properly is probably my proudest bonsai accomplishment to date.

FYI - I posted the full album over on reddit in case any of you are interested in seeing some more pics. There are links in the post that show a lot more of the tree's history.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/comments/6yy3kk/too_little_benjamina_ficus_september_2017/

 

[daudelus]

Couple of clumps that I have been slowly working on getting shorter... living in zone 6 leaves them spending a good bit of spring recovering from less light (they are under fluorescent fixtures during winter) which slows progress.

The variegated one is much more promising I think.

 

[sorce]

Does anybody here use a heat mat to keep their tropicals warm in the winter?

Pretty sure Judy keeps a Matt under everything.

I was thinking about it for this year.

Sorce

 

[ohiogrown]

A cutting after a year.

 

[MountainExplorer]

Just letting it thicken up.

 

[ohiogrown]

This is my grandmothers. She has had it for over 30 years. Today she let me put it in a Bonsai pot. I need to work with the top. I'm kinda jealous and hope it's mine someday. Lol

 

[sorce]

This is my grandmothers. She has had it for over 30 years. Today she let me put it in a Bonsai pot. I need to work with the top. I'm kinda jealous and hope it's mine someday. Lol

That one center trunk needs to go soon (Next summer).

Looks an old braid?

The trunk is awesome!

Go Grams!

My Benny's have gone nuts in this recent heat wave!

Sorce

 

[ohiogrown]

That one center trunk needs to go soon (Next summer).

Looks an old braid?

The trunk is awesome!

Go Grams!

My Benny's have gone nuts in this recent heat wave!

Sorce

Yes I was thinking the same. There are four branches at the top and yes from a old braid. Im not exactly sure what I should do but i hope next Summer I can get working with the top to make this tree really great. It has some potential.

 

[Haoleboy]

My $5 yard sale find yesterday. I started it's own thread. Thought I'd post it here after reading and seeing everyone else's Benjis.

 

[GSCarlson]

About 1.5 years worth of progress on a variegated benny.

 

[Carol 83]

About 1.5 years worth of progress on a variegated benny.
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Very nice, love the pot.

 

[GSCarlson]

Very nice, love the pot.

Thanks! The pot is by John Cannon via FB auction. With tropical plants, I like pots which represent water. And this one looks like a waterfall.

 

[GSCarlson]

I did a little work on my wife's ficus before bringing it indoors for the fall/winter. She was so happy she started to cry.

before:

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after:

View attachment 159797

She has made a fine recovery after only two and a half months. And even some new growth lower on the trunk, which may one day be the new top after an air layer.

 

[Nwaite]

Not really sure if I should let it just grow for the winter or chop of the top now so the bottom branches can thicken up?

 

[Chickentimmy]

This is one of my medium size figs in my greenhouse. It has some potential, and has a nice canopy. Like the aerials. I prefer the retusas and microcarpas, though.

 

[sorce]

Sorce

 

[Chickentimmy]

Mine didn't show up. How did I you get pictures to load?

 

[aml1014]

Here's a root over rock I started from a cutting from one of the others and it finally got a pot today lol I know o need to join the blue pot club.

Update on this one
Aaron

 

[Stickroot]

Update on this oneView attachment 175417
Aaron

Nice. Is that one of Connie's?

 

[aml1014]

Nice. Is that one of Connie's?

No I started that one back in 2014 from a little cutting. It's come quite a ways since then.

Aaron