My pride and joy ficus, about a year into training. any tips are appreciated!
- Thread starter glass_shark
- Start date
glass_shark
Sapling
I've had this one about a year now, I got it from Lowes for around 70$, slapped it in a pot from the thrift store, and now a year later here we are. It's been defoliated once and has grown that growth back to what you see here. Tell me what y'all think!
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Very dragon-like feel. Goes well with the pot. If it were mine I would try to get the foliage in tighter, and select and develop the "head" of the dragon.
glass_shark
Sapling
Interesting, I like that Idea a lot. Any tips on making the foliage tighter?
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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- USDA Zone
- 5b
I agree with @BrianBay9 , nice feel and flow to the trunk design.
You have long-ish internodes for the newest growth. I would suggest slightly brighter light. Brighter light will help you compact foliage.
You have long-ish internodes for the newest growth. I would suggest slightly brighter light. Brighter light will help you compact foliage.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
- Messages
- 11,427
- Reaction score
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- USDA Zone
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Brighter light is key to more compact foliage with shorter internodes. If moved in steps over a couple weeks, ficus can take full sun.
glass_shark
Sapling
Okay I gotcha, I keep it outside on the shadier side of my balcony, I'll try it in the sun and see what happens. I migrated it from a fully inside plant to an outside plant, it's loved it out there so far, my other ficus have too
Colorado
Masterpiece
As Leo mentioned, full sun will help, also disciplined pruning to create finer and finer ramification will also help!
Once the shoots extend to 5 or 6 leaves, you can cut back to 2 or 3 and it will send out new buds very reliably.
Nice tree!
Mike Corazzi
Masterpiece
Ficus behave so nicely as bonsai. 
I think we grow other species for masochism.
I think we grow other species for masochism.
