is ne1 into bansai trees? know how to GROW them? id love to know more, have a ficus, would like to move up to an olive tree perhaps........ne help.........ne advice? ne1? ne1? thnx.

Research online. There are plenty of good websites on "how-to's" Ficus are good starters since they're fast growing, so you can see and make changes pretty quickly.

Have fun with it.

I like the look of them, but haven't given it a try.

I just bought one but I am not informed either lol. I was planning on reading up on them so this thread should be fun. I'll post anything I find out :)

equus - ur awesome, the piggies and horses told me so!
rachel - thnx, ill make sure to do the same.

I know the Ficus is a tough tree. My dad had one for two years. Thought it was dead, so he cut it off at the soil line and it started growing again. athe Bonsai and Olive tree probably take a lot care and nurturing.

well i realize that the olive tree should take about 20-40 to fruit, but i just wanna get one started i dont wanna just go buy one from a lil man on the side of the road. i wanna see it from the start - kinda excited. next question - whos sending me olive seeds??!!! lol

Good luck with that!

I got fascinated with bonsai trees when I first went to a bonsai exhibit and saw hundred year old bonsai trees that looked so fascinating, I had a hard time believing that they're real. I always wondered then how they could transform a normally gigantic tree into something so comparatively minute and artistic. As if every branch has its own dance gracefully made frozen in wood.

Anyhoo, you made a good choice in having a Ficus, because growing it can be quite rewarding when just getting started. Well, some tips I can give you are:

-Know your material and your medium --the soil. The most common mistakes are ignorance of the plant, using the wrong soil, and growing them in the wrong place. Though the Ficus is ideally suited indoors, it needs an occasional trip outdoors for fresh air and sunshine. I believe all Bonsai thrives under sunlight, not shade.

-Make sure to dry it out between watering. To test the soil, simply stick your finger down about an inch to see if it feels wet or dry. The key with ficus bonsai care is never allow the tree to go completely dry for any extended time. To water your tree, soak it and/or the container it sits in, in water for about 10 minutes. Then, allow the soil to drain so no more water leaks from the bottom. If the soil lacks salinity, I recommend adding a little bit of rock salt to the water.

-It is also recommended to repot it every two years. Now, keep in mind that while the ficus typically grows slow, if you notice the tree is having a growth spurt, completely taking over its container within the first year, do no wait to repot, go ahead and do the repotting in the first year. The best time to repot a ficus bonsai is during early spring months. Once the tree has been placed in its new container (larger of course), be sure you water it thoroughly, using the same process as described above. Then, you want to keep your ficus bonsai some place shade for two to three weeks, allowing the new root system to take hold. With this, you will enjoy a much healthier and stronger plant that when it comes time to trim and prune, handles the process better.

-Finally, ficus bonsai care means understanding your tree during the cold, winter months. This particular tree should always be kept indoors, especially in the winter. Even then, make sure you keep them on display in a sunny area that never goes below 60 to 65 degrees. Now, you may notice some minor leaf drop if the temperatures are too cool for the tree or if the ficus is getting too much of a draft. In this case, you can simply choose a different location, again in the sun but warmer and without the draft.

With ficus bonsai care, it is not rocket science, but consistency and understanding the ficus. As you begin to trim back the tree during its growing season and using wire to create the shape you have chosen and the one that works best with this species, you will begin to notice things changing from a simple tree in a container to an actual bonsai. Chances are you will be so proud of your accomplishments, you will be eager to try another ficus bonsai or perhaps another specie. I especially think that fruit-bearing trees are quite lovely as a bonsai.

I had a bonsai tree but it never grew and then it died on me all of a sudden. All well.

it took me half an hour to figure out what "ne1" means...

Good info on the ficus, red-lace. Though mine get repotted every six months or so. Silly things grow like weeds. I've never had any issues with benjamina ficus eiher, and they're supposed to be terribly tempermental.

Thanks, Equus! I think you have a talent in growing bonsai then. The Weeping Fig is not a favorite since it is a bit sensitive in terms of it needing careful grooming and reduction. What I know about them is that the most important thing to remember is the sap flow.

Pmarco, that was funny!

To me, Bonsai is a practice in getting
to understand that chit don't go the way
we intend...
That practice is common to man,
and screw ups are to be expected,
is what it teaches... jmo.

gl.

Mingle has gone to trees now huh......

oh well.

I tried it a while back....poor thing turned yellow and died on me. *sigh* This is why I have NO house plants!

Hey!I just love how the words"bonjour bonsai"roll off my tongue.