In dire need of advice Ficus retusa - Red Oak

[MiguelMC]

Hello everyone

around last December I've gotten these 2 trees, one is a Ficus Retusa while the other is a Red oak (I think since the previous owner didn't knew what kind of oak it was only that it had pointy red leafs) I got them because 1) they were free 2) I liked the retusas personality and the oak had what at the time looked decent taper.

Now the issue I need advice on:
Red Oak- As you can see the chop on that oak is god awful and the new leader that grew from the chop is also god awful. It grows at a weird angle and at the wrong side of the tree, the base is alright but since the tree was ground trained it as that lift that would very much benefit roots coming from it.
Now how do I get those sweet roots to start developing on that side? do I remove portion on the bark on that are bury it and pray or is there a better method to achieve it? also about the top portion do you think its salvageable or a trunk chop is in order?
this year I was thinking about just leaving alone and star working on that next year, maybe starting with the roots and then the chop (if needed) any advice on how to salvage the tree and make it decent?

The Retusa I have no idea why but all the branchs seem to be cut off except 1, i dont understand why leaving that branch with leaves and shorten the other ones, the overall shape looks decent and the main trunk is all lumpy and ugly (which I like).
The question I have from this is, would that pad of leaves will creating a unbalance to the point that the top portion may die? How can I prevent that (if so)

Like always thank you very much for any input, all will be considered and have a great day.

 

[BrianBay9]

I can't speak to the red oak, but the Ficus (F. microcarpa, Tiger Bark) should be fine if it was healthy when cut back. Get it in the sun, keep it warm, and wait to see what pops out where. Whoever cut that back probably left that one patch of green to remind that tree it's still alive! If it's healthy, though, it could be cut back to nothing green and still push new growth very quickly. Don't make any choices with it until it's growing strongly again.

 

[MiguelMC]

well I normally keep it outside it gets direct sun during the morning and at nigh I put greenhouse plastic during the night.

I can't speak to the red oak, but the Ficus (F. microcarpa, Tiger Bark) should be fine if it was healthy when cut back. Get it in the sun, keep it warm, and wait to see what pops out where. Whoever cut that back probably left that one patch of green to remind that tree it's still alive! If it's healthy, though, it could be cut back to nothing green and still push new growth very quickly. Don't make any choices with it until it's growing strongly again.

well I normally keep it outside it gets direct sun during the morning and at nigh I put greenhouse plastic over the shelves during the night At least until it gets warmer here (atm we go down 6-8Cº)

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Ficus, you are right, best to keep the Ficus above 10 C, above 15 C would be best, but 10 C will keep it going. Normally I would not prune back a Ficus this severely until the growing season was well underway. I'd would have waited until average daytime temp was above 20 or 25 C.

Oak, have no idea the species. I have only a little experience with Quercus macrocarpa. That is an awkward trunk, looks fairly freshly cut back. I would just let it bud back and grow this first growing season with you. If you are lucky new buds might sprout in the right spot creating a new point to cut this tree back to. I would be tempted to just let it grow rampant for 2 or 3 years, each year with vigorous growth you should get more back budding. Then choose your new leader(s), and cut back again. Oaks are slow to develop.

The more vigorous you let growth become, especially over time, the more back budding you will get when you finally cut back. I have always found oak to be sparse on the back budding, especially when compared to maple or elm.