No problemo, that site is awesome!

joncoh101 wrote:

Thanks Leatherback, it takes about a year for the tree to grip the rock with the roots

Do you know whether one could start styling a little during this year? As you can see from my pics: My ficus have spiked a little over summer, and I would like to reduce the material some. Or better wait till the soil comes down?

Personally, I would wait until late spring to early summer before doing any trimming or styling rather than risk over-stressing the young trees. They need to recover right now from the repotting and handling of the roots, then it can begin to develop it's roots as they train down the rock. I'd leave it alone.

Update: Root over rock transplant was succesfull. The smaller of the two is clearly growing happily, and the three-tree rock is now also showing clear swelling of the buds. I have put the trees on the warmest spot in the house, on top of a radiator, with a water-tray under the pot so it can drink continuously. Now it is just pushing the tree to max grow so in Spring I can consider the next phase (Decided: Tree needs to double the biomass before the soil comes of the roots).

Ok leatherback one thing, the tree is being kept out of strong direct sun right? Because the tree will be quite weak after being barerooted etc. Looking good by the way!

Neh, they are in full sun till about 2pm. And they love it.. Although i bare.rooted them, they did not really suffer all that much: i ensured healthy root growth and verycarefullysoaked the soil off. The roots therefor were hardlyharmed.

Congratulations Jelle...they're looking healthy and happy! Well done!

Oh ok and i also just thought, they are Ficus, a very hardy species of tree

I suggest you may plant these directly to soil without pots and wait for a few months so that enough trunk thickness is obtained. The cut the trunk at desired height. Do one more root pruning and wait for few months again. Then you will have a bonsai with good looks. Only after these you need to start root over rock style planting.

sai wrote:

I suggest you may plant these directly to soil without pots and wait for a few months so that enough trunk thickness is obtained. The cut the trunk at desired height. Do one more root pruning and wait for few months again. Then you will have a bonsai with good looks. Only after these you need to start root over rock style planting.

You may suggest that. However I am not going to do that, as that results in a few problems, making me wonder why you give this advice at all:

This type of ficus may resist the odd night-time one degree of frost sprinkle, resulting in foliage loss, but will recover if temperatures rise again. Extended periods of freezing, let alone a few weeks of -15C are not an option.

As discussed in another thread I am trying a few different methods of creating a nice trunk. In this case these I will let grow a trunk from the rock itself, as this is a plant known to create unbelievable roots & trunk with which they break rocks. So I think it will be OK browing in confined space while at the same time let the trunk grow enoug te become convincing in a few years. (see www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/ficusabuti.htm)



Remember: Each species is different. Personally, I do like to get quick results, but I would also like to try and go for some potential stunning trees. I am still convinced the 'let het grow and chop' method is not ideal for that.

Finally, when giving people advice, try to remember: This is an international site. People are all over the world. Without knowing where they leive, what their climatic conditions are and which the requirements of their tree-species are, be carefull what you advice people to do with their plants.