Questions regarding my Ficus Bonsai

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by moonlitpath, Mar 27, 2007.

  1. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    Heloo everyone!! :)

    I have discovered that my bonsai is in a container that doesn't have any drainage holes on the bottom. I've had it for a year now and so far, so good. It seems scary to actually repot it, because I have no idea what kind of pot to get for this type of ficus. The aerial roots are what scaring me most. They seem .. tall? So what would be a good pot to replant my bonsai in? Any ideas?

    Another issue I have, is that after I bought it, I noticed that someone, perhaps at the store, cut the top of the main trunk, so now there is just a stump at top. I don't know what to do with that. I would love to fix it, but due to my inexperience, I don't know how. It looks so ugly.

    In these pictures, I don't know if you can see it because it's really fuzzy and out of focus, but I tried to get a shot of the cut off of the main trunk and the look of the trunk/roots.
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/urbanhippie/Picture348.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/urbanhippie/Picture353.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/urbanhippie/Picture354.jpg
    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/urbanhippie/Picture347.jpg


    Any and all help and advice is greatly appriciated!!!

    Thank you so much!!

    *michelina*
     
  2. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    You DO need holes in the bottom of the pot, so repotting is a great idea.

    If you have any sort of bonsai store near you, just picking up a bag of premixed bonsai soil is the simplest beginning. Aerial roots are different then what you have, this tree is in the "exposed roots" style. The top being chopped off is totally normal. In order to get the trunk and roots to be so fat for the size of the tree, the tree is allowed to grow large and then cut down to hight. It's fine.

    I would be thrilled to help you out, but I need to know how much experience you have with plants/trees in general. I could make the instructions as long or as short as you need, but I don't want to do the long one if I don't need to! lol!

    Do you have a place you can get another bonsai pot?

    Feel free to PM me if you would rather.

    Michael
     
  3. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    I'd be thrilled to have you help me!! lol This is my 1st bonsai and I've been reading about it at a few sites and a few books from the library so I'm still a novice to bonsai's, but I'd love to learn as much as I can about them. If I can keep this one living and grow it successfullt I'd love to buy another bonsai. So give me what ya got! haha :D

    As far as getting another bonsai pot, I was thinking of going to a local park here where they have bonsai's and asking them where I can get one and where I can purchase tools. If they can't help me, then I just have to surf the web to find reasonable priced ones.

    You can also PM me if you'd like and add me to your buddy list too.

    Thank you so much!

    *michelina*
     
  4. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    A common first piece of advice to the new bonsai grow is to focus FIRST on keeping the tree happy and healthy. THEN worry about styling. Don't let the people at the bonsai store suck you into buying a bunch of tools either. For your ficus there don't really need any special tools at all. Just a nice pair of scissors are all you will need. If you get more trees then some wire and a set of branch cutters would be nice. Like all other hobbies, there is no limit to how much money you can spend, but the amount you are actually required to spend is quite low.
     
  5. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    Well, I've had it for almost a year now and it's still living. As for the pot that it's in now, I was just thinking that I'll just ask someone to drill a hole in the bottom of it for drainage so I don't have to have the hassle of figuring out what kind of pot to get and pruning roots. The pot is 3"- 3 1/2" in height so the roots are probably long.

    *michelina*
     
  6. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    There are several businesses in the greater New York and New Jersey area that specialize in bonsai culture. If you do a general on-line search, I think you'll be suprised at just how many. There are also stores that strictly do business through eBay that will also have bonsai pots, plants, soil, etc.
     
  7. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    Oh yea ... you're right!
    I did a quick search the beginning of this week and found one store in Brooklyn. I have to do it again though, when I have more time and when my computer is cooperating with me. lol I also thought paying like $280 for a kit of tools was a little on the expensive side. :eek: That's just me though.

    *michelina*
     
  8. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    I am sure that there have been millions of bonsai gardeners throughout the ages without the $280 tool kit. A sharp set of clippers, some needlenose pliers, coated electrical wire, some discount "eBay" pots (or drill holes in shallow bowls) an instruction book, and lightweight, unscented, cat litter (poor man's bonsai soil) will suffice. You can improvise. Most of us that do bonsai gardening have never shown their plants to the public, but simply enjoy the hobby for the sake of it. In addition, for those that like to collect plants, it is a way to enjoy many plants without having them outgrow their environment. Many of us have limited space to work with.

    By the way, your ficus may benefit by pinching off some of the new growth. It may stimulate some more branching and smaller leaves over time.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2007
  9. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    That's all really good advice! Thank you so much for sharing!! =o) I just thought I needed "specific" tools for a bonsai.

    As for the cat litter ... do I just use that alone or do/ can I mix it with some sort of soil?

    How can I tell between the branch growing and the new growth of a leaf?

    *michelina*
     
  10. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    Cat litter...(laughing)...Personally, I've never tried the stuff. That said, it is pretty well known within the bonsai community that it can be used as it is not much more than fired, porous, clay granuals...much like certain types of traditional bonsai soil. I think the main reason you generally don't see it on "display" is that the color is that dull grey and not very "natural" looking and certainly not pleasing to the eye. Having said that, what I have heard people do is use it in the middle layers of the soil mix. Many will use a larger grit or stone chip on the bottom for drainage, use the cheap cat litter in the middle layer, then top dress with a traditional, natural-looking, bonsai soil. I have heard that you have to specifically look for the lightweight, unscented type...I don't know if it is hard to find or not.

    The growth pattern of many ficus is generally characterized by a row of leaves that, basically, become a branch. What I have done to encourage branching on other parts of the tree would be to wait until you see the second or third new leave come in, then pinch the end one off. That way, you still get new growth, but after a few weeks, it will stimulate branching not only where you pinched it off, but usually somewhere else further down the stem. It's a wonderful phenomenon, especially during it's active growth period...it's like it MUST grow, and it will sprout new growth anywhere it can.
     
  11. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    I've noticed that on most of the branches ends, there seems to be something new growing, but nothing is. It looks like ... a spike? I'm pretty sure it's branching, but not positive.

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/urbanhippie/Picture355.jpg

    Should I just leave that alone or do I pinch that part off?

    *michelina*
     
  12. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    That is how ficus grow. That "spike" is a baby leaf that will grow and open to show the next spike. If there is growth then you are treating it write. Just keep an eye on it, then once it opens up you will understand the ficus growth habit. Look at the base of the leaves you have and there is where you will find other "spikes" forming too.

    M.
     
  13. Rima

    Rima Active Member

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    Don't use cat litter - it turns to mush in about 5 mins! Use lots of grit (perlite, aquarium gravel, etc. and don't use peaty potting soil (good luck finding something else in a bag though, try a local nursery instead and ask for something coarse - not something with fine particles.
     
  14. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    All cat litters are not equal. I've read lots on line about certain cat litters that are actually made of baked red clay. From what I've gathered it's simular to the turface or dryz-it etc.... I've never seen it, but there is enough talk by the right people to convince me that it exists and works great.

    That said, research, research and test the litter before you try it (if you do). Use the wrong one and grey mushy junk will certainly be the result. I LOVE mixing soils (I guess I'm a freak that way) but if it's not your thing, find a bonsai store and just buy a bag of pre-mixed bonsai soil.
     
  15. markinwestmich

    markinwestmich Active Member

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    1) I didn't intend for this thread to cause a discussion on "cat litter". I use commercially made bonsai soils.
    2) I am not aware of any cat litter product that turns to "mush". My mother bred Persian cats. We had cats in the house all the time, not once did we have a problem with any litter turning to mush. It is hard, oven-fired, clay that will stay in granular form even when wet. It is also commonly used by automotive mechanics to clean up oil/fluid spills on concrete floors. Again, the cheap products they use stays in granular form. Even aquarium gravels used for planted tanks is iron-rich, oven-fired, clay...it too, stays in granular form...and I have previously used it for my bonsai without any issues.
    3) The whole point of my beginning post was to point out that you do not have to spend a ton of money to enjoy the hobby and that there were alternatives to using commercially produced bonsai products (pots, soil, tools, etc.).

    Enough said.
     

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