Ficus Fusion Bonsai Experiments - Interesting Results!

I have about 20+ ficus benjamina fusion experiments going right now. in this video, I pull 14 or 15 out, take the fusion tape off and have a look at the progress. .oat of these have been going from cuttings for a out the past 6 - 12 months. lots of interesting lessons learned so far!

[@NoDecaf7]

Thanks for an update on your fusions, it's so satisfying seeing you unwrap them.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Its like a little Christmas present each time because I don't know what to expect in there! I imagine this time next they'll all be pretty well fused and I'll start fusing them with each other to consolidate them more.

[@KennetDeBondt]

Really interesting video, Mike! I have a couple of ideas, so I might make a video response in a few weeks. Grts Kennet

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks Kennet! Yeah I would love to see more of your fusion projects. Seems like you do it on many species. I need to try on more as well.

[@jussihamalainen6920]

Great video, ive been doing these fusion projects myself for few years now, and ive noticed best way to do it is to use thicker cuttings and cutting the bark away from the spots you want to fuse really speed up the process as well. looking forward on setting up some fusions as spring comes again eventually, love the content, keep it up. greetings from finland

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks for the info!

[@Montgomery_Weird]

Cut some long strips of rubber inner tube, to wrap the trunk with. You can pull it super tight, and it won’t leave marks on the trunk like the wire does. 👍

[@BonsaiBoise]

I like that idea!

[@nicejaytv2260]

Yes this is the right way😊💯👌

[@japanesemaplesbonsai7133]

Great fusion experiments … I’m waiting for some of mine to fuse also. Thank you from the UK 🇬🇧 🇬🇧

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thank you! I just subscribed to your channel. Looking forward to seeing how yours goes!

[@japanesemaplesbonsai7133]

@@BonsaiBoise thank you so much for subscribing, I really appreciate that. My video is called “maple clump style’…..thanks again!

[@jscott7151]

Fun stuff!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks!

[@baldyeti]

Great updates, Toy Your Teflon tape method works great for me, thank you. I’m thinking about trying with a strap of leather. Tighter than Teflon, but little to no real give like wire.

[@BonsaiBoise]

I like that idea! I might try on one and see how it goes. Someone also mentioned using strips of inner tube from a bike so I might try that too.

[@TropicalBonsai]

Nice work. I've tried some fusion with microcarpa and have had limited success. Next spring I may try some benjamina experiments myself.

[@BonsaiBoise]

I've been wanting to try some microcarpa or maybe some of the "Too little leaf" variety! Haven't tried yet though.

[@christophershutts6841]

I would wrap the aerial roots down against the trunks too they will fuse and help taper.

[@BonsaiBoise]

I think I did that for one or two of them, (not sure if I got those on the video though). But I kinda like the aerial roots.

[@svetlingospodinov1851]

Great video! May I ask you, how many kelvins are the lamps you use, is it needed for ficus benjamina to use a full spectrum light bulb? Thanks a lot!

[@BonsaiBoise]

Thanks! Not sure how many kelvins, I got these lights on Amazon this year so I'll have to take a look and see. I got away from the full spectrum lights for the most part. But, I should say I'm no expert at that. I have a lot of learning to do when it comes to lighting.

[@dahlmasen3084]

I’m going to try this when my cuttings grow a bit larger, do you think it would work if you twist them slightly? Not braiding them, maybe the trunk would look cool with twisted bark if it works

[@BonsaiBoise]

I do think that would look cool!

[@jameswalker3416]

You could try putting the wire in the tubing air hose for fish tanks then wraping the tube wire around the trunk. I haven't gotten to try a fustion tree yet.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Yeah thats not a bad idea too!

[@normdeshon665]

Silicone airline tubing stays soft longer and only costs a little more. 3mm aluminum fits inside. I used it to wire a few maples this winter, don't have any long term examples to prove scar resistance.

[@Universal.G]

Pretty neat. I guess this is a quicker/easier way to make a thick trunk.

[@BonsaiBoise]

It's kind of like a cheat code 😜

[@Universal.G]

yeah hahaha @@BonsaiBoise

[@Universal.G]

Question: Why use teflon tape? Why not use grafting tape?

[@BonsaiBoise]

I've tried but it ends up fusing with the bark after awhile. I think its meant for more short term grafts. Either that of I might've had a bad batch of grafting tape.

[@Universal.G]

@@BonsaiBoise Hmm ok interesting.

[@Yurup]

Or you could actually work on the trunk AND roots at the same time and put a tile in a deeper pot, you will get both the rootspread and the rapid growth.

[@BonsaiBoise]

Possibly. My thoughts was that if the roots can still get past the pot and go deep, that's less mass and more length. But maybe? I haven't tried.

[@kevinwilkes5969]

Wonder how it would go using superglue? I've done a couple using plant ties, but I don't think it's brilliant at this stage. I haven't got any more cuttings else I might try the glue. I think that what your experiment proves, with the wite, is that it's how tight the bond is. Maybe replace your wire slightly in a different position every, say, 3 months?

[@BonsaiBoise]

Not sure on the super glue. I use it sometimes to seal up wounds, which would indicate to me that it might actually prevent fusing. But, might be worth a shot? And yeah the idea of moving the wires a little bit every few months might work well, but I have so many going that I'm sure I'd forget.

[@briankerrison8504]

Why not use balsa wood strips (lollypop sticks) to protect trunks from wire biting into them.. ? 🤔😎

[@BonsaiBoise]

Never thought of it actually. Does it squeeze the trunks into being flat on the sides where they touch?

[@briankerrison8504]

@@BonsaiBoise I’m thinking if you split the sticks to 3-5mm (1/8-1/4” ) & apply them over the PTFE Tape..the damage would be minimal..👍👍

[@katherinejackman4190]

What is the topical fertilizer you use?

[@BonsaiBoise]

Just those pellets that you get from home Depot or lowes

[@TannerSheahan]

Have you tried or had success with maple? I don't have much for ficus but I can get loads of maple seedlings. My first couple attempts died over the winter for some reason. I'm a couple hours west of you in Eastern Oregon.

[@normdeshon665]

Trident maples are well known for fusion, maybe second place after ficus. Search for user "small trees" or trident maple fusion. I'm in western Oregon, so practically a different world in winter. I left a couple trays of small (smaller than chopsticks) trident and Japanese maple seedlings outdoors on the ground during our 3 day cold/snow/ice spell (3 days constantly frozen down to 15F, 10:09 -9C), but won't know results until late spring. Tridents are said to be less winter hardy than Japanese. Not known for fusion, but cold hardy try Amur maples Acer ginalla or A. Tartaricum.

[@normdeshon665]

... But Amur maples tend to have long straight internodes that can be frustrating. (Acer griseum is ever worse).

[@mmjnice97]

So this summer I tried to fuse sweetgum trees and hornbeam. So I definitely found out why they tell you not to plant sweetgum trees near a driveway or sidewalk or next to your houses foundation. So I just had two sweetgum trees per pot tightly bound with Five feet of string. They begin to cut in so bad that I took the sting off around June. I then Reapplied the string but this time I add cardboard around the trunks to protect the bark,,, and what I didn't know is that around late summer sweetgum trees begin swelling to eventually 3 to 4 times the original size by fall. One set of trees swelled so much that it literally Committed suicide by exploding its self because the string was so tight. I went outside in the morning to find the string in shreds with the tree snapped in two right at the base. The other two sweetgum's I had in a pot that I was fusing i added 15 more feet of string to hold it together. It held and fused Together at the base and looks like a dudes arm that has been on the roids too long.. it's all veiny and Swoll up .. sweetgum get thick fast.. I've got like 4 different plantings of them and they all Quadrupled in size this year.. oh yeah... I find that the roots fuse way before the trunks do.. and you are 100% right.. they fuse much faster at the base

[@BonsaiBoise]

Interesting! I haven't tried any sweetgums yet but I'll remember this when I do. I had no idea that swell up like that!