How to create 3 interesting Bonsai trees from a cheap house plant - Ficus Benjamina (Weeping Ficus)

In this video I work on Three ficus benjamina (Weeping Ficus), adding interest to develop them into good future bonsai trees

[@Steves_Backyard_Bonsai]

Nice knife Tony. These supermarket ficus trees have their best days ahead of them for sure. Keep the content coming. Your family is an inspiration. Would love to see a picture of them all with you if that’s possible.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Steve. No chance of a photo includung my mum or sister mate they don't like being on camera I'm afraid. I've got some Tony's Bonsai t shirts on order though, so I'll definitely get a chaps only shot

[@digitaIgorilla]

"Why'd you put all that wire on?" Family are the greatest critics 😂 You do you Tony 😉

[@TonysBonsai]

Not wrong there. They generally cut to the chase I find

[@mandyhernon2238]

Finally got my goat willow vet taped together, thank you for your booming inspiration! Lol keep growing.

[@TonysBonsai]

At last Mandy . I knew you'd do it in the end 🌱🌱🌱🌱

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Great video Tony good luck with a mate👍👍👍

[@kevinwilkes5969]

I was on the edge of my seat with that one Tony. I've only ever done clip and grow with ficus, nigel saunders influence. I would never try and bend a tree that much because I know its ending in tears.😂😂

[@TonysBonsai]

Vi Kevin. I find the trunks to be super flexible. The other Ficus was a Tiger bark, and it's looking fantastic 6-8 months later

[@gloriablanco7856]

Boom!!!! 😅, the knife looks really nice, thank you ❤

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Gloria. It's a beauty and it feels really good in the hand too

[@greasylimpet3323]

Lovely little trees, they'll be great Bonsai. You and your dad are pretty good cutlers; your knife looks really good. I think that's the right term for cutlery makers! Best wishes

[@TonysBonsai]

Interesting word, and a new one to me

[@oachkatzlsmum]

Now, my fici (is this the plural of ficus?) are shivering 😂 I‘ve watched your super-bending - go crazy mate - this will make extraordinary instead of boring standard trees. Daddy is developing into a Bonsai Master too. 👍 Meanwhile in Austria: I have to apply some wire now… 😘 Enjoy your day ❤️ Cheers, Martina 🙋‍♀️

[@raymondbirds2392]

Lovely job

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers Raymond. I'm not naturally drawn to ficus, but I think my niece will like growing one of these

[@raymondbirds2392]

@@TonysBonsai sounds good Tony

[@mulatokudzava7797]

Wow, that blade is wicked! (how all the knife youtubers used to say...)

[@mikec3820]

hot tuna rocks tony! i like real big fish too, seen them touring years ago. i like the hand made knife and your ficus benjimina starter trees too. we are starting to see the ficus bens here in green house shops selling as non "ginseng" type on their own root stock. when i started collection bonsai 8 or so years ago and all i wanted was a ficus not ginseng lol. thanks tony and crew/family

[@TonysBonsai]

I've never really listened to bot tuna myself. I'll have to check them out!

[@dermo1981]

Beautiful knife Tony. Funny enough this is something ive been thinking about trying... if I ever manage to get the time! Great bargain on the ficus plants. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@TonysBonsai]

I would definitely recommend having a go for yourself It's been great fun

[@andrewdobosz3682]

Very nice knife Tony! The plunge grinds are really nice and miles ahead of mine . Great choice of handle material too 🔪

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks Andrew. Because the knife is maade out of stainless, it was pretty challenging to grind, but I'm really happy with the final design as a good around bonsai tool The handle is reclaimed African ebony with red g10 liners

[@shanewatson8581]

Master Tony and his apprentice. Ficus strike very easily I just stick them in a pot and most strike Your clip and grow I would of done down to the next branch. Loving the videos, mate. Cheers from down under

[@TonysBonsai]

Mine always go mouldy in water, so I'm now trying them in Bonsai soil

[@JaniLaaksonen91]

I also bought same ficuses from Lidl for 2 euros. Nice trees to work on. Pro tip: Don't leave them out in a colder Finnish summer night in 10 degrees, then when the leaves go yellow evacuate them back inside and forget them for 6 days unwatered because they're in different place than all the other trees😅. Two of them still going strong, two look scruffy now but not hopeless, I'm confident they will bounce back.

[@antoniolaula7200]

You're the best Tony I'm gonna try this on one of my ficus cuttings! Ily

[@TonysBonsai]

It works well with the nice change of direction low down. I'll probably wire some movement into that branch in the future too

[@nerinat8371]

Nice looking knife there , got some nice movement happening on the Ficus... boom, snap 😅 thanks guys

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Nice video Tony. Ficus are so flexible and fast growing that using wire is brilliant for getting those interesting bends quickly. They are brilliant for easy cuttings as well :)

[@TonysBonsai]

Yeah ill have to update on the tiger bark that you sent me. Apparently it's growing great and looks fantastic

[@amandawelch9125]

Keep them above 10c when outside. Keep inside when colder than that. Can be kept inside. They are quick growers so I've been fertilizing alot this year. This is also the first year I've had mine outside. They suffer a bit over 35c, they like more water in the heat. My balcony gets to about 43c when pushing 30c outside.

[@TonysBonsai]

Thanks for the tips. I certainly don't need to worry about too much heat over here at the moment that's for sure

[@nariepittman4632]

New subscriber- great video for beginners like me 😊

[@TonysBonsai]

Hello and thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and hopefully you are inspired to have a go yourself

[@sueb1317]

How on earth do you manage to get so many good deals on your stock plants?!? Really going to enjoy watching these 3 new ficus take their separate journeys - just love this sort of experiment!! I've been practicing your bending techniques - you make it look so easy but it's not 😁. My juniper is giving me the 'stink eye' at the moment but I think I won Round 1 lol!

[@TonysBonsai]

Sounds to me like your juniper is craving attention😂. Get that wire out Sue!

[@sueb1317]

@@TonysBonsai Sometimes bonsai can be such babies 🤣🤣🤣

[@An1Kum]

These are hardy trees and grow very dense. Also used as hedge

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@snylilith]

Ooo, I HAVE A FICUS LIKE THAT AT HOME and I wasn't really sure what to do about it - the last one I mingled with sadly died. But I will give it a try again!

[@TonysBonsai]

Get stuck in there I'm sure you'll be able to do a better job than I did in this video mate they're really flexible

[@AndrewJohnson-el1of]

Thanks Tony. I had some of these a year ago but unfortunately they died on me. Gonna give em another go so off to wilko to get some Sunday !

[@TonysBonsai]

Nice. Ike the Natasha the best in terms of bonsai

[@trochartist]

🔪Sweet blade my man🗡️

[@Oscars_fur_racing]

Hi, is there an update on these trees?

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Hello mate ! The benjaminas is most less hardy ficus in my experience. If you prune it . Always leave some green on it. And they love to put out huge potato roots😂 but they are fun to work with. Have infact a benjamina forest on the go. With a jeep 🚙 in the middle. And if can ask. How are you doing at the time? Have you got any more news from the doctors?

[@TonysBonsai]

Cheers mate. In the spring I went in and completely removed the thick potato like roots from these ficus. My hope is that they won't just grow back?

[@thenaturecreater8906]

@TonysBonsai as often as we repot are bonsai. The potato roots is no problem holding in check. In my experience we don't get so many potato roots in a Bonsai mix as we do in a more earth mixture.

[@tacobonsai]

might as well have stolen them at that price. can't get an empty 4" nursery pot for that much. looks like they turned out good. i have found these trees to be very fussy but really rewarding. fast growers too.

[@TonysBonsai]

Yeah I can never turn down a cheap tree. Especially one with a bit of interest going on in the trunk