How to Care for a FICUS MICROCARPA GINSENG?

[Gnome]

Kas,

It is not usually a good idea to keep two different zones in the same pot. By leaving a lot of the old soil around the roots there will be the possibility that one area or the other will always be too wet/dry. If you keep the perimeter just right the core will stay too wet. Conversely, if you keep the core just right the perimeter will too dry much of the time.

Also, it is generally accepted that all particles in your pot should be about the same size. If you mix a fine soil in with a coarser, more free draining, one the fine particles will filter between the coarse ones negating the benefits of the coarse mix.

Another outdated concept is the idea of a drainage layer. All this does is move the water table higher in the pot. The best draining medium is one that is uniform top to bottom, from core to perimeter.

So, for the reasons stated above, I suggest removing all the old soil and replanting with a uniform blend of your chosen components.

Check out our thread dealing with these concepts, make sure to follow the links. The link to Bonsi4Me deals with the kitty litter things pretty well.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422

One more thing, in my experience while Ficus are pretty tough, I have had the most luck doing this type of work while it is warm. They are actively growing then and recover well. Spring at the earliest but summer is perhaps the best. I would not mess around with it too much right now.

Norm

[Marsman]

No worms. If you're using bonsai-type soil (grit), they won't survive. If you're using potting soil (dirt), then that's a different story.

NO WORMS

[KasWear]

Noted thanks,

I need to read through that lot, one thing that concerns me is I'm not going for the small manufactured bonsai look with this tree, it's nearly 3 foot as it is, and it can go as big as it likes or allows, and will be in a pot twice as big as it's current size, which at present is to small imo .. I wonder whether my approach should be a bit different as a result.

All the images I have seen so far show small containers of little depth, something I will get into when I purchase other smaller specimens of different types .. ?

ta

Kas

[Gnome]

Kas,

I wonder whether my approach should be a bit different as a result...All the images I have seen so far show small containers of little depth,

That's a pretty good observation. Shallow bonsai containers are, at least in part, responsible for our insistence on using such free draining media. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, a shallow pot does not drain as well as a taller pot.

Still, there is no reason that you should not improve the drainage and aeration of your mix. I have given up on using commercial potting soil for anything, that includes houseplants.

You will probably want to consider the weight of your pot though. If you are going to move up to a larger pot, the kitty litter (or other similar products) can get pretty heavy. Two lighter components you might consider using in conjunction with the kitty litter are bark and Perlite. Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks uses a mix of about 50/50 bark and Perlite in his nursery practice. In fact you probably should read [url=https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm]this.[/url] It may already be included in the thread I suggested earlier but here it is just to make sure, as it covers some important concepts.

Oh, if you do decide to use perlite, some of it can be pretty fine so try to find a coarser grade.

Norm

[KasWear]

Thanks,

A trip to B n Q next week is on .. !!

My only outstanding ??? now is still the use of garden worms in large pots, and what sort of growth I should expect roughly from my ficus given the conditions it needs that I have read upon .. ??

Oh and whether a wooden large container is suitable aswell ...

ta

Kas

[rainbowgardener]

I'm not a bonsai grower, just have general gardening experience, but I lurk in the bonsai forum out of curiosity. I've been following this conversation and think I can add something from the general experience.

I thought Marsman said pretty clearly no worms. The size of the pot doesn't matter here, it's what's in the pot. Earthworms live in earth, that is soil. If you are using a soil-less mix or even mostly soil-less, which is what is being recommended to you, then the earthworms die.

If you intend to leave the tree in the container for years, I wouldn't think wood would be such a good idea, tends to rot and break down when staying moist over a long period of time. If the container would be outdoors some of the time, moist wood attracts slugs and other undesirables.

[KasWear]

Thanks,

I had missed the worm advice, but as a result of the large tree and impending larger pot, the % of soil is debatable, and as such worms could still be introduced.

The intended barrell type wooden container, treated correctly and not left at the wim of nasties could also be used.

There is also the query that I should wait until spring to make these changes, although I'm not happy now with the matter my tree is contained within.

I'm glad to be here though, this Bonsai malarky is interesting, perhaps you need a Bonsai aswell !! ...

Maybe see you on the other boards as I have some tomatoe. rocket and lettuce seeds !! ...

Yours,

Kas

[Gnome]

KasWear,

I try to keep Earthworms out of my pots but they do sometimes find their way in if I should leave something on the ground. No big deal but their castings can tend to clog things up a bit. I don't see that there is a lot to be gained by deliberately introducing them. You will be improving the aeration of the soil at the time of re-potting and you will take charge of fertilizing. So, what good are the worms?

One thing you have not mentioned is how you intend to water such a large pot in place. For bonsai we usually drench our soil completely allowing water to run freely from the drainage holes. When you look for a pot look for something to serve as a drip tray to contain the excess water.

Norm

[KasWear]

Hier,

Well I shall blank the worms then ...

As for the pot, I would just follow what I have read as regards watering and drainage, and using long skewer stiks to easily attain whether the soil is dry, alongside digging into the soil as deemed nessasary ....

As ever, I'm open to advice and suggestions, this is the pot I was thinking of, and would make my own saucer to go with it ...

https://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=10277950&fh_view_size=150&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9372012%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372018%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372088%7d%2fspecificationsProductType%3dexternal_pots%2f_colour_derive%3e%7bbrown%7d&fh_refview=lister&ts=1264268231006&isSearch=false

I've also retreived this moss from the garden, I'm drying it off a bit before inspecting it for any nastys, I wonder if it is clean then is it suitable .. ??/ ta

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/23012010004.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/23012010003.jpg[/img]

yours

Kas

[KasWear]

Also in time for summer I shall be turning my under the stairs area into a vivaruim for my growing python, she will get no bigger than around five feet and the thickness of a childs arm ..

Anyway as the temperature in their will be 80 - 90 degrees farenheit for around 12 - 14 hours, and 70 - 80 the rest of the time, with humidity between 55 - 70 % .. and the vivaruim will be around five feet high and wide with a 4 feet depth ....

So what I'm saying is taking into consideration the above, are there any tropical type bonsai I can include in my vivaruim .....

Many thanks for any clarification ...

yours

Kas

[Marsman]

Ficus should like that environment.

[KasWear]

Excellent .... !!!!! ... ta ...

I can see this new hobby costing a few bob, but to be worth it ...

[KasWear]

Well a few bob has been spent ...

Wooden pot .. 20 ...
Nitrogen based miracle frow ... 4
Stones/pebble type shaped and same size ..3
Root powder ..... 5
Sheet for mixing ... 1
Peatless soil ... 3
Growing enclosure for new ficuses ...

Forgot the seive !!

Sanded and prepared pot for woodstain and wondering if I'm good to go with a repot and new meduim tommorow ... ??

Also, do I need to buy some flourescent lights ... ?? ta

Yours

Kas

[KasWear]

Update ...

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/28012010005.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/28012010004.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/28012010003.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/28012010002.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/28012010001.jpg[/img]

[KasWear]

I have various bulbs of different wattage, but do I still need specifically flourescent lights .. as I've seen some in lidl for 8 pounds .. ta

Kas

[KasWear]

Feeling a little ignored and slighy perplexed ...

[Gnome]

Feeling a little ignored and slighy perplexed ...

Well, you already did the re-potting so there is not a lot to say about that now. As for the bulb question, you only posted that 10 Hrs ago or so.

Fluorescents are preferred because they give more in the way of light energy in relation to the amount of heat they produce. Since they are cooler you can get them much closer to the plant without the danger of overheating.

Norm

[KasWear]

Thanks,

I'm a bit inpatient/excited with my new hobby ... but low energy bulbs don't give of the heat much, so are flourescents essential .. as I would rather use what I have if attal possible .. ta

yours

Kas

[Gnome]

KasWear,

Ficus can do OK under low light conditions but they will do better if you provide better lighting. If your plant gets some natural light you may be able to get away with no, or minimal, supplemental lighting. On the other hand if you have it situated in a dim room, away from any windows, then supplemental lighting becomes more important.

Norm

[KasWear]

Thanks,

She will be getting real sunshine when the temperature allows it, the following pic is what I have her under for a good 10 - 14 hours, the sun is not coming through the window much at present, but come spring it is prominent from around 9 am - midday ...

The highest light is a glow bright low watt, and the lower light on the left is a standard 40 w at present as the 11w one blew, was looking to revert back to a 11w, but the current one gives out some heat towards the plant, without damaging it ...

What do you think ... is that enough ... ta

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/31012010.jpg[/img]

yours

Kaswear

[Gnome]

KasWear,

What do you think ... is that enough

I can't give you a definitive yes or nor answer but the strength of light drops off dramatically the farther the lights are from the plant. Lights at ceiling level are going to be weak, it's unavoidable. The closer you can get fluorescents the better it will be.

Are you going to be placing it outside during the summer or do you intend to manage it as an indoor tree permanently? If the latter, an investment in better lighting will probably be needed sooner or later.

Norm

[KasWear]

Thanks ,

I will put her out for days in the sun, I'm a bit worried about her getting pinched to leave her overnight, and I will get some flouresecnt lights aswell ... as I like the ficus and intend growing some of her ...

ta

Kas

[KasWear]

Hier,

I made a noob mistake when repotting, I discarded most of the roots that covered the bottom of the old pot ... and as my tree is losing leaves a lot, have I killed it, or is there something I can do ... I'm buying some flourescent bulbs in the week, I have a small heatmat under the pot now ... any clarification on noob removal of root matter and its results ...

ta

Kas

[Gnome]

KasWear,

I made a noob mistake when repotting, I discarded most of the roots that covered the bottom of the old pot ... and as my tree is losing leaves a lot, have I killed it, or is there something I can do ... I'm buying some flourescent bulbs in the week, I have a small heatmat under the pot now ... any clarification on noob removal of root matter and its results ...

Ficus can withstand rough treatment if they are handled correctly. With good light, high humidity and warm temperatures your tree would likely have responded much better.

One more thing, in my experience while Ficus are pretty tough, I have had the most luck doing this type of work while it is warm. They are actively growing then and recover well. Spring at the earliest but summer is perhaps the best. I would not mess around with it too much right now.

Ficus can do OK under low light conditions but they will do better if you provide better lighting. If your plant gets some natural light you may be able to get away with no, or minimal, supplemental lighting. On the other hand if you have it situated in a dim room, away from any windows, then supplemental lighting becomes more important.

The only thing you can do now is to provide it with the best conditions you can manage and make sure not to water it too frequently. A tree with no foliage will transpire water at a slower rate.

I sincerely hope your Ficus recovers but there is a lesson to be learned here, a lesson that many of us, myself included, have learned the hard way.

Norm

[KasWear]

Yes, thanks for that, I have read those quotes .... and acted on them ... it does not answer the missing roots query, all the rest I'm doing, and it needed repotting, the meduim and space was woefull ...

[Gnome]

KasWear,

Yes, thanks for that, I have read those quotes .... and acted on them ... it does not answer the missing roots query,

There's not really anything to be said now. Ficus can recover from such treatment but whether or not yours will, considering the present circumstances, only time will tell. Maintain the best conditions you can manage and wait it out. Sometimes these things work out, sometimes they don't. We all lose trees, more so early on. If you do, consider it a learning experience.

Norm

[KasWear]

Yes, but it's over ten years old and I doubt I've killed it on one week ... a amount of roots taken out and the effects was what I was asking, not a rehash of the overall situation that I'm aware of ...

[Rosaelyn]

Mature trees are just as likely as young trees to favor badly from a repotting mishap or underwatering or pest attacks, etc.

The normal rule of thumb for repotting is trimming off about 1/4-1/3 of the root system. A healthy Ficus can usually handle a heavier trimming. However, a repotting performed on any unhealthy tree can be detrimental.

[KasWear]

Thanks, I've started stroking her and talking to her, promising her more light and warmth ....

[Rosaelyn]

I am firm believer that my trees enjoy being talked to. They enjoy listening to techno, as well. lol

[KasWear]

Having learnt and not wanting my Bonsai to die, with leaves falling off because of lack of light mainly, they now live in a tropical type enviroment with lots of light and more to come ...

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/From%20feb%20ten%20ten/02032010.jpg[/img]

Will up date when I've truely saved them ..

[KasWear]

Update pics ...

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/11062010001.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/11062010.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e53/covdude/11062010002.jpg[/img]