Ficus Benjamina - trunk thickening

Pin

I have 3 Ficus Benjamina that are about 30cm tall, soil to tip, and would like to know the best way of developing the thickness of the trunks. From what I've read on the forum I understand its a long process and will take years but I'm still not clear on the best way to achieve it.

Soil - they are currently in 50/50 compost/cat litter with cat litter surface cover (looks better to me)

Lighting - on the front window sill behind a net curtain and receiving direct sunlight (through netting) from about 15:00 till dusk, this is the best I can do, the back windows only receive direct light until about 10:30.

Feeding - this is what I'm really not sure about. Most of the advice I've read on feeding says to use half strength solutions based on manufacturers instructions. But in order to increase the trunk should I be feeding full strength solutions?
I have an all purpose plant food NPK 6-5-5. If I was using a fertilizer with an NPK 10-10-10, would the advice still be to feed half strength? Assuming the manufactures dilution instructions are the same, wouldn't one be twice the strength of the other???

Stymie

Hiyah Pin, welcome to the forums.
Your 6:5:5 fertilizer will be okay at full strength. Keeping trees in pots is the main bonsai technique to restrict growth. Planting with an unrestricted root run results in a much quicker growth rate. This would only be feasible if you are situated in a semi-tropical area and your fig left in the ground all the time. A larger container would help in this respect but will be less attractive aesthetically. If your benjamina still has a flexible trunk, giving it a gentle bend every time you pass will help it to thicken up. It still will not happen overnight. The trunk diameter is the slowest part of bonsai to achieve. Patience is a virtue. I have a 1" diameter F. benjamina which has been pot grown for 18 years. Rolling Eyes

Pin

Thanks for the pointers Don.

I'll give the bending a try (whenever I remember) and will re pot them into bigger containers for a few of years and see how they progress.

steve

When you pot them into bigger pots, place a flat rock under the roots to help promote radial growth.