How to Grow a Ficus (Banyan) Bonsai: Care Methods, Precautions and Styling Techniques
The ficus bonsai has a unique appearance and extremely high ornamental value. Among household plant bonsai, the ficus bonsai is relatively popular because it stays green all year round. So how do you grow a ficus bonsai? What are the cultivation methods and precautions? How do you shape the bonsai?
The ficus, a plant of the genus Ficus in the family Moraceae, is a typical representative of tropical woody plants. More than 200 years ago, in the Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica compiled by Zhao Xuemin during the Qing Dynasty, the ficus was called the “undying tree”. It enjoys a high reputation in the plant world for its thick trunk, large canopy, dense shade and numerous aerial roots. At the United Nations World Assembly on Ageing held in Vienna, a round emblem was hung; its designer was the then 80-year-old American painter Oscar Berger. The emblem depicts a ficus with a thick trunk and lush leaves, expressing that humanity should be as healthy and long-lived as the ficus.
I. Cultivation Methods for the Ficus
First, soil requirements: for growing ficus, the soil is generally a loose, breathable, slightly acidic black stone powder mud, or river sand, construction stone powder, coal cinder, etc. Soil containing such materials will promote the growth of the ficus.
Second, watering requirements: the ficus does not have a particularly large demand for water, so it can be watered in appropriate amounts according to different weather conditions. For example, during the dog days of summer it will not die even if it is not watered for two or three days; on the contrary, overwatering that causes waterlogging will affect the growth of the ficus, and may even make its roots turn black and necrotic. So when watering the ficus we should keep to the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings.
Third, light requirements: when growing a ficus it is generally placed in a ventilated spot with light; the ficus does not have a very large demand for sunlight, but if there is not enough sunlight for a long time the plant will turn yellow and dry out, and in serious cases this will lead to pest and disease problems, or even death.
Fourth, fertilizing requirements: the ficus likes fertilizer relatively much, and reasonable fertilizing will make the ficus grow more luxuriantly. We generally choose decomposed human and animal manure or rotted cake fertilizer as a top dressing; these fertilizers contain no chemical ingredients and better promote absorption by the ficus.
II. Precautions for Growing a Ficus
First, do not water too much. Overwatering a ficus will affect its normal growth, so we must be careful not to water too much; only when the soil in the pot is dry and not wet may it be watered, and it must not be watered through - knowing when to stop is important.
Second, insufficient light. Although the ficus is an indoor plant and does not need too much light, this does not mean it does not need sunlight at all. Many people mistakenly think the ficus needs no light, but this is wrong; the ficus grows better in an environment with sufficient light.
Third, timely prevention and control of pests. Common ficus pests include red spider mites and scale insects, and we must pay attention to preventing and controlling these two pests. Red spider mites are generally very small but numerous; you can rinse the whole plant with a strong stream of water, then spray with a miticide specifically for mites. Scale insects are few in number but very harmful; you can brush them off with a toothbrush or wipe them clean with a rag, then spray with a 0.2 percent solution of laundry detergent or essential balm for control.
Second, daily precautions for the ficus
The ficus bonsai is a shaped landscape that symbolizes vitality, so maintaining the continuation of its living growth has become the inevitable purpose of studying ficus cultivation methods. Growing a ficus requires watering, fertilizing, pruning and so on in daily maintenance, and it is not complicated.
Ficus cultivation methods require attention to humidity and moisture: improper moisture is very harmful to the ficus. Feel the condition of the potting soil with your hand, and follow the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings. Do not water frequently; when you do water, water thoroughly. Overwatering will cause the root system to rot and make it drop its leaves. The ficus is relatively difficult to care for in the north, and households should spray the leaves with water more often to increase the humidity of the surrounding air.
Ficus cultivation methods require attention to temperature: the suitable growing temperature for the ficus should not differ too greatly between day and night, as this easily causes leaf drop and death. Usually pay attention to placing it in a spot with light and light transmission, and in summer pay attention to appropriate shading.
Ficus cultivation methods require attention to the potting soil: use a loose, well-draining leaf mold soil, usually in the ratio of garden soil : humus soil : sand. It is best to place moss on top of the bonsai in a size matching the pot; this is both attractive and plays a very good role in drainage and aeration.
Ficus cultivation methods require attention to fertilizing: the ficus likes fertilizer as it grows, but fertilizing too many times will harm its growth. The amount of fertilizer should also vary according to the season.
Ficus cultivation methods require attention to pruning and care: during the peak growing season, pinch out the growing tips and remove buds from the plant, and carry out one major pruning in autumn; after that, do not prune, because the plant grows slowly in winter and should not be pruned in winter. The pruning of the ficus should be done by a specialist, cutting off leggy branches, twin branches, diseased and weak branches, crossing branches and so on to give the whole plant a sense of layered beauty.
It easily makes the plant turn yellow and dry out, leading to pest and disease problems, and even death. The ficus is mainly distributed in the regions south of southern China, and the main commercial products come from Zhangzhou, Fujian; it likes acidic soil and is a non-cold-hardy plant, so in northern regions it generally must be brought into a greenhouse for maintenance and management in winter.
The point that most deserves attention in ficus cultivation methods is the prevention and control of pests and diseases:
The main insect pests of the ficus are aphids, red spider mites, scale insects and so on. Spray the leaves with 500PPM omethoate or kill them with a 1000-fold solution of 50 percent isocarbophos wettable powder. A 0.1 percent solution of laundry detergent water or essential balm water is also very effective.
Third, bonsai styling methods for growing a ficus
Because the ficus has many aerial roots, it is suitable for the exposed-root and claw style and for multi-trunk leafy bonsai. When making these two kinds of bonsai, in the first year first cultivate its root base and build up its vigor; after it grows vigorously, then raise the roots and repot it into a shallow pot.
Because the ficus grows fast and has well-developed roots, it can be made into a root-over-rock style bonsai. Before planting, bend the tree into curved shapes of varying sizes with metal wire and plant it at an angle in an earthen pot; after 2-3 months of cultivation, when the aerial roots have increased and the canopy has taken shape, take the sapling out, remove all the potting soil, and attach the sapling to a chosen rock. At this point, note that the ficus and the bent tree-and-rock should have a consistent direction of movement, and the roots should be embedded into the crevices of the rock as much as possible. Wrap the roots tightly with cotton cloth strips or metal wire and place it in a tall, large pot to grow. Root-over-rock bonsai can, according to the tree's form, be created as far as possible into forms such as the rock-clasping style, rock-penetrating style and rock-hugging style.
Why does a ficus bonsai drop green leaves?
When a ficus bonsai drops green leaves, pay attention to the ambient temperature; this situation generally occurs more often in the north. If it is winter, it is recommended to move the bonsai indoors and place it in a spot that sunlight can reach. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that watering is the cause; when watering is too frequent, it can also cause the bonsai's roots to rot and make it drop leaves. As a solution, you can change the soil for the bonsai and prune away the rotten roots. After changing the soil, water according to the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry out between waterings (do not water when not dry, and water thoroughly when you do).
Choosing a pot for the ficus bonsai and its placement
1. Aerial-root bonsai
(1) Small pot, about 50cm-100cm in height and width; because the bonsai is small and compact, easy to move and takes up little space, it can be placed in a courtyard, hall, on a terrace or in a corridor for viewing at any time, and can be moved at any time; it is the most sought-after collectible for ficus bonsai enthusiasts, collectors and various high-end hotels and museums.
(2) Medium pot, about 100cm-150cm in height and width; because the bonsai is not large and relatively easy to move, it can be placed at the entrance of a work unit, in a courtyard, hall, on a terrace or in a corridor for viewing at any time; it can also be placed in a residential community, square, park or various open areas and public activity venues to beautify the environment.
(3) Large pot, 150cm or more in height and width; it can be placed at the entrance of a work unit, in a courtyard or garden as the main feature; it can be placed in a residential community, square, park or various open areas and public activity venues to beautify the environment, replacing a ground-planted ficus landscape.
2. Ginseng bonsai
(1) Small pot, 20cm-30cm in height and 15cm-20cm in width, suitable for placing on a windowsill or a small table.
(2) Medium pot, 30cm-50cm in height and 20cm-40cm in width, suitable for placing on a balcony, in a courtyard, hall, on a terrace or in a corridor.
(3) Large pot, over 50cm in height and over 40cm in width, suitable for placing on a balcony, in a courtyard, hall, on a terrace or in a corridor. (Measured by the weight of the root tuber, it can reach several dozen kilograms at most).