The Art of Bonsai

Tag: approach

  • The evolution of a large Ficus microcarpa – Part One

    This Ficus microcarpa, Chinese Banyan, was a gift from bonsai friend, bonsai grower and dealer Bonsai Jack of Florida –  http://www.bonsaijack.com

    Jack sent me this tree after initially styling it in 2010. In the first few shots you can see how the top of the tree was totally removed and all the China grafted branches were removed leaving the wild form of Ficus microcarpa to sprout back and provide the new branches for the future structure of the tree.

     

    1Start_1034
    The imported tree showing the small leaf cultivar grafted-in foliage
    2StartBase_1035
    Trunk detail, with a very large and bulky aerial on the left
    3Chop_1950
    Jack removed all the grafts and the native larger leaf foliage has re-sprouted
    5Growth_4514
    The tree in my plant room showing robust growth of foliage
    6Gft513_4523
    An approach graft was done on the right to create the first low right side branch
    6Graft_4523
    Overview showing the right sided graft and the apex undergoing fusion grafts to thicken it up
    9Fuse1Close_6740
    The first set of fusions to bulk up the apex

    The apex was so thin and not believable that I brought up two or three additional branches from the trunk and used electrical ties to force fusion and thickening of the apex. This worked very well and by October of 2014 I felt that even more thickening would be needed

    The apex fusions did very well and were completely fused but the apex was still too thin to be believable as a good transition of the topped trunk so about 6 rooted cuttings previously taken of this same tree were attached with electrical ties to the apex and their roots inserted into a plastic baggie of soil also attached to the top of the trunk.

    10Fusion2_4265
    Close up view of the second set of fusions to bulk up the apex, 2015
    11Soil_4257
    The baggie contains soil to allow the roots of the rooted cuttings to survive and fuse with the apex

    In the process of doing this second fusion set to the apex my assistant accidentally bumped the previously grafted right main branch and it was broken off.

    8RtGraft914_6737
    Close up of the right sided graft on its own

     

    To replace this another previously rooted cutting was inserted into a hole drilled into the trunk. The root was draped out of the drill hole and into its own pot of soil and covered with sphagnum moss.

    13drill_4272
    Hole being drilled to accept rooted cutting to become right lowest branch
    14CloseBr_4275
    Close up of the rooted cutting in place
    15BrFinish_4281
    Roots mossed and led into a container of soil

    The new right sided branch graft soon failed and I made a third attemp to get a right sided branch by doing an approach graft from the thin back branch brought forward and inserted into a fresh groove in the trunk. The graft was secured with staples as you can see below.

    Gft_0423
    This is the 3rd attempt to get a right sided branch – approach graft from the back

    Time will tell how this all will turn out. So far I am quite happy with about 2.5 years of work and progress on this huge fig. Bonsai is a never ending process of refinement and change necessitated by how the plant grows.