Hi Group,

I am interested in getting started in bonsai. I moved into a new
house in December and recieved a few fig trees in pots (grown from
cuttings). I am pretty sure it is a Celeste Fig, they are pretty
common down here in Louisiana. I planted one in the yard, but still
have one in a gallon plastic pot. It is about 12 - 16" tall right
now, and that is mainly new growth. Would it be possible to train
this into a bonsai, or is it too big already?

Thanks,
Bill

mrnuts wrote:
I am pretty sure it is a Celeste Fig, they are pretty
common down here in Louisiana.

Edible figs are not one's first choice in bonsai, but I knew someone
who had a nice one. It was on the large side, because edible figs are
coarse and won't ever become twiggy. The leaves reduced somewhat, but
were also large. If your material has any promise- a good branching
structure, movement in the trunk, etc., you could try it. Otherwise,
there are better figs. Much better figs.

Nina.

On Thursday 07 April 2005 14:04, Nina wrote:
structure, movement in the trunk, etc., you could try it. Otherwise,
there are better figs. Much better figs.
Nina.

On this note, does anyone have experience growing Ficus Religiosa? Anything
particularly strange about them that I should know (or anything about figs in
general, since my other bonsai so far is a Chinese Elm?

--
Lee.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Edmund Castillo++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On Thursday 07 April 2005 14:04, Nina wrote:
structure, movement in the trunk, etc., you could try it. Otherwise,
there are better figs. Much better figs.
Nina.

On this note, does anyone have experience growing Ficus Religiosa? Anything
particularly strange about them that I should know (or anything about figs in
general, since my other bonsai so far is a Chinese Elm?

--

ANYone with Ficus questions should beg, borrow or buy (preferred
option, I'm sure) IBCer Jerry Meislik's "Ficus the Exotic
Bonsai." Stone Lantern, among others, carries it.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Edmund Castillo++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I may give it a shot. It really was just a passing thought. As I
read more and more into Bonsai, I realized that I had this tree just
sitting on my back patio. I didn't have the heart to throw it away,
and I don't want another one planted in the yard. It may be a good
tree to learn on. I think it would be neat even if the leaves only
slightly reduce, and it stays in a relatively small pot on the patio.

On 7 Apr 2005 06:04:30 -0700, "Nina" wrote:


mrnuts wrote:
I am pretty sure it is a Celeste Fig, they are pretty
common down here in Louisiana.

Edible figs are not one's first choice in bonsai, but I knew someone
who had a nice one. It was on the large side, because edible figs are
coarse and won't ever become twiggy. The leaves reduced somewhat, but
were also large. If your material has any promise- a good branching
structure, movement in the trunk, etc., you could try it. Otherwise,
there are better figs. Much better figs.

Nina.

Lee Braiden wrote:
On this note, does anyone have experience growing Ficus Religiosa?
Anything
particularly strange about them that I should know

I have a Bo tree. I like it a lot. The size of the leaves vary from
specimen to specimen (I bought several from Rare Plants Research and
kept the one with the smallest leaves), but they do reduce in time.
The trunk thickens well. The only problem with mine is that it
doesn't get enough heat in the summer: it should be growing much more
vigorously than it is. In a warmer climate, it would do better than
here (zone 6/7).

Nina.

On Friday 08 April 2005 13:52, Nina wrote:
I have a Bo tree. I like it a lot. The size of the leaves vary from
specimen to specimen (I bought several from Rare Plants Research and
kept the one with the smallest leaves), but they do reduce in time.
The trunk thickens well.

Ahh, that's good to know, thanks.

The only problem with mine is that it
doesn't get enough heat in the summer: it should be growing much more
vigorously than it is. In a warmer climate, it would do better than
here (zone 6/7).

I shall subject it to the heat of angry stares if it fails to grow
optimally

No, seriously... do you really mean heat, as opposed to light? I've just
realised I'm not aware of how plants react to heat at all. I've heard that
some plants will drop leaves with minor temperature changes etc., and I'm
aware of the danger of frost damage of course, but... how do plants rely on
particular temperatures, I wonder?

--
Lee.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Edmund Castillo++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

snip


I shall subject it to the heat of angry stares if it fails to grow
optimally

No, seriously... do you really mean heat, as opposed to light? I've just
realised I'm not aware of how plants react to heat at all. I've heard that
some plants will drop leaves with minor temperature changes etc., and I'm
aware of the danger of frost damage of course, but... how do plants rely on
particular temperatures, I wonder?


There probably have been several dissertations written on that
subject, and if there haven't you PhD candidates out there
should take note. ;-)

For many trees, heat -- often in combination with other factors -
- is as important as light. Tropicals won't do well in cool
air. Add cool, DRY air and they really suffer -- though they
may survive, witness all the spindly Ficus bonsai grown indoors
"up nawth" without the benefit of a greenhouse.

Ditto many understory or edge-habitat trees (dogwood, hornbeam,
hawthorn, Vaccinium, Japanese maples, etc.) which do poorly in
the heat of the full sun in the southern USA. It isn't the
light that makes them do poorly, it's the blistering heat
(relatively speaking) as opposed to the cool, dampness of the
deep woods. Light DOES contribute to the troubles some of these
have, of course, but other factors are more important. Besides,
it's seldom too MUCH light that causes problems, but too LITTLE.

Low desert (Sonoran, Mojave, Chihuahua) plants also must have
heat -- in addition to dryness -- to thrive. I have a hard time
with cactus, mesquite, pinon pines, alligator juniper, etc. here
in humid north Florida, even though temperatures may be OK. But
Nina probably couldn't grow them in any circumstances.

Many trees go into a mid-to-late summer dormancy thanks to high
temperatures that force them to shut down or loose too much
moisture. Many desert plants go so far as to drop all of their
leaves in late July, re-growing them (and sometimes even
flowering) in October.

Ad nauseum . . .

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - People,
when Columbus discovered this country, it was plum full of nuts
and berries. And I'm right here to tell you (that) the berries
are just about all gone. -- Uncle Dave Macon, musician

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Edmund Castillo++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++