Pot bound ficus in need of TLC

[HamburgerTrain]

Always start by getting the roots right. I would not prune away the top at the same time, although you probably could and get away with it. Here is a post showing a similar gifted ficus and how it was treated. You can reduce the roots severely, but the tree needs strong sun, plenty of water, and fert to endure the work.

A ficus, really?

When we moved to Alabama, the growing seasons were long enough that there was no need for tropical trees to keep me busy in the wintertime. I’ve long-advocated for growing what grows in your …

nebaribonsai.wordpress.com

Don’t be too hung up on the current potting position, a trunk leaning on the rim of the pot isn’t ideal. If it’s your first bonsai, here is a post showing how to secure a tree into a pot, which is critical.

Preparing a pot

Preparing a pot to plant a bonsai requires a few steps. 1. Plastic canvas is cut, large enough to overlap each drainage hole. 2. Using a piece of wire (2-2.5 mm aluminum is good), make a “sta…

nebaribonsai.wordpress.com

Once it’s recovered, you can tackle the top.

Sorry to op, but now I’m curious about @Brian Van Fleet ’s ficus. Anymore documentation on that tree?
Thanks to op for starting this thread.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sorry to op, but now I’m curious about @Brian Van Fleet ’s ficus. Anymore documentation on that tree?
Thanks to op for starting this thread.

Not really. No threads here, and no updates on my site in a while. Been kinda ignoring it. It’s been so cool here, that it’s just barely started to grow. Supposed to be in the 90s this week, so it should finally start moving. Recent shot:

 

[vp999]

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Nice selfie !!!

 

[Forsoothe!]

Nice selfie !!!

Actually, that's a recombobulation of the @sorce superunderexposed as an example of how easy it is to thread graft to any bloke o' wood.

 

[LadyAstor]

I was recently given this lovely ficus by a friend. It’s completely outbound and in need of pruning. Ve never had a ficus before so I’m not sure where to start.

Here are my questions:
1) What should I do first? Repot or prune?
2) Can this be root pruned and put back in this same pot?
3) It’s late spring here—is it too late to prune this?
4) I feel as if this needs the canopy cut back about 50%. Can I fully defoliate it? Or should I do half the tree and wait until it recovers?
5) It could use some shaping and I will probably tilt it in this pot to take advantage of the interesting roots. When should I consider wiring it given what else needs to be done? I’m happy to wait. Bonsai are an exercise in patience.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
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Just thought I’d post an update. I’ve reported this and trimmed the roots. After two weeks I pruned off most of the branches, leaving two with leaves. Yesterday I discovered new growth and finished the pruning. Current situation:

 

[LadyAstor]

Update on this ficus: it had a great summer and I’ve just butchered it back again after months of looking to see where I wanted the branch development to go. He’s almost ready to move indoors for the winter.

 

[LadyAstor]

Update on this ficus: it had a great summer and I’ve just butchered it back again after months of looking to see where I wanted the branch development to go. He’s almost ready to move indoors for the winter. View attachment 457137

No idea why he’s upside down…

 

[brentwood]

Good excuse for me to repost this guy, seriously pot bound. It's just exploded after its first summer after the root pruning, repot, heavy feeding. I'll take it down a pot, maybe in two years.

B

 

[LadyAstor]

That’s what this one looked like midsummer. Full of leaves. I’ve just chopped it back again.