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| I want to buy a gallon size pot of ficus plants from a place like Home Depot or Wal-Mart to eventually make into bonsai. I'm relatively new to bonsai (I kept one bonsai for a while once upon a time) and have a few questions before I do this:
I think I can keep a ficus bonsai in my apartment utilizing flourescent light (or so I've read.) What specifics should I look for on a flourescent light package? Wattage, physical size, lumens (?) I've read that I ought to keep the plant as close as possible to the light, provided it is a cool light that won't burn the plant. I would like to fuse the ficus plants together to form a thicker trunk. I've read this can readily occur if the plants are arranged as needed, and bonded together. Should I trim any of the branches/roots when I attempt to do this, or might that be too much extra stress ontop of trying to fuse the plants? And is it necessary to bind the plants together only with special grafting tape bought for this purpose, or can you use some other more ordinary thing to bind them that won't damage/scar the plants? Does anyone know how long approximently it might take for the plants to fuse together? If I do trim the plants a little, should I then put them in a bonsai-style pot with fast draining gritty bonsai soil, or leave them in the pot/soil they came in, and let them just grow for a year or two (three?) and then start training as a bonsai? And is it common for people to grow a plant for a few years, then chop the top off and let it grow branches, which are then wired/shaped into bonsai styles? I've seen this a lot, and it seems kind of alarming to me... if I was a plant, that would piss me off, anyway. Do all species of ficus grow fruit and/or flower? I suppose this would depend on what species Home Depot or Wal-Mart carries, but I doubt that the little info tags mention that (from what I understand, they are often misleading to begin with.) I realize that I've got a lot of questions, many of which could probably be solved by more research. I've read a number of books from the library and some websites, but I wanted some direct answers from people too who knew what they were doing too. I'm also joining the bonsai club in Rockford, IL, so soon I hope to actually see first hand more about bonsai (which is a very in depth art, a lot more than what I thought before starting research.) So I apologize for all of the questions, and appreciate any advice. Thanks =) |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Go to http://www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html and read everything on ficus (middle of page heading). All your Q's will be answered (more or less!). You can use anything that's not 'elastic', not sharp like fine wire, and nothing that could rot or rust. Get some raffia from a craft store and use twist ties at either end once you've done the wrapping. You may have to trim twigs at the inside of trunks to do it, of course. It can take months-to-a-year to fuse them, but they'll do better all around if you keep up the humidity (a proper tray of stones, not a spritzer bottle). Bonsai soil please, though you could probably use some of their orig. mix to add grit to rather than necessarily discarding it all - they're usually grown NOT in peat, but you'll have to judge. Only some varieties grow little pea-sized figs (and they don't taste very good!). No flowers to speak of. |
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