This indoor bonsai tree has been under my care for just over a year now.
Last winter I pruned off all of the other branches that were competing for space in the center, leaving only three dominant branches.
This year, I'm looking closely at how much the branches have thickened, and the effect my pruning has had on the trunk.
Originally the tree branches were long, thin shoots with no side branches. Many new secondary branches have form because I have pruned the branches to stay small within parameters.
Now I am allowing the branches to grow long and wild again to rebuild energy for the tree before I prune again.
Historical Information:
ID: 0027
Nickname: Daikon
Type: Ficus Ginseng
Age: 4 to 6 years. Unknown.
Grown: nursery stock, gift
Last repotting: Never
Wired: Never
As much as I like the shape of the crown of this tree, I am not a fan of the way the previous owner had grown it. The top of the trunk has thickened up a bit like a lightbulb top (a result of the aggressive heading cut on the trunk to stimulate lots of new shoots to grow), and will continue to do so unless I continue to eliminate branches growing from the center.
This year I am going to eliminate two of the main branches, leaving only one.
To me, the back branch looks the most upright out of the three, and looks like the best leader. It also has a small shoot heading almost totally upright less than an inch away from the center. Perhaps I can train the small shoot to become the new trunk, and remove the branch it is growing on in a few years.
In time, the taper of the trunk will blend with the taper of the branch, making one continuous trunk. The base of the tree has such a nice triangular taper, it will take many years to develop a canopy grand enough to balance the beauty of the bottom of the tree.
Past articles by @creativetruth featuring this same tree:
Photos in this post are all #originalworks by @creativetruth, unless stated otherwise.
Find me on discord and chat with other tree growers, bonsai enthusiasts, and gardeners. We have quite a few accredited experts filling out our ranks, and a helpful Spanish-speaking community.
#ficus #pruning #ficus-ginseng #indoor-bonsai
