ynot
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5 Into 1 Ficus Trunk Fusing Project

Details available:

Cost to Date about 6$ [US]

Stock: 1G Ficus benjamina from lowes greenhouse 5 to 8 trunks in a pot 18 to 24" high w/ trunk caliper between 1/4" and 5/8".

After being seperated out of the 1G bucket that they came in they were rootpruned and repotted individually into bonsai soil to spend the summer outside.
Another non-typical mix, This holds moisture too long for outside IMO but requires less attention indoors. [It's a tradeoff]
This is in a mostly organic mix about 65-Pine bark/35 Arcillite/Sharp sand, both sifted and the fines removed.

Mid August 2005: Time to impart some trunk movement, I wired the five trunks together and bent them
They were bent more after the picture, But I still had alot of rebound..:shrug:
I then repotted the whole mess, This was left this way for about six weeks.
[img]https://img301.imageshack.us/img301/2092/fusedficus813050002lo9.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8884/fusedficus813050001js1.jpg[/img]
I don't know if you can tell, I staggered the heights of the five whips I used to impart some taper.

Here is a [Very lame] graphic to help illustrate: [url=https://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=terriblefusedvirtan1.jpg][img]https://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4967/terriblefusedvirtan1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

I know I said 'two' were wired as branches, It was at least that many.


A picture of the trunk[s]:
[img]https://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6441/fusedficustrunk813050001ao0.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img89.imageshack.us/img89/7412/fusedficustrunk813050002po3.jpg[/img]

After six weeks or so I removed the wire and taped tightly around the trunk using light colored tape sticky side out so as not to damage the bark.
It was not a complete success, I discovered later there was some bark damage anyway.

Mid December 05:

[img]https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4188/fusedficus121205ji4.jpg[/img]

October 06:
Fast forward to today, The trunks are well on their way to being fused.
Here is the nebari now:

[img]https://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7220/ficusfusednebari0005yw2.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3536/ficusfusednebari0001ze8.jpg[/img] Sorry the second one is so blurry I will try to replace that one.

A closeup of the trunk fusion:

[img]https://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3138/ficusfusedtrunk1006vx6.jpg[/img]

Here is the tree before it had its haircut today: [img]https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/76/fusedficus1021060002pf5.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/novusordo1/Ficus/Fused%20Trunk%20Ficus/fusedficus1021060001mo6.jpg[/img]

To me, One of those is the obvious choice for the front.
If anyone has any thoughts on why one should be the front over the other please voice them.
I am interested in why you feel that way though.

I chopped this top back pretty hard for two main reasons.

1. I want to promote growth lower in the tree to get the lower branches to thicken up. The bottom branches were getting quite shaded out and a bit leggy also IMO. [I did prune the terminal buds on the lower branches to encourage backbudding [which left unchecked will help increase the girth of the lower branches]
2. This is coming inside to live under the lights soon and that will give me nice short internodes on top as well as good ramification.
After his haircut:
[img]https://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3774/fusedficus102106toppruned0004pa0.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1673/fusedficus102106toppruned0005se2.jpg[/img]


Retaped [The [blue] inside layer is stickey side out.] and ready to go.

[img]https://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1223/fusedficus102106retaped0009ok0.jpg[/img]
Currently 12" high.
Questions, Comments, and Cash are all welcome.
ynot
Last edited by ynot on Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

birdhouselady
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Location: Edna

I have posted some bonsai pictures for you to see. I hope I did it correctly.

Thanks for your help!

Bonsaimatt
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Location: Yorktown, Va

now thats cool! I've seen lowe's and home depot carry ficus', but I always think to myself that their trunks are not thick enough for me. Now I know you can fuse like that.

Did you shave any bark off touching trunks or did you just stick em together with the bark on?

I've been trying to find a nice peice of driftwood to fuse a plant to (I need to find a sutible one of those too). I've done a bit a research on that, and I know you have to shave the bark off the parts that will touch so it will fuse. I would think that fusing trunks is the same, right?

Instead of tape, could one use pruning compound with some sort of tie (tape)?

ynot
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Hey BM,

Thanks for checking this out 8).
Bonsaimatt wrote:now thats cool! I've seen lowe's and home depot carry ficus', but I always think to myself that their trunks are not thick enough for me. Now I know you can fuse like that.
Thanks! It takes a while but it is coming along pretty good.
Did you shave any bark off touching trunks or did you just stick em together with the bark on?
No shaving required [In fact I know 4 or 5 other people fusing ficus also and nobody else shaved either..]
I've been trying to find a nice peice of driftwood to fuse a plant to (I need to find a sutible one of those too). I've done a bit a research on that, and I know you have to shave the bark off the parts that will touch so it will fuse. I would think that fusing trunks is the same, right?

A Tanuki eh, [Also called a Phoenix Graft]. If you have the tools [and inclination] you may want to consider using a [url=https://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/tool-category.htm?H=188091]dremel tool[/url] to carve a channel into the driftwood. You can then nestle the trunk into the channel and as the trunk girth increases it fuses right into the channel. Just an idea ;).
Instead of tape, could one use pruning compound with some sort of tie (tape)?
No need for the wound paste at all, I and others have found that electrical tape [In groovy colors if you prefer ;) ] is a good bet due to its 'stretchiness' and the fact that is is not overly sticky and will not tear or wound the bark upon removal. [My first layer of tape is inside out-Just in case..]
People do use all sorts of things though with varying degrees of effectiveness..

Thanks again for checking this out and commenting :D.

Keep posting,
ynot

Bonsaimatt
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Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 8:42 am
Location: Yorktown, Va

sure thanks for info.

I do have a dremel tool, I'll keep that in mind :) thanks!!

I guess I might be doing some fusing soon :)

ynot
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BM,
I've seen lowe's and home depot carry ficus', but I always think to myself that their trunks are not thick enough for me. Now I know you can fuse like that.
I forgot to mention that another option is to chop them until the trunks seem massive [Or at least sizeable] compared to their height.

That's what I did with the Ficus b 'pandora' [This variety has smaller slightly curly leaves.] See the work in progress here: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3561

Here is another: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3379&highlight=ficus+shohin

Comments are welcome

I have often suggested them for beginners as well as adventurous types who can't resist experimenting with chopping, Fusing, Grafting,.. etc.

I have no problem confessing that I love [img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/cool/yo.gif[/img] the 7$ bucket of ficus from 'low-depot' they are cheap, Grow fast, and are tougher than a 2$ steak. [img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/cool/cowboy.gif[/img]

I look forward to seeing what you get up to with them... :D 8)

ynot

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BewilderedGreenyO.o
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Very inspirational I like the idea of using electrical tape. I saw a 1 gallon ficus at my local home depot that I actually passed on because I thought the trunks were skinny. I would love to see an updated photos of it if its still around :) :) :)

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Gnome
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Bewildered,

Sorry, ynot has not been around for a while so no updates on this tree.

If you are interested in Ficus, or other tropicals, then you should check out Jerry's site.

https://www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html

Norm



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