I’ve had this Ficus macrophylla (the Moreton Bay fig) for twenty years, inheriting it when I bought the property and nursery, Bibo Bonsai, in Peats Ridge. For many years it has been kept alive and just moved with me when we sold and moved to Green Point. The tree has a large base with excellent taper from many years of cutting back to a new leader and re-growing.

This re-pot is to try to correct the large and thick roots around the nebari. Whilst we do want size differences in the surface roots around the trunk to create more interest, roots that are too thick can dominate the others if left uncontrolled. Like branches allowed to grow untouched, roots will thicken rapidly, taking up the lion’s share of the energy and withholding the energy from the other roots. This will result in an uneven spread of the surface roots of the tree. By cutting back the thick roots or splitting it with a chisel, we can reduce its energy uptake, allowing the roots around it to catch up.

Using a chisel, I split one of the roots along its length and used a small pebble to keep the sides of the wound apart then cut the root back.

Pebble holding split root open

Try to create an uneven split with the chisel, varying the root thicknesses.

For two other thick roots growing closely together, I used a small piece of bamboo to keep them apart and then cut back to smaller active roots. I will split these again into smaller roots at the next repot.

Shortened and divided roots

Another large root was reduced to smaller root closer into the trunk. The smaller roots were either tip pruned or left alone.

Larger and smaller roots reduced

I defoliated the apical area of the tree, pruned some of the thicker branches then repotted the tree. It was planted slightly deeper than usual with sphagnum moss used as top dressing to protect the weaker surface roots whilst the tree re-establishes itself.

Repotted for another year- height 40cms and width 25cms

Future work will involve more splitting of the thick roots that were only cut back this time. Improvement of the nebari will result at every repot if proper techniques and pruning is utilised effectively.

I’m looking forward to my ‘sumo’ bonsai evolving into a mature bonsai.