Suggestion on Bonsai shape selection and leaf size

[brp7]

This sacred fig is about 2 1/2 years old and the base is 3.2 cm in diameter. I was planning a shape for the future. I would like your valuable advice on this. I have attached two pictures of shapes somewhat similar to the current shape of the fig. The U shape (doesn't look like a V) branches out after 6 inches from the base. Now, when the truck grows a little more, the height from the ground would be more as well. In that case, should I stick with the style that is in the attached pictures? Or should I cut it below the U branch and look for other shapes when the new branches come in the future?

The leaves are so big now. Maybe the leaves of this species are larger. Do you think the leaves will come down in size when we have more branches?

 

[leatherback]

Hi !

For your plant, I would say the style you show will not work soon. In fact, considering you live in a very nice and toasty climate, I would recommend popping this young tree in the ground for a year or two. As you mentioned, leaves are big. They will reduce somewhat, but will never be as small as the leaves on the elm you shared. As such, it is much better to work with a bigger trunk, and therefor get a tree where trunk-branches-leaves are more in scale to eachother.

As such, I would also not dedicate to a specific style now. Plant it. Let it grow for a year. In your climate the trunk probably has tripled by then, assuming you water & fertilize well. Then you can prune low, and let it grow for another year, and evaluate.

Just a thought..

 

[brp7]

Hi !

For your plant, I would say the style you show will not work soon. In fact, considering you live in a very nice and toasty climate, I would recommend popping this young tree in the ground for a year or two. As you mentioned, leaves are big. They will reduce somewhat, but will never be as small as the leaves on the elm you shared. As such, it is much better to work with a bigger trunk, and therefor get a tree where trunk-branches-leaves are more in scale to eachother.

As such, I would also not dedicate to a specific style now. Plant it. Let it grow for a year. In your climate the trunk probably has tripled by then, assuming you water & fertilize well. Then you can prune low, and let it grow for another year, and evaluate.

Just a thought..

I never thought about keeping it in the ground. How can we get the roots intact after two years when we move the tree back to the pot?

 

[TrevorLarsen]

People will usually put the tree in a root pouch or pond basket in the ground to keep fine roots close to the trunk. One of those options should keep the roots from growing out of control in the ground.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Not sure the amount of reduction one would get for these tree leafs, bu would be a really great experiment to find out!

….also could use a large colander vs pond basket or root pouch If that’s easier to obtain. The main issue will be to assure the tree is stable until the roots anchor the tree in the ground.

The advantage of using these devices is one can pop the tree out of the ground, trim the roots back, then put back in the ground. This encourages fine root development. Later this process will ease the process of transitioning the tree into a pot due to the close in roots.

cheers
DSD sends