Ben: It may seem to you that your kitchen is like a greenhouse with lots of
sunlight, but I wager that if you measure the light, you will find that it
has considerably less light than outdoors or even a greenhouse. And that is
the primary key to the large leaves you are observing. Plants need to
photosynthesize, and that requires light. If light levels are low, then
plants adapt by making larger leaves to be able to capture more light. That
is fine for the plant, but not good for us who want leaves to be smaller to
enhance that illusion we call bonsai.
You also mentioned the desire to encourage the growth of aerial
roots. This will require high humidity, the likes of which you will not be
able to sustain indoors. You can keep humidity higher by putting wet
sphagnum moss around the areas you wish for roots to appear.
So, while your banyan fig will certainly grow indoors, it will not
perform to bonsai standards indoors. Try to find a nice outdoor place for
it, and bring it indoors only to protect against frost.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Ben

Hi all,
Last February I brought a small shoot from a Banyan tree from Calcutta
(Ficus benghalensis) home to Belgium.
Since it's such a nice tree to see (out in the open) i nurished it a few
months and many big leaves have come, and a bark is being formed (bottom
feels like a proper trunk).
Anyways, i was playing with the thought of making it into a bonsai. Don't
know really if this is advisable with this type of ficus but i assume so
'cos i think it's better of inside the house (climate is quite different,
chillier over here).
Some facts:
- I keep it in the kitchen where you get a sort of greenhouse effect (glass
all around, so lots of sun) thinking it woudl need a lot of sun.
- Current height: about 15cm. it's not already growing at a speed of 3
cm/month, each time a new leave opens a new shoot (leave) appears.
- I'm keeping it in a 20cm diameter shallow pot (looks more like a plate)
about 2 cm deep

I've found some bonsai info on the web, but not really answers to some of my
questions:
- when can you prune? can you start off as early as this?
- the leaves are becoming bigger and bigger. any hints as to keep them
small?
- how do you make it grow thicker instead of taller? put it out of the sun?
- food? what to give, what not to give? I've seen special bonsai food in
green centres (shops) when to start with that, if at all?
- any do-s and don't-s
- where to find good information
- aerial roots: can you induce those? how?
- am i doing things i shouldn't (spot, pot, food..)
Thanks a ton for any help,
Ben

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