Ficus bonsai

[Cypress187]

Hi,

I have a ficus bonsai (gift from my neighbourgh), but the branches are laggy and the rammification is ugly and far away from the trunk (some of the secondary branch-structure is growing up (strange 90 degree angles) and/or back to the trunk). What is the best way to get (new) branches/rammification close(r) to the trunk (and better looking). Should i first get more vigor in it (and so can i report it twice a year maybe, to put in a bigger container?) or can i just better chop it and/or graft branches? I also could wire them better, but i'm afraid to break or damage branches (i'm a noob). Grafting is not really something i want to try yet, and if i chop/prune hard i need luck with backbudding (or don't i?) I don't have a picture atm but it looks pretty much like ur default S ficus (only a few years older and mis-handled) like this (tigerbark):

 

[sorce]

Vigor is good.

I suck at those. But if you get a strong branch growing, once you cut it back, it'll bud more down than just the next nodes.

Sorce

 

[Cypress187]

Vigor is good.I suck at those. But if you get a strong branch growing, once you cut it back, it'll bud more down than just the next nodes. Sorce

If i cut back, can i cut all the leaves off (or should i leave some green on it)? Here is an exaple of how i did it (my question is, can i cut it stronger than this:

And also should i cut all the branches at once, or can i 'test' it's capability for backbudding on 1 branch first?

 

[jk_lewis]

IF you have a warmish spot indoors and LOTS of light for it, you could cut every branch off and let it resprout. But if it were mine, I'd wait until next summer.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Good advice.
Wait until spring/summer
You can do a lot of things to these
Start by reading as much as possible about ficus.
Two good blogs are
http://www.bonsaihunk.us/public_html/


http://adamaskwhy.com
You will find a ton of info here
I would do the cuts like in your example

 

[Cypress187]

Naa i have bad lighting, my setup is still under construction because it struggles with funding (the lamp was cheap but the armature ;p, duck tape doesn't fix everything i guess). I will wait for some free light next summer

 

[music~maker]

Hi,

I have a ficus bonsai (gift from my neighbourgh), but the branches are laggy and the rammification is ugly and far away from the trunk (some of the secondary branch-structure is growing up (strange 90 degree angles) and/or back to the trunk). What is the best way to get (new) branches/rammification close(r) to the trunk (and better looking). Should i first get more vigor in it (and so can i report it twice a year maybe, to put in a bigger container?) or can i just better chop it and/or graft branches? I also could wire them better, but i'm afraid to break or damage branches (i'm a noob). Grafting is not really something i want to try yet, and if i chop/prune hard i need luck with backbudding (or don't i?) I don't have a picture atm but it looks pretty much like ur default S ficus (only a few years older and mis-handled) like this (tigerbark):

If this were mine I'd probably put it in a bigger pot and get it growing strongly. I'd also probably thin out the top a bit to get the growth in balance as well. Then let it get nice and strong. You should be able to get this looking like a bush - that lower growth is currently quite weak compared to the top, and will fill in if you keep the other growth in check just a little bit.

They will back bud in when you prune them, but it's good to get it growing nice and strongly before you do this imho. You might even find that it starts back-budding naturally just by letting it grow strongly. Your lower branches should be thicker anyway - I'd just let those run for a little while and see what they do.

You need to grow your way out of this hole, not prune. You could graft, I guess, but I'd figure out how to get it growing strongly first and see what you end up with.

 

[sorce]

That looks Good.

Summer, big cut will give you more trunk/New branch buds.

Sorce

 

[Cypress187]

Very thanks guys, i will repot and hard prune it coming summer.

 

[Cypress187]

Some pics, laggy on bottom and bushy on top



Repot now?, in the biggest container?

 

[sorce]

This bottom is sick.

Id be trying to get to there.

Maybe layer the top for s&g and another tree.


Sorce

 

[Cypress187]

My sphagnum is lost somewhere and i'm out of money. I'll think about it (if i find my moss).

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I dunno about that sorce, I feel like in that picture the tree leans away a lot from the viewer. I wouldn't do that.

 

[sorce]

I dunno about that sorce, I feel like in that picture the tree leans away a lot from the viewer. I wouldn't do that.

The other front looks better yes!?

That is some kill ass taper!

Sorce

 

[James H]

I would probably get it into a window or get a bright CFL light over it and let it grow for a good 6 months and see how what the tree offers you for back budding. Maybe start a regular fertilizing routing and just give it time. Maybe defoliate the top leaves by a third, keeping some leaves on the top but by removing some giving more energy to the lower branches. This might help get more back buds on the lower branches. I wish my neighbor would give me trees like that one, i would take them all day long.

 

[Cypress187]

let it grow for a good 6 months and see how what the tree offers you for back budding. Maybe start a regular fertilizing routing and just give it time.

It's allready growing better / pretty good, can I repot it now (in the biggest pot)? So I can fertilize it in a few weeks? (so it will be vigorous on time for defoliation in the summer)?

 

[leatherback]

Just repot in the bigger sized pot now. Do not work the roots. Leave it alone. Let it grow. Wait till the end of may, when it is warm, and has been outside in full sun for a bit. You should see the leaves get this stark glossy shine to them, the branches fatten up and the budding is much stronger. Then completely defoliate, taking care to remove all the buds as well. YOu can then also trim the too-long branches a bit. After defoliation, DO NOT keep it in the sun, as the bark will burn. Wait to expose to sun again untill it has a nice head of foliage, typically 2-4 weeks.

You will have more popping up buds than you want

 

[aml1014]

Just repot in the bigger sized pot now. Do not work the roots. Leave it alone. Let it grow. Wait till the end of may, when it is warm, and has been outside in full sun for a bit. You should see the leaves get this stark glossy shine to them, the branches fatten up and the budding is much stronger. Then completely defoliate, taking care to remove all the buds as well. YOu can then also trim the too-long branches a bit. After defoliation, DO NOT keep it in the sun, as the bark will burn. Wait to expose to sun again untill it has a nice head of foliage, typically 2-4 weeks.

You will have more popping up buds than you want

I agree, go for the repot now then in summer do a full defoliation. I defoliate mine between 3-5 times a year (I have a greenhouse) and the back budding is prolific each time.

Aaron

 

[Cypress187]

DO NOT keep it in the sun, as the bark will burn.

I want to do it right this year, so maybe it's a stupid question, but: How shady should it be placed? Like out of full sun (some sun/half shade), or more like in 'permanent' shaded place? Or in a closet ^^?

The other front looks better yes!?That is some kill ass taper!Sorce

I'm keeping it in 1 piece for now, also the taper is only good in that 1 angle, it's more like a flatter piece of the thunk which not is visible in the picture. The neighbor would get an hearth attack when i would show him a stump If it's growing after the defoiliation i want to show him the progress (maybe he want's it back lol).

 

[Woodland Spirit]

I cut the top off mine and stuck it in a pot.

The cutting is getting leaves.

The part with roots died.

I thought these were like immoral immortals?