Which branch to select as the sacrificial branch/branches

[brp7]

Hello,

Could somebody guide me as to which branch to select as a sacrificial branch? These two Ficus trees are two years old and it is about 1/2 inch thick at the bottom.
I started pruning branches and only later came to know that in order to get the trunk thick, we have to either allow the tree to grow with all branches or go for sacrificial branches.

Or do you think I should let the trees grow for one year or so?

Thanks
brp7

 

[NaoTK]

Do nothing. let it grow for several more years. New buds will appear on the fat trunk and you can chop at that time

 

[Glaucus]

Theoretically and not commenting on the ficus pictured, for really good taper, you need one sacrificial branch below your first design branch, and one sacrificial branch above it. This gives taper on trunk sections both below and above your first branch.

If you do very hard chops, you are using a different technique so that's a separate case.

I don't know how to develop taper on ficus from very young plants.
I don't think there is a need to prune off anything at this point anyway.
Check how much taper you'd want on a ficus. And if this is achieved through sacrificial branches in the first place.

The more low branches you have, the easier it is to get taper in that area. But also consider trunk movement.

 

[ToriEyesBloom]

Do nothing. let it grow for several more years. New buds will appear on the fat trunk and you can chop at that time

When the time has come, I wonder if the plant should be cut during the Summer or Autumn Solstice? Either would work, I guess.