Ficus Pruning Help

Tomskiii · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 4:13 pm Post subject: Ficus Pruning Help

Hey all,

I'm new to bonsai since Christmas but I've been slowly learning, think I've got the watering down (finally!) but as my ficus is starting to flourish in the good weather I'm starting to think i probably need a plan as to what I'm doing with it rather than just debudding the apical branches and occasionally removing the odd downward growing branch.

Pictures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00462.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00463.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00461.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00460.jpg

I'm not sure which side my main viewpoint should be, and i have a few specific quandaries, mainly 1. the large branch poking out to the left in the 2nd picture, 2. The messy dense branches at the top, 3. the upward growing low branch (wiring?)

2. - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00464.jpg
3.- http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Tomskiii/DSC00465.jpg

It's currently kept by a window on a desk and watered about once a week by submerging the pot, as i tried just normal watering before but got yellow leaves and the whole thing just didn't work well. Have seen some ants around but nothing in the last few days so i think they may have finally gone.

Thanks all, All advice welcome!

Tom

ferns60 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help

HI Tom
Looking at your tree it looks in good health, i think it would benefit with a good defoliating, (taking all the leaves off).This would give you a chance to see the tree naked and decide what style you want to achieve, and also reduce the size off the leaves which will grow back in no time, only do this if you no the tree is in good health.I done my fig four weeks ago and the leaves are abundant and a lot smaller and now looks more like a tree rather than a bush.A good way to see what your tree looks like after you cut a branch off, is to put a photo on a photo programme (such as photoshop)then clone the branch off and see if it works.(saves destroying a tree if you get it wrong).what ever you decide good luck.

Tomskiii · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help

Thanks, i will have to read into defoliation, is it normal in a fig to have the dense branching at the top or should i be trying to thin it down to a few branches?

ferns60 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help

A fig will have a dense structure if it allowed to grow that way,
but is not all bad cause it gives you more options to develope a rounded apex. If you decide to defoliate the tree it is best done now (after you read up on it)in the growing season. and branch pruning in the winter. If you defoliate cut the leave off only and leave the petiole(the little green stem)on the branch, use very sharp scissors,the petiole will seep latex which will seal the cut.
You will get a better view of what you want to prune with smaller leaves on the tree. But leave any heavy pruning till winter.Do to much to a fig and it will go into a huff and shed its leaves,its best to do a bit at a time then let it recover.Hope this helps.

TB420 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help

Tom, welcome. Nice ficus retusa 'tiger bark' fig there. I personally wouldnt defoliate your tree yet. If you do then early summer is best when the days are getting longer. After you defoliate it give it the best possible light possible. The more light the smaller the leaves will grow, the less light the bigger they need to get. Long summer days are best for the most light. Remember that it will need less water since it will have no leaves. One thing I would strongly suggest if you defoliate is to leave the lowest skinny branch alone with all it's leaves. It's much smaller than the upper branches and out of scale. Thick branches at the bottom and thinner as you go up. Leaving that and any other branch you want to thicken alone will cause them to thicken faster.

Tom

TB420 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 11:45 pm Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help

Tom, welcome. Nice ficus retusa 'tiger bark' fig there. I personally wouldnt defoliate your tree yet. If you do then early summer is best when the days are getting longer. After you defoliate it give it the best possible light possible. The more light the smaller the leaves will grow, the less light the bigger they need to get. Long summer days are best for the most light. Remember that it will need less water since it will have no leaves. One thing I would strongly suggest if you defoliate is to leave the lowest skinny branch alone with all it's leaves. It's much smaller than the upper branches and out of scale. Thick branches at the bottom and thinner as you go up. Leaving that and any other branch you want to thicken alone will cause them to thicken faster.

Tom

Tomskiii · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: Ficus Pruning Help