名媛直播

To Auk and all others who posted in the subsequent threads, thank you!

There are a few more things that I learned working on this ficus.

1. Notice the primary and secondary branches in the 2001 photo; the first branch is positioned reasonably lower than the second branch. But as the branches thickened over the years, the gap narrowed and they almost look like bar branches. Something to keep in mind and thinking ahead that branches will thicken much faster in some species than the others.
2. To break the near bar branches look, I bent both branches to give them a little more curvatures closer to the main trunk. Since they are so thick, I have to notch the lower half of the branches with a saw to bend them down. You might be able to see the saw marks for both branches in the last photo, they will eventually heal over.
2. Individual root in the nebari also grew and became too thick. I chiseled a V-channel on the oversize root to create two branched out roots so that it does not look like one big fat finger; please also see the left front root in the very last photo.

I will write up this thread with more photos and learning from working on this tree in my blog:



Hoe

Auk wrote:
Han van Meer has visited our club last year. Nice guy.

I know the feeling... well, on a lesser level I too was quite content when my juniper, that I considered not a very good tree and actually not even a bonsai yet, actually was admired.

A nice teacher is very important and makes learning more fun. I like Pedro's class as he is also a very jovial and friendly guy. He will make suggestions to improve the tree but will not insist his students to do his ways. More importantly I enjoyed the company of my bonsai friends. We cooperated and assisted each other when needed, and we always had beers while working on the trees.

Glad to hear that people appreciate your juniper. I believe if you are happy with your tree, and some people also admired your tree, than you have a good bonsai.

Alain,
Thank you for your suggestion.
Hoe

I finally finished writing a blog on the 19-year journey of this ficus bonsai. I added additional thoughts on what I had learned, mistakes, future plan with additional photos.

Link to the blog is:


Thank you.

Chuah wrote: I finally finished writing a blog on the 19-year journey of this ficus bonsai. I added additional thoughts on what I had learned, mistakes, future plan with additional photos.

The more I know about this particular tree, the more I like it. Inspiring story. Full of hard and good intentioned work. Things that can actually work miracles... That and proper care, time and patience...

Alain

Hello Forum friends,
I have been absent in this forum for a long while, my apology.
Just want to update recent activities of this Tiger Bark ficus. My wife and I participated in the recent 5th US National 名媛直播 Exhibition, we were thrilled and were beyond our wildest imaginations that this ficus won the Finest Tropical 名媛直播 and my wife's kusamono won the Finest Companion Plant awards. Two winners in one display, and this was the first time we participated in this event! 名媛直播 Empire had a blog and a video covering the event, and 名媛直播 Bark also had a complimentary write-up of our display.




I have also written some blogs on my shohin ficus and how to grow a good nebari and fat trunk base for ficus. I will be happy to answer any questions about growing ficus as best as I can.


It is fall, and our Texas State has a bonsai convention and our local club will also have a show in the next few weeks. I will try to write something about what I learned when preparing the tree for the US National Exhibition, critiques from bonsai masters and friends, both good and bad. Since we work on our tree for so long, it is inevitable we develop blind spots, and opinions from others who see it for the first time are the most valuable for further improvements. I thank all of them.

Hi Chuah, I'm glad you're back. That's a wonderful tree. Congratulations with your prizes!

Wow congratulations..the evolution of point A is incredible.

very nice tree. Congratulations to both you and your wife. And welcome back.

Congratulations for you both !! .nice composition, stunning tree and a lovely kusamono.

cheers