AusBonsai

Hi All

Well it is finally done, 4 hours to remove the last lot of wire 1 1/2 hours to defoliate and today 6 hours to rewire, what a mission, but very happy with the result.

The tree originally come from the collection of the late Sid Reeves in WA which I purchased through Ausbonsai via Pup, I also purchased a lovely semi cascade procumbans juniper and a carved olive. These three beautiful trees are a proud addition to my every growing collection

For me when I received the tree originally it's bottom right hand branch was a little too long for the overall balance of the tree, and the top was a leaning a little to far forward, so over a couple of restyles I have slowly tweaked the tree to add some of my own style, the original restyle took me 16 hours over a week, including drilling 18 holes in the trunk from mid way up to about 10cm from the top to allow me to manipulate the trunk due to it;s thickness and then using a number of toggles to pull the trunk back, and to pull a couple of the branches down.

The original photo of the tree is on my other computer so when I am next at it I will add it to this thread.

I love the large base of the Fig and how the tree is developing and looking forward to many more years of enjoyment from it in my collection and hopefully passing it on to the my next generation of Bonsai enthusiast

thats a great tree mate. If I may pass a comment about reducing the head about 50 % it would balance the tree better. Or even better, cut the top and wire up a lower branch for better taper. Anyway excellent material and a great tree....

how long will you be able to leave that wire on for?

6 Hours more would still have been worth the effort! Good job mate.

Quick question, why did you not wire the tips of the branches upwards? I know this is done with most other "pad" foliage non-pine trees.. I think it would also help with the aesthetic of both the defoliated and full leaf tree... then again I'm a total newb and what I think could be totally wrong as it so has been in the past haha.

Either way Nathan, excellent tree all round.

-Mo

Hi Brian

Yes I am currently tossing which way to go either reduce the top in size or chop it and bring the rear branch up as a new apexwhich will also improve the taper, but that is for another day

Hi Mo

I am still trying to get some more length on the branches to improve the overall look of the tree, with fig they will naturally grow the ends of the branches up so if you have them up when you wire them the branches will be higher than you want them when they fill with leaves

Hi Nathan,

Mate its an awesome Fig and you did a great job on the wiring of it. It's hard to see from the photo's you took of it but from the shots with the plain background showing the pads, if it were mine I would have the secondary and tertiary branches faling down from the primary branch and not keeping the same angle from front on (if that makes sense) and then it would give more depth to each individual pad.

Also mate, you have some great trees that I have seen on here of late and fb and if I can give some constructive feedback to you, a proper photo will go along way into telling the story for you. We put so much time, effort and care into our Bonsai, yet when the time comes to get an image of it, only little time is given.

Look forward to watching it progress from here.

Cheers

David

Hi Nathan so nice to see one of Syds trees being so well looked after, much appreciated. Some of the ones that stayed in WA I had the privilege of looking after for a while,
while the current owner was away on holidays and they are looking good also.

Again thank you Nathan Pup

Nathan wrote:Hi Mo

I am still trying to get some more length on the branches to improve the overall look of the tree, with fig they will naturally grow the ends of the branches up so if you have them up when you wire them the branches will be higher than you want them when they fill with leaves

Cheers mate, good info! =D

Pup wrote:Hi Nathan so nice to see one of Syds trees being so well looked after, much appreciated. Some of the ones that stayed in WA I had the privilege of looking after for a while,
while the current owner was away on holidays and they are looking good also.

Again thank you Nathan Pup

Thanks Pup, I still have a little refinement to go but it is a beautiful tree and I would like to see it reach it's full potential, I have re wired the olive and it has come up a treat and tweaked the juniper, will post some pictures in the near future

Hi Nathan, as I said I would love to see them, his widow does ask after his trees when we visit, do we know, so now I can say. I will look forward to seeing them.

Again thank you Pup

Hi Nathan

thanks for the posting - lovely tree!

Was there a reason that you left some of the leaf structure on when you defoliated? I thought it was best practice for a fig to cut to the base of the leaf but leave the petiole intact? Just thoughts from a novice.

cheers

Stew

Stewart_Toowoomba wrote:Hi Nathan

thanks for the posting - lovely tree!

Was there a reason that you left some of the leaf structure on when you defoliated? I thought it was best practice for a fig to cut to the base of the leaf but leave the petiole intact? Just thoughts from a novice.

cheers

Stew

Hi Stew

I have always cut the leaves back by 3/4 this way the leaf still is drawing energy through the tree and this way the tree responds quicker

I guess I have always done it this way and it works well for me

if it works that's great. Do the leaf ends usually drop off once the new growth comes on?

Stewart_Toowoomba wrote:if it works that's great. Do the leaf ends usually drop off once the new growth comes on?

Yes the majority of them do