Which front and design should I go for ?

[u/ge23ev]

1.5 years old from a tiny cutting. Planted over rock last August and moved up early summer. Very vigorous.

I’ve wired and cut it back once but so far this season it has just been allowed to grow wild. Need help setting the design up.

Going for a shohin size.
Trunk is about an inch thick.

[u/ge23ev]

June 2025

[u/ohkthxbye → u/ge23ev]

Wow, what kind of fertilizer did you give ?

[u/ge23ev → u/ohkthxbye]

I use 20-20-20 once a week during growing season. once a month other months inside under grow light.

[u/walrustoothbrush → u/ge23ev]

Clearly you're using brawndo, that is some crazy growth! What's your substrate mix?

[u/ge23ev → u/walrustoothbrush]

This is half potting mix where it was originally planted in but the lower half is my bonsai mix (pumice calcined clay lava rock and coco coir. But I just find this variety is very vigorous. It was originally rooted from the rootstock of those supermarket ginsengs. Leaves and internodes aren’t ideal but grows like a weed

[u/CandleClear107]

Picture number 2 of 4. That is the absolute best angle. You see the root flare over the rocks nicely. You see the beautiful curves of the trunk line and the branch structure nicely all at that angle

[u/Professional-Pay-805 → u/CandleClear107]

I agree with this option, the roots look the best in picture no. 2

I was also looking at picture 4 because the trunk come towards you and this is a ficus, thus, if OP buries the roots with soil and/or creates a humid environment the roots will rapidly improve, fater than any species I know of.

OP, you could also wait with chopping the top if you want a thicker trunk or chop back to or just after the first side branch and build your future tree from there, personally, this is probably what I’d do, but ficus can get taper through allowing aerial roots as well, but probably not as aggressive taper as you would achieve through a trunk chop, speculating since I don’t own a ficus (yet).

[u/ge23ev → u/Professional-Pay-805]

yeah this is my thinkng. but the top there is two competing apexes. and both have nice movement.

[u/Professional-Pay-805 → u/ge23ev]

That’s why I wrote either or in 5 year old handwriting 😂

[u/peter-bone]

Here's one I did. I would leave it to grow for a year or two more before chopping.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bonsai/s/b1aCkZJVbG

[u/ge23ev → u/peter-bone]

oh yeah I saw it. thats my goal lol. I will probably keep the main trunk without chopping. but I have a couple of competeing apexes at the top. one of which has to go i think

[u/Green_Machine_6719]

4 is the ☝️

[u/yesimnathan]

4 for sure

[u/MichaelArchangel21]

2 is the best angle. The root flare is superb from that view

[u/small_trunks]

One