Ficus benjamina #1

[Cmd5235]

Picked up this big benjamina, and promptly cut it.

I know that benjamina stink when it comes to budding on the trunk, so I left a few leaves at the top, as well as that super low branch. I would love to get something between the two, but I’m not holding my breath. If needed, I’ll cut the trunk low to that bottom branch.

 

[Kodama]

Wow..was that all done in one go? Looking forward to seeing your progress on this.

 

[SockUnicorn]

Take it down to the first branch

 

[Cmd5235]

@Kodama yes, all one shot. I don’t have a ton of room under the grow lights, so I want to see how it responds

@SockUnicorn if I don’t get more branching above that first branch, absolutely. I just think that first branch is going to leave me with the worlds biggest scar on the front with the best nebari. But if it comes to that, so be it. Ideally I’ll get some budding up the trunk a bit, so I can eventually remove that lower branch

 

[luvinthemountains]

@Kodama yes, all one shot. I don’t have a ton of room under the grow lights, so I want to see how it responds

@SockUnicorn if I don’t get more branching above that first branch, absolutely. I just think that first branch is going to leave me with the worlds biggest scar on the front with the best nebari. But if it comes to that, so be it. Ideally I’ll get some budding up the trunk a bit, so I can eventually remove that lower branch

My bet, you will get a lot of new shoots to choose from, as long as it handles the root pruning okay. And I will guess the humidity in your area is pretty high outside right now.

 

[Cmd5235]

My bet, you will get a lot of new shoots to choose from, as long as it handles the root pruning okay. And I will guess the humidity in your area is pretty high outside right now.

Uncomfortably humid for me, but my tropicals are happy!

 

[Cmd5235]

Well the shoots are definitely not in ideal spots. Two options:

1. give it a month and see if any more come out on the trunk before bringing it inside for the year.
2. Hack it again now and hope for the best.

Thoughts??

 

[MHBonsai]

My vote is chop now at first branch. The rest of the trunk adds very little design value and will waste energy the tree could use for growing more trunk and lower branches.

I’d chop that top and root it as a cutting.

these grow incredibly fast if you get them healthy.

 

[Cmd5235]

Update- went with the chop, got a second low branch, chopped the remainder

 

[luvinthemountains]

Great move! I like it. Curious - are you keeping this tree outside in full sun? After it starts growing again from the chop, you could probably cut back some of the long internodes and start getting a nice and tight.

 

[Cmd5235]

Great move! I like it. Curious - are you keeping this tree outside in full sun? After it starts growing again from the chop, you could probably cut back some of the long internodes and start getting a nice and tight.

Yeah it's been outside with all my deciduous on my benches since early May. I'm going to cut it back hard this Sunday

 

[MHBonsai]

Good move. Setting up the tree for a big future. Don’t be afraid to wire to put some serious bends in the new growth. These will trunk up so fast it’s important to really give it a lot of movement. Small delicate movement will get swallowed up.

 

[Cmd5235]

Good move. Setting up the tree for a big future. Don’t be afraid to wire to put some serious bends in the new growth. These will trunk up so fast it’s important to really give it a lot of movement. Small delicate movement will get swallowed up.

I guess the decision now is how to go with this. I’m thinking of a twin trunk with some outward movement, but not too much. Final size will probably be in the two foot range, so I want to let it grow out a bit this summer before I have to move it back indoors for the winter.

I do think I will repot it today and do some heavy root work- I need it to be a bit more compact, and the heavy surface roots look out of proportion to the remainder of the tree at the moment

 

[Cmd5235]

Went hard with the pruning today

 

[MHBonsai]

Nice! If it was mine I would let that leader extend for a couple years to help heal the chop then this direction. Forgive the bad sketching lol