Vinny’s first tree — My ficus progression

[Vincent Tanner]

Here is a series of images documenting the progress of my first tree over the last three years.

I picked this tree up at New England Bonsai Gardens for about $80 in spring of 2019. It was labeled as Ficus retusa but I’ve since learn that that would be unlikely and it is most likely Ficus microcarpa.

Here is the tree the day I brought it home:


Here is the tree the first time I pruned it after a year of growth:


I made some new trees with the cuttings:



During the New England winters, this guy got a South West facing window with a humidifier. I have grow lights, but have never used them.



Here it is after this summer. Lots of growth.



And just gave it one more haircut:



It had been repotted into the same pot this spring. Shifted a little more off center during repotting to add some negative space to the right of the tree.

It needs some wire now, I think! I’ll update more as I progress.

Thanks for checking my tree out!

 

[Vincent Tanner]

I’m sure propagating ficus is no mystery to most readers here. It’s super simple to set up and very easy for the cuttings to root. But just for fun, I’ll drop this video I made that shows what I’ve had success with.

Maybe I’ll be able to sell mame ficus at the farmers market or something.

Thanks!

 

[penumbra]

It is a Tiger Bark Fig.
FWIW, I would have not shifted it to the left to keep the apex a little more towards the pots center. Honestly though, its your choice, your plant and it looks very well cared for.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

It is a Tiger Bark Fig.
FWIW, I would have not shifted it to the left to keep the apex a little more towards the pots center. Honestly though, its your choice, your plant and it looks very well cared for.

Hey, thanks!

Interesting you say that about the apex being over the roots. I liked the tree more centered, as you said, but I repotted it in a class at the local bonsai nursery and the instructor recommended creating the negative space to the right.

But I’ve since read about keeping the apex over the main football/pot.

I still have a lot to learn about the various stylistic choices people make and the “why” behind them.

 

[penumbra]

I have known a lot of painters who made overly much about negative space. Frankly, I don't think many of them know what they are doing but like the sound of it.
I think the instruction you got about shifting your plant was wrong for me.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

My ficus is going in our club’s show next weekend! The event is the 39th annual show of the Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford in Hartford, CT.

I’ll grab some shots of my full display next weekend, but I’m posting now ‘cause I’m excited!

 

[YamadoriFL]

Nice movement. Looking good. It is a tiger bark. I would have chopped that one back hard already though , not sure how that works up north for you though. Thanks for sharing.

 

[luvinthemountains]

I would have chopped that one back hard already though

I was looking at @Vincent Tanner's tree earlier today and thinking man, I have very few tall, graceful trees like this one. I kind of wish I had not been so chop happy with some of my trees. Could this one use some work? Sure, but with some wiring and balancing it could become a nice specimen over time. A hard chop would mean several years' more growing before it gets even close to the point it's at now.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

I agree that it needs work! I’ve had it four years and just focused on keeping it alive and healthy with occasional pruning to shape.

It’s in desperate need of wire.

And when you guys say chop, where do you mean?

I have been thinking of hard cut backs. The tree does get a bit ‘leggy’ once it’s up in the ramified sections.

Of course, the show is one week away, so not now, but all this is on my radar.

I think in 3-5 years this will be a sweet medium sized ficus made from what was a mass market nursery ficus.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

PS: If you guys think I should, I can prune more before displaying this weekend. I was trying to error on doing less than more so I didn’t take a ton off when I pruned last week.

 

[luvinthemountains]

PS: If you guys think I should, I can prune more before displaying this weekend. I was trying to error on doing less than more so I didn’t take a ton off when I pruned last week.

Not much, if any. It is hard to tell from your photo, but if there is a really vigorous shoot sticking out of the canopy then you could cut it back just far enough to fit inside the profile of the canopy. And maybe the first branch could be lightly trimmed out at the very ends of the branches. But the tree looks a little bit sparse as it is, so I would be very careful about not making it look any more sparse!

 

[Colorado]

PS: If you guys think I should, I can prune more before displaying this weekend. I was trying to error on doing less than more so I didn’t take a ton off when I pruned last week.

Personally I wouldn’t prune it any more right now. Put it in the show and enjoy the fun! Then later this summer you can cut it back.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

Sounds good, guys. Thank you.

On the topic of displaying ficus… in pictures of high level shows, I’ve seen them displayed in both glazed and unglazed pots. Is there a rule of thumb for tropicals?

My brain says tropical should have a bright, fun glaze. But also they’re evergreen.



I had a nicer glazed pot I wanted to slip this tree into for the show, but like some of the other things mentioned above, waiting until the heat of summer.

 

[Michael P]

Agreed, additional pruning now won't improve it in time for the show. Ask experienced people at the show for their advice. I expect them to tell you to drastically shorten the long thin branches, even if this doesn't leave a single leaf on the tree.

This is a really difficult lesson to learn for beginners. It took me a decade, perhaps I am a bit slow, LOL. My current bonsai motto is "Cut more, regret less."

The simplicity of the current pot is good.

 

[Colorado]

drastically shorten the long thin branches, even if this doesn't leave a single leaf on the tree.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Won’t take that long to rebuild the canopy.

On the topic of displaying ficus… in pictures of high level shows, I’ve seen them displayed in both glazed and unglazed pots. Is there a rule of thumb for tropicals?

My brain says tropical should have a bright, fun glaze. But also they’re evergreen.

Personally have tropicals in both glazed and unglazed. I think both can be appropriate depending on the tree. This one feels like it should be in a glazed pot, just my 2 cents.

 

[YamadoriFL]

I agree that it needs work! I’ve had it four years and just focused on keeping it alive and healthy with occasional pruning to shape.

It’s in desperate need of wire.

And when you guys say chop, where do you mean?

I have been thinking of hard cut backs. The tree does get a bit ‘leggy’ once it’s up in the ramified sections.

Of course, the show is one week away, so not now, but all this is on my radar.

I think in 3-5 years this will be a sweet medium sized ficus made from what was a mass market nursery ficus.

I apologize, I’m the one I think that first mentioned the chop. It wasn’t a recommendation for you, as I’m not familiar with your climate. I was just saying that if I had that one with that nice movement down low on the trunk, I would do two chops on the lower area, here where I am in Florida. Right now that thing would have 20+ new shoots on it within three weeks from the chop. Again, not saying you should do that.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

My display from the Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford’s annual club show today.

 

[Vincent Tanner]

OK, bonsai show’s over and the summer is here. Time for no fear, no mercy.

Do you guys think the thin branches should be cut even lower? I can chop more if it’s better for the future of the tree.

 

[Michael P]

You still have some long un-branched sections. Shorten those some more. Then let the tree back-bud. If you get buds in especially good locations, you can cut back some more. And example is the branch on the extreme left with one leaf in the first photo.

Good start!

 

[Vincent Tanner]

You still have some long un-branched sections. Shorten those some more. Then let the tree back-bud. If you get buds in especially good locations, you can cut back some more. And example is the branch on the extreme left with one leaf in the first photo.

Good start!

No mercy.

How’s that? Can be shorter still.