I love that you've adopted this style of editing, including a brief history of the trees. My Benjaminas, well the two I have left are doing great! We had someone come do some ductwork to the house who suggested a different location for my trees and they have exploded! Less direct light, more shadow. I am learning.
I feel like I might apply neem oil before bringing indoors but I have accepted that bugs are a part of life when putting grow tent bonsai outdoors. I welcome the bugs. neem oil seems to be a new part of your routine, I've used it in the past with indoor plants, I hadn't considered using it with trees.
Thanks! I actually got the idea for including the brief history from Back Garden Bonsai. Always loved his video style. And yeah, the Neem oil is something I've been doing more and more lately. I had a few experiences in the past where bugs were such an out of control issue that I try to stay on top of it now if I can. I'm surprised your ficus are doing better with less indirect light! But it's possible they were struggling and just needed a short break to recouperate. Glad they're doing well now though!
@@BonsaiBoise I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. They're exposed to direct sun for about 6-8 hours each day vs the 12-14 hours before.. I work from home so I can keep going out there to mist and water as needed. I'm also nursing a bunch of local sugar(?) maple seedlings on the same bench, they are not thrilled.
@@NoDecaf7 oh okay that makes a lot more sense then! Yeah I've actually been wondering if mine would do a little better if I limited them a little bit more. Mine basically get full sun almost all day. But I think if I shaded them in the ladder third of the day, they might do a little better. After hearing your experience I'm starting to think that is the case!
Ive seen some people crafting branches by drilling hole thru trunks and then bending thin branches without leafs thru the hole. Might be fun thing to try out. You can use cuttings too and root it in some bag on the other side. Tree is growing crazy strong, cant wait for next update
i got my benjamina to back bud on old wood by keeping growing tips pinched back. every time it grows a new tip pinch it off. it forces the growth lower. like growing pads on a portulacaria afra. thats where i got the idea. nice work tho mike. love these bush to bonsai videos
Thanks Mike! That's what I'm hoping will happen here. I let it go a little long this time. Still trying to get my very first bush to bonsai to back bud. I don't think I've done an update on that one if a couple years
I love the lower portion of that tree, not keen on the top. I would wop that straight off and then trim the lower section into a mushroom shape. But I'll be interested to see in which direction you go.
Question. I got my first Ficus Ben Franklin and wondered about it being outside. I am in central valley of California, hot during day, drops down around 60 at night. I am East facing and have shade cloth up. Can it live outside for rest of Summer? I am a high desert guy, just want it to live it's best life. The tape I suggested before is silicon self sticking tape. It isn't adhesive except to itself and has give, won't stick to the tree. Surface MVP, good stuff.
@@stevevaughn2040 Yep, I'm also high desert here in Boise and all my focus love it outside. I usually put them out around May and keep them out till around the 1st of October. They thrive in it as long as they're watered good.
Don't have any Benjamina for many years but I still feel they are too much drama queens and sensitive but they can look great for sure. My guess is that if you want to "bonsai" them you may want to start with really small ones so you can cut them and cut them and cut them lol. Birch is another tree that can be a bummer for the die back. However, the trees you struggle with may also give you valuable lessons for any tree and that is why you should have many trees as not everyone will survive. Cheers!
I love that you've adopted this style of editing, including a brief history of the trees. My Benjaminas, well the two I have left are doing great! We had someone come do some ductwork to the house who suggested a different location for my trees and they have exploded! Less direct light, more shadow. I am learning.
I feel like I might apply neem oil before bringing indoors but I have accepted that bugs are a part of life when putting grow tent bonsai outdoors. I welcome the bugs. neem oil seems to be a new part of your routine, I've used it in the past with indoor plants, I hadn't considered using it with trees.
Thanks! I actually got the idea for including the brief history from Back Garden Bonsai. Always loved his video style. And yeah, the Neem oil is something I've been doing more and more lately. I had a few experiences in the past where bugs were such an out of control issue that I try to stay on top of it now if I can. I'm surprised your ficus are doing better with less indirect light! But it's possible they were struggling and just needed a short break to recouperate. Glad they're doing well now though!
@@BonsaiBoise I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. They're exposed to direct sun for about 6-8 hours each day vs the 12-14 hours before.. I work from home so I can keep going out there to mist and water as needed. I'm also nursing a bunch of local sugar(?) maple seedlings on the same bench, they are not thrilled.
@@NoDecaf7 oh okay that makes a lot more sense then! Yeah I've actually been wondering if mine would do a little better if I limited them a little bit more. Mine basically get full sun almost all day. But I think if I shaded them in the ladder third of the day, they might do a little better. After hearing your experience I'm starting to think that is the case!
Ive seen some people crafting branches by drilling hole thru trunks and then bending thin branches without leafs thru the hole. Might be fun thing to try out. You can use cuttings too and root it in some bag on the other side. Tree is growing crazy strong, cant wait for next update
Thanks! I'm thinking about trying something like that. Maybe take a little slice out of the trunk, put a rooted cutting in there, then wrap it up.
i got my benjamina to back bud on old wood by keeping growing tips pinched back. every time it grows a new tip pinch it off. it forces the growth lower. like growing pads on a portulacaria afra. thats where i got the idea. nice work tho mike. love these bush to bonsai videos
Thanks Mike! That's what I'm hoping will happen here. I let it go a little long this time. Still trying to get my very first bush to bonsai to back bud. I don't think I've done an update on that one if a couple years
I love the lower portion of that tree, not keen on the top. I would wop that straight off and then trim the lower section into a mushroom shape. But I'll be interested to see in which direction you go.
Yeah me too. My hope is to get the trunks from the upper part to back bud lower down so I can get rid of the top.
Question. I got my first Ficus Ben Franklin and wondered about it being outside. I am in central valley of California, hot during day, drops down around 60 at night. I am East facing and have shade cloth up. Can it live outside for rest of Summer? I am a high desert guy, just want it to live it's best life.
The tape I suggested before is silicon self sticking tape. It isn't adhesive except to itself and has give, won't stick to the tree. Surface MVP, good stuff.
@@stevevaughn2040 Yep, I'm also high desert here in Boise and all my focus love it outside. I usually put them out around May and keep them out till around the 1st of October. They thrive in it as long as they're watered good.
Don't have any Benjamina for many years but I still feel they are too much drama queens and sensitive but they can look great for sure. My guess is that if you want to "bonsai" them you may want to start with really small ones so you can cut them and cut them and cut them lol. Birch is another tree that can be a bummer for the die back. However, the trees you struggle with may also give you valuable lessons for any tree and that is why you should have many trees as not everyone will survive. Cheers!
Thanks! And yeah they are kind of drama queens sometimes. I have a few that refuse to cooperate with me at all. Then others that go with the flow.