Hello there!

I'm new here on Bonsai Empire, so I want to share my experience and ask for some guidance on my Ficus.
It's 14 years old now, and I have it since it was a seedling.
A lot happened tru this years... By 2019 my dog messed it, and since it was wobbling by the base on the pot, I decided to plant it on the ground for a Year, which worked nicely. It grew some long branches (that I removed) and got thicker...

It's been repoted for a week now, and in all these years I never chopped it by the base, I've seen a lot of people doing that, should I do it? (when it gets more stable from the repot)
Maybe it's just my ignorance, but I always thought that chop it by the base it's a kind of cheat to get a bonsai faster...
But I must say that right now it looks younger than it is...
Should I?

I didn't put anything on the picture to give you people a reference on it's size, but I think it's about 60cm tall...

That pic is today:


That's from 2009


2007/2008

Found one more pic... 2013 (sorry, couldn't edit into the topic)

Cool project, and nice to see it evolve over time.

The trunk chopping is a fast(er) way to get a thick trunk with taper. And it will create larger scars which are not ideal.

I would not chop it unless you have a good reason for it.

That being said... At the momoent the tree only has leaves in the top. I would aim for more lower branches. That will also help to give it more of a tree feel and help with creating a bit more taper.

Thank you very much!

Is there any technique to estimulate branches to grow there?
Or just just keep pruning it's new buds and wait?

I found some more pitcures from it to add on it's progression, to share the joy (and issues) I had with it.

Oct.2016... I had buried the nebari to improve rooting, and try to make them grow around a rock (wasn't successful with the rock)...


Jan.2018... Summer. Still waiting to reveal the nebari...


March.2018...


April.2018 ( the roots by the rock was almost successful... =/ )

I don't often disagree with Leatherback, but I like it just the way it is.

Thank you Ivan! I really appreciate it.

Well it's kind of short of leaves now, because as I mentioned, I planted on the ground for a year to heal a wound.
But now I'm aiming to get more leaves and branches, it's really happy at the moment...

Last spring (Oct.2020) it bursted in new leaves and long branches, that I had to chop, it was really wild and long, like a sacrifice branch...
But after all it was good, I made several cutting out of it, I now have 9 of them growing!

Here's a picture of it on the ground, please don't judge me, we are renting that house so I couldn't keep a constant care... Hahahah

Hello Empire, I come with a little update on my main ficus organensis, branches and trunk are thickening very well, still shooting a bunch of new leaves... It is very happy.

I'm planning to let it thicken a bit more before air layering the top out of it for next spring.
So I can give it a propper branch arrangement from the bottom, which is lacking right now, and if I manage to get a new tree from the top, it would be even better!

I'm also thinking ways to fix it's Nebari for next year or so, there is a huge crossed root down there, so maybe remove it and stimulate aerial roots to grow around the lower trunk with sphagnum? Or should I bury more of it's base for a while?
Those fibers I placed on the base are just preserving an aerial root that is growing on that side of it's base, it is almost touching down, hopefully it will fill that empty space.

As always, any tip would be apreciatted, and any opinion wil be respected.

Hello people!

Just a little update on this ficus...
Since last summer I've been maturing the idea of shortening this tree, and I decided to air layer the very top of it, so I could keep the work I've done on it. (Or at least try to)

I was decided to bring it back down, as I wasan't happy with having no branches on the lower trunk (I'm not much into the grafting idea either).

As we are now at the end of winter around here, days are already hotter. I decided to go for it. (I've also noticed my other Ficuses are producing lots of roots this last weeks).

Fingers crossed!
And feel free to comment.

good choice!