JTred
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Location: Elizabeth, PA

A year of bonsai - Ficus Progression

Well it has officially been a year since I got my first tree and I have learned so much in the time I spent online, and working with my trees themselves. To many of you who have had many more years of experience a year may seem like just another growing season and just another dormancy period, but for me a year is a big milestone. I received this tree, like many, as a gift, a mallsai, knowing little to nothing about the art. This tree in particular taught me so much about the art. Instead of having a plan for this tree, it seemed the tree had a plan of its own. we worked together to transform it into something unique, much more than a branch grafted to a rootstock. Both the tree and myself have a long way to go in the art of bonsai, but this first year has proven to produce the most drastic change. To those of you who have had more trees given away, sold, or die, than I have even owned, remember your first tree and your plunge into bonsai.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/progression-1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Bonsai1-2-10001.jpg[/img]

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Gnome
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JTred,

I just realized that this slipped by. I wanted to say that you did a nice job with the updates. I like the progression view.

Norm

JTred
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Thanks Norm. Since I posted this not much has happened, but the folded down branch in the front (eventually to be a root) has really taken off and has branched, so it will actually become three roots. Also my first cutting has finally started putting out growth above the soil, not bad for how little light I am able to provide for these guys.

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Kree
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Location: Australia

JTred can you show us pictures of your first cutting? :) I'd love to see it

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Big Vine
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JTred,
Not sure what happened, because I could have sworn I posted a response to this earlier (yet clearly it does not appear here, so maybe I didn't). :oops:

Either way, I would like to echo Norm's sentiments here and say job well done on the series of progression pics. What I find really stands out is the work you've done on the branching to bring an overall more pleasing shape to the canopy---it is coming together nicely. 8)

And I like what you pointed out about the tree having a "plan of its own."
Instead of me trying to elaborate on this concept, I'll stop here and finish by inviting others to really reflect on what that means. I think everyone stands to benefit from it.
BV

JTred
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Kree wrote:JTred can you show us pictures of your first cutting? :) I'd love to see it
The ficus cutting seems to have been spending most of its energy putting out roots, and is just starting to put out growth on top.

December 4, when it was first removed from a cup of water and potted
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus12-4-09005.jpg[/img]

Today
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Cuttings2-23-10001.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Cuttings2-23-10003.jpg[/img]

On a similar note I also have a malus cutting which, though it has put out roots, really seems to be struggling.
Dec 4th,
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Malus00312-9-09.jpg[/img]

Today
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Cuttings2-23-10006.jpg[/img]

Ironically enough the best thing that ever happened to the shohin was when I repotted it, then allowed it to get cold. The shock from these two stresses made every leaf fall off, much to my dismay. But the way that it grew back happened to be more pleasing, and then the lowering of the first branch really made the tree come alive. My future plans are to try to get a better shape at the top of the tree, and getting more ramification on all of the branches. I just can't wait until the weather breaks so I can get them all outside.

TomM
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Very nice job. Now the weather is warming and your rooted cuttings should be very happy. Keep the pictures coming. You do very good photo work and we learn from all of this.
TomM

JTred
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Just thought I'd post an update. I had a great summer of growth, and decided to try my hand at a defoliation. I thought this might be a good way to encourage more ramification. I did this since I'm pretty happy with the size and branch placement, but would like to have more dense foliage pads. Unfortunately I didn't remove the growth tips, so the result was some backbudding on the main branches, but the secondary branches kind of just kept going from the tips and didn't backbud. For now I'll probably let it go, because I don't usually get strong growth indoors, but next spring I'll try another defoliation.

June 10
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/6-10-10004.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/6-10-10003.jpg[/img]

July 16
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus7-16-10002-1.jpg[/img]

September 15
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus9-15-2010001.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/Ficus9-15-2010002.jpg[/img]

And here's an updated progression
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/progression-2.jpg[/img]

Also, if anyone knows a way to get the secondary branches to backbud I'd greatly appreciate it.

JTred
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Well it's been two years of bonsai for me now, I thought I'd post an update. Not much change, though its filled in better since the botched defoliation. It's still a little unbalanced to the right side, but I feel that will change in the summer.

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/1-2-2010013.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/1-2-2010011.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/progression-3.jpg[/img]

TomM
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Happy 2nd Anniversary!! :)
You have learned a lot from your first bonsai adventure.
We all enjoy your posts and photo series'. Keep up the great work.
Perhaps Norm could move this thread over to the general bonsai area. I think it would be more widely read there.

linlaoboo
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2 questions. What u have in mind with lower foliage in the front and what kind of cat you have?

linlaoboo
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The cuttings where being repotted in Dec. Isn't that too early? I have a few water and soil rooted cuttings just waiting for me to repot them and I can't wait until things warm up . . . which is March around here. . .

JTred
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Location: Elizabeth, PA

linlaoboo wrote:2 questions. What u have in mind with lower foliage in the front and what kind of cat you have?
I am hoping (the key word is hoping) that when those branches extend far enough I can bury them and strip off all of the leaves. I started this idea because I thought it might hide the reverse taper caused by the graft site. I tried to promote aerial roots, but this was the only way to get them high enough to cover that graft.

As for the cat, she is a former stray. I found her in my yard one day as a kitten, she followed my around because my shadow was just slightly cooler on one of the hottest days of the year. She had a rough first few months health-wise, but now she is just a very camera shy cat.
Here she is sneaking behind my tree.
[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/1-2-2010012.jpg[/img]
linlaoboo wrote:The cuttings where being repotted in Dec. Isn't that too early? I have a few water and soil rooted cuttings just waiting for me to repot them and I can't wait until things warm up . . . which is March around here. . .
Sadly, both of those cuttings died. The malus cutting really was taken at the wrong time, it died I think over my spring break. The ficus did quite well, until I went on vacation and forgot to tell our house sitter to water my trees. The ficus had been rooted in water, and had a pretty good root system, the malus was potted as a cutting in kitty litter. I agree with you, wait until spring when they have that initial burst of growth.

linlaoboo
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Location: NJ

Jtred,

Thanks for sharing. Your cat looks like she wants a piece of your tree. . jk =) Your ficus progression pictures inspired me to shoot photos of all of mine today. I'm glad you say to wait for the cuttings. My water rooted ones have about 2 inches of roots and they were taken in October. The ones in soil were taken in late Sept. Eventhough we're in middle of winter, they are all still growing ever so slowly so I wouldn't want to ruin them.

JTred
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Location: Elizabeth, PA

Just thought I would update. This summer saw lots of growth. I didn't touch this, or really any of my trees all summer. At the beginning of summer I cut out the bottom of a plastic tray and filled it with potting medium. I am hoping that I can get the branch that I have been extending downwards to root, as well as encourage any other smaller roots to extend down from the "ginseng" roots. This has all been a plan to move away from the "ginseng" roots to more of a banyan style. I also want to reduce/hide the reverse taper at the graft site. Enjoy!

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/9-6-11003.jpg[/img]

[img]https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/JTsoccer59/progression-4.jpg[/img]

-Jack



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