Huge Ficus microcarpa

[Redwood Ryan]

Hey all,

I bought this from the Potomac Bonsai Festival this past weekend for $65. I assume it was so "cheap" due to the 3 straight trunks the tree has. I plan on air layering those off, I'm assuming one at a time? I thought it was a nice buy. There was another large one, but it was for $90. I am in love with this thing. Right now I have it in the indoor greenhouse with a humidifier going. I plan on moving it outdoors after I graduate from high school, June 10th. By then it should be plenty warm outdoors so I should be able to place it in the greenhouse out there. Just thought I would post to show the progress I will do and to receive any comments. This is the first of two trees I bought.

Ryan

 

[akhater]

guess it is all question of where you live, here such a ficus will never be for more than 30 usd or so

You can layer both branches at the same time no prob with that, on a ficus you could easily do them as cuttings also

 

[stacy allen muse]

If it was me I would just start wiring down branches, and sort of live with the tree for a while, if you are asking us for advice, you are probally not quite sure where to go with the tree... that's the time to put it back on the shelf for a while... will be plenty enough time to decide latter and putting a branch back on is a little hard to do... I would consider what type of style you would ultimetly like for the tree, then go from there...

 

[Bill S]

[If it was me I would just start wiring down branches, [/COLOR][/COLOR]and sort of live with the tree for a while, if you are asking us for advice, you are probally not quite sure where to go with the tree... that's the time to put it back on the shelf for a while... will be plenty enough time to decide latter and putting a branch back on is a little hard to do... I would consider what type of style you would ultimetly like for the tree, then go from there...

Stlye choice first, many of the trops want to reach for the sun, so there isn't so much of the pine tree bend at the base of the branches.

Couple shots of a similar one from Jim Smiths place. Before, and still needing work.

 

[treebeard55]

I think Bill and Stacy have a good point: you want to have some idea of your vision for the tree before you do anything irreversible.

And congratulations on your graduation!

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Ryan, have you considered taking higher resolution pictures and posting them on photobucket? You could get a lot more detailed photos so people could get better looks at your trees. Just food for thought

 

[stacy allen muse]

BillS, I dig the fact that you are studying jim smith's style. He has more of a clip and grow approach, more like what you would do in a topiary. I love the work he does and totally understand why you would style an tree in this fashion. As far as trops. I agree this is what you often find in nature trees with branches growing towards the sky, but with all due respect the complete opposite is true as well... I have seen representitive of just about every type style of bonsai, growing down here in nature. So, wiring of branches down is what one might find.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

If it was me I would just start wiring down branches, and sort of live with the tree for a while, if you are asking us for advice, you are probally not quite sure where to go with the tree... that's the time to put it back on the shelf for a while... will be plenty enough time to decide latter and putting a branch back on is a little hard to do... I would consider what type of style you would ultimetly like for the tree, then go from there...

Well how could I work the straight trunks into a final design if I was to keep them??

I think Bill and Stacy have a good point: you want to have some idea of your vision for the tree before you do anything irreversible.

And congratulations on your graduation!

They do have a point, and thank you!

Ryan, have you considered taking higher resolution pictures and posting them on photobucket? You could get a lot more detailed photos so people could get better looks at your trees. Just food for thought

Believe it or not, these pics are from Photobucket.

BillS, I dig the fact that you are studying jim smith's style. He has more of a clip and grow approach, more like what you would do in a topiary. I love the work he does and totally understand why you would style an tree in this fashion. As far as trops. I agree this is what you often find in nature trees with branches growing towards the sky, but with all due respect the complete opposite is true as well... I have seen representitive of just about every type style of bonsai, growing down here in nature. So, wiring of branches down is what one might find.

Hmmm this is all very interesting, thanks everyone....

 

[stacy allen muse]

here is one way you could keep the straight trunks into a final design if if you wanted to keep them?? It would actually involve rotating the tree in the planting...

Getting late, gotta go to work tomorrow, kick around some more ides later...

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thanks for the virt Stacy, guess I never saw that post.

But, I think I'm going to air layer the branch off in the next few days. It is straight and boring and lacks taper, etc. Plus, I could get a pretty sweet shohin from it

 

[Smoke]

It is straight and boring and lacks taper, etc. Plus, I could get a pretty sweet shohin from it

How does this work. Doesn't the former preclude the latter?

 

[Bill S]

BillS, I dig the fact that you are studying jim smith's style. He has more of a clip and grow approach, more like what you would do in a topiary. I love the work he does and totally understand why you would style an tree in this fashion. As far as trops. I agree this is what you often find in nature trees with branches growing towards the sky, but with all due respect the complete opposite is true as well... I have seen representitive of just about every type style of bonsai, growing down here in nature. So, wiring of branches down is what one might find.

No argument from me here, sat with Charles Cerronio a while back and he gave me some things I could do differently, still working want to widen the top, still haven't convinced myself what I want to do with the lower section, just tossing out mu ideas, not dismissing yours. You have shown you have some decent know how, I think we tend to keep each other on our toes, no dis intended.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

How does this work. Doesn't the former preclude the latter?

Oops. Guess I never really thought about that. Well, guess I'll have to chop and chop and chop.

 

[stacy allen muse]

ryan, if I where you, I would check out Jim Smith's site, and do something like BillS suggested...
http://www.jimsmithbonsai.com/Catalog/catalog_page_1.htm

 

[Redwood Ryan]

ryan, if I where you, I would check out Jim Smith's site, and do something like BillS suggested...
http://www.jimsmithbonsai.com/Catalog/catalog_page_1.htm

Thank you. Those are beautiful trees, but nothing compared to what this could do. I just feel it lacks a lot of things due to the ugly straight branches. I could layer above a smaller branch, then wire that branch to be the new leader. Then it would have more taper later down the road.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I've decided I am going to air layer that big branch today. I'll set the layer up right above a smaller branch, and like I said, then wire that branch up.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I seperated the layer today.

Top half:

I plan on cutting the branches on the left side off to help the new, smaller root system balance the amount of foliage:

Bottom half:

This is what I want to do to the bottom half. Cut the branch in red off, air layer the large branch in yellow, then make the branch circled in yellow the new leader. The black would outline the new tree:

Thoughts?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I cut the branch I had marked in red off, so now to let the tree rest for a while:

 

[Smoke]

Hmmmm....now I am reminded of a reflection of a slingshot in the water.........

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Hmmmm....now I am reminded of a reflection of a slingshot in the water.........

Well yes, but that's why the branch to the right will be chopped or air layered off, like in the picture a few posts back.