A year of growing Ficus Bonsai — detailed seasonal notes

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Ficus Bonsai:

Spring: repotting temperate species in early spring before buds break. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on repotting every two to three years with root pruning during this period which set up the rest of the year.

deeply personal relationship between artist and tree developed steadily through the warmer months. spider mite and scale in stressful growing conditions appeared in summer and required prompt treatment. The plant in a purpose-built outdoor bonsai bench with correct height performed better than I'd expected for the position. Overall: a rewarding year. The investment of attention is paid back generously.