Adam,
The thick trunks happen only on much older trees that have been allowed to
grow large to thicken and then are cut back to a smaller branch for a new
apex. Over many years and reductions the trunk is very fat and there is lots
of taper.
You can fuse lots of smaller fig trees together to form a larger trunk and
the ones in the middle just fuse into the whole trunk. They do this happily
and they don't get squeezed to death.
Hope this helps.
Jerry Meislik
Whitefish Montana USA
Zone 4-5
http://www.bonsaihunk.8m.com/
But anyway recently ive been cruisin the net lookin at bonsai pictures
and I have noticed some bonsai trees have very thick trunks! ANd I was
wondering how you achive this. I was thinking about one picture
specificaly, cant think of where it was of a ficus, and it almost
looked like several trees with their trunks all "braided" as i can
best describe it together. Of course it didnt have the uniformity of
say a hair braid they were just twisted tightly together to fourm one
large trunk, and a very thick canopy. But I was thinking then more, as
those trunks thicken with age woudlnt that cause bad problems? like
the ones in the middle would get squeezed to death? SO then is the
only way to achive a very thick trunk just to let it thicken with age?
;( that takes to long. But I guess this is kinda a hobby that takes
time eh?

Sorry fo sucha long question! lol
Adam

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In a message dated 6/9/2003 9:59:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

. I was thinking about one picture
specifically, cant think of where it was of a Ficus, and it almost
looked like several trees with their trunks all "braided" as I can
best describe it together.

Ficus grow easily from cuttings, even large diameter ones. The best way to
get larger trunks is plant in the ground for a few years. Since that is not
practical for a Ficus in Colorado, you should repot to a larger pot, one or two
inches at a time and fertilize a lot. If the plant you bought is in a six
inch pot, repot to an eight inch as soon as the roots fill the current pot.
Keep doing that until you reach the largest pot you can handle. THEN, cut off
most of the roots and put it in a suitable Bonsai pot.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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Also the ficus has
a neat tropical look which Iike. And I think they are of good bonsai
quality because they come small, and specialy sold as "bonsai
starters" for fairly cheap, around $4-$10 depending how big ya want.

I was thinking about one picture
specificaly, cant think of where it was of a ficus, and it almost
looked like several trees with their trunks all "braided" as i can
best describe it together.

Hi Adam!

Do you want something that's already a bonsai, or do you want to
style your own? I'm surprised at how many beginners don't want to
trim or style; they don't want a hobby, they want an ornament for
their coffee table. You, on the other hand, sound like someone who
wants to dig in. If so, you are starting with the wrong tree for
your location. Figs will survive indoors, but they won't prosper.
To get growth, your tree needs heat and light. You can put your tree
outside during the summer, but it probably won't get a long-enough
growth period. You can set up artificial lighting, augmented
humidity and warmth, and you might be able to get your tree to look
like the pictures you were looking at on the net. But those trees
were almost certainly raised in the tropics. The only way for you to
acchieve something like that is to buy a finished bonsai from a
Florida nursery. I own figs that I started from cuttings, and my
mistletoe, after maybe 13 years, has a trunk diameter of 3/4 of an
inch. It's never going to do better than that. You'll have better
luck with an easier species: willowleaf fig gets a husky trunk even
indoors. But aerial roots (the braiding you noted) is difficult to
get except under conditions of high humidity.

I think you should buy a fig and have fun, but if you really want to
style your own bonsai, you should seriously consider natives of
Colorado. You've got some great plants to work with: besides pines,
you've got those woody potentillas, and all manner of shrubs.

Me, I love my ratty figs, but my blueberries are ten times the bonsai
my figs ever will be, because they like their habitat and grow like
the devil.
--
Nina Shishkoff

Frederick, MD

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Andy, I to live in Colorado (Colorado Springs), I have a decent sized
Ficus that I saved from Home Base (it was in a pot with the rocks glued on
it which I removed immediately) over 6 years ago. I has been flourishing in
a southern exposed window. I have bee taking it outside for the first time
to acclimatize to the out doors. Since our nights are still cool I bring
it in after a few hours of sun. A friend of mine from our Bonsai Club grows
numerous varieties of ficus with great success. Are you a member of the
Rocky Mountain Bonsai Club? They are having a show at the Botanical Gardens
this weekend. You may find some vendors with some trees with larger trunks
at a reasonable price. Good luck! If you would like the names of vendors I
use in the area please feel free to e-mail me off the list.

Manny


-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ]On Behalf
Of AdamA
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 7:54 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Begginer with some questions!


Hello! I've been expeimenting with bonsai for almost a 2 years now and
im ready to try a serious Bonsai that hopefuly will turn out nice! My
plant of choice is a ficus trees because for some reason there seem to
be tons at my local nursery (im in Denver, Colorado by the way), they
are also cheap and hard to kill ive noticed so far! Also the ficus has
a neat tropical look which Iike. And I think they are of good bonsai
quality because they come small, and specialy sold as "bonsai
starters" for fairly cheap, around $4-$10 depending how big ya want.
Also ive been trying my luck doing cuttings off my ficus when i pruned
them this spring, hopefully those will turn into free bonsai! hehehehe
They are still alive after 2 weeks!

But anyway recently ive been cruisin the net lookin at bonsai pictures
and I have noticed some bonsai trees have very thick trunks! ANd I was
wondering how you achive this. I was thinking about one picture
specificaly, cant think of where it was of a ficus, and it almost
looked like several trees with their trunks all "braided" as i can
best describe it together. Of course it didnt have the uniformity of
say a hair braid they were just twisted tightly together to fourm one
large trunk, and a very thick canopy. But I was thinking then more, as
those trunks thicken with age woudlnt that cause bad problems? like
the ones in the middle would get squeezed to death? SO then is the
only way to achive a very thick trunk just to let it thicken with age?
;( that takes to long. But I guess this is kinda a hobby that takes
time eh?

Sorry fo sucha long question! lol
Adam

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****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** **************************
****
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++