Bonsai Update

It has been too long since I have done anything with my Ficus.  I had to disinfect earlier in the year due to a random caterpillar infestation, but other than that it has just grown in the original pot from Wal-mart.  Now I finally get to start shaping and training it into a true bonsai with the tools I got for Christmas.

They are really great tools that serve different purposes.  The one on the left and the one on the right are for trimming the plant.  They have big enough holes to allow more fingers in so you can use more strength.  The one on the middle left is used for big cuts, I used it to chop off a lot of extra trunks that I didn't want.  The one on the middle right is used to remove branches from the tree.  It is great because it leaves a slight hole in the trunk.  This helps the bark to grow over it and leave it smooth instead of leaving an ugly scar.

Here is what it looks like in action.

Here is what it leaves behind.  I may have to back and smooth out the cut so the bark grows smoothly over it.

I removed about 10 trunks because there were just too many and it made the tree look too crowded.  I'll remove the stumps when I move the tree into its new pot, which I am getting this weekend hopefully!

The carnage was pretty intense.

In the end I was left with a healthy tree that is ready for training.  I look forward to getting my pot and soil.  Once I have that I will also buy wire and start training my Ficus into the shape I want it to have.  Hopefully it turns out looking great because right now it is still very much a work in progress!