FICUS BONSAI CARE

[Petra26]

my ficus is growing only at the tips of the branches and has now formed a canopy over the rest of the tree, about 5 inches above the main trunk with several small upwards growing branches. reason for this is b/c when I got it, the ficus was bare of foilage and they all grew back after I rescued it at the tips of the branch. so each branch has about 3-5 leaves at the tips. this makes the tree look barren underneath this layer of canopied leaves.

question is, how do I make the bonsai busher? since I just revived it over the past 2 months, I'm afraid to prune it because all of the growth is new growth... and I'm afraid if I do prune the tips that it will kill that branch. what can I do to make the ficus busher?

oh, and another question, what is terminal pruning?

edit: my ficus is either a ficus benjamina or ficus retusa

[Gnome]

Petra,

You are correct in being cautious, particularily if your Ficus is a benjimina. I have only been growing ficus for 2 years now so I don't have extensive experience but Jerry Meislik notes that benjiminas can die back if pruned below growth. With that in mind I would think that a proper ID would be in order. Make sure you are providing good sun and fertilzer if you have not done so recently. Perhaps you can glean some information here.

[url]https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/cultural.html[/url]

Norm

[JoeLewko]

petra,

I had a problem with my ficus, as it had new buds that were not growing. I moved it from a place that got morning sun for only maybe 2 hours, and then got shade, to a place that gets about 4 and a half hours total of direct sunlight, (from about 11-2:30, then from about 4:30-5:30) Since your plant seems to not be in great health, I would do this gradually, or maybe less, but since I moved it (and I repotted it in proper bonsai soil, although I am not sure repotting would be best for you tree, in its current stat of health) Not only has the growth at the end stareted growing, but the inside has a few small buds as well.

Hope this helps
Joe

[Sharp]

I had the exact same issue with my ficus. And I think that its fair to expect that after a rescue effort like you had that 2 maybe 3 years might be a good expectation lvl. At this point we should be happy that it recovered and is healthier.

Once you feel like your tree is in good health, I suggest you try this:

https://bonsaihunk.8m.com/Defoliatingfigs.html

[Petra26]

thanx for the help guys

currently I'm not thinking about pruning it any. I'm just going to let it grow till next spring and then I will repot it into a better pot. I put a drainage hole at the bottom of the current pot earlier this summer. it has helped greatly in my watering efforts. I am thinking of possibly getting some fluorescent lighting for it during the winter. currently it is in a good amount of sunlight but ive read some of the links and it appears that the ficus actually would thrive better on more sunlight. plus in the harsh cold winter of chicago, I'd rather keep it away from the windows since they often tend to be fairly cold from the wind even after all the heating. this way I can keep them in a rather even/nonflucuacting temperature during the winter and still receive ample amounts of light. going to move it closer to the window for the rest of the summer for a bit more light.

thanx again for all your help guys

[Sharp]

thanx for the help guys

currently I'm not thinking about pruning it any. I'm just going to let it grow till next spring and then I will repot it into a better pot. I put a drainage hole at the bottom of the current pot earlier this summer. it has helped greatly in my watering efforts. I am thinking of possibly getting some fluorescent lighting for it during the winter. currently it is in a good amount of sunlight but ive read some of the links and it appears that the ficus actually would thrive better on more sunlight. plus in the harsh cold winter of chicago, I'd rather keep it away from the windows since they often tend to be fairly cold from the wind even after all the heating. this way I can keep them in a rather even/nonflucuacting temperature during the winter and still receive ample amounts of light. going to move it closer to the window for the rest of the summer for a bit more light.

thanx again for all your help guys

Great idea. I suggest the slower you make transitions the better. Sudden changes will cause it to drop leaves, it'll problable happen anyways so don't be alarmed. Just stick to its steady watering and plenty of light backing off alot more during the winter.

Ill be having the same issue myself. Utah winters get pretty cold (not like chicago lol) and finding sunlight but the correct temp can be a challenge.

[Petra26]

oh, in case you guys were curious, this is what the ficus bonsai looked like when I first got it...

kind of a blurry picture, I will use a better camera to take a picture of the current state when I get home

[url=https://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ficusep6.jpg][img]https://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6315/ficusep6.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Petra26]

here are pictures of what it looks like now...

can anyone help me identify it? is it a ficus benjamia? retusa? microcarpa?


[url=https://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0372rh0.jpg][img]https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5673/dscf0372rh0.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://img138.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0373kx0.jpg][img]https://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1504/dscf0373kx0.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0374kg2.jpg][img]https://img149.imageshack.us/img149/594/dscf0374kg2.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://img138.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0375yq6.jpg][img]https://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8855/dscf0375yq6.th.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0376wu1.jpg][img]https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2974/dscf0376wu1.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[Sharp]

Hrmm, I'm not sure on all ficus but I know its not a Benjamin or weeping fig.

This thread had me thinking.

I have a ficus I am willing to try and create a more full look.
Ive taken pics for each stop of the process and I hope to see if there is a huge different.

Pics to ensue soon.

[Petra26]

yeah, I finally figured out what they are. they are definitely not benjamia, but rather, they are microcarpa. at least that what I think they are now

[JoeLewko]

wow I'm gone for two days, and I'm overwhelmed with new posts....

anyway I'm not sure if it is microcarpa...I think retusa...then again they all look similar.

[ynot]

anyway I'm not sure if it is microcarpa...I think retusa...then again they all look similar.

Ficus Microcarpa = Ficus Retusa, Exact same thing. These little ones are often called 'ginger root figs' also.

oh, and another question, what is terminal pruning?

Terminal pruning is the pruning of the terminal bud, That is the bud at the end of the branch. [Where it terminates]

[Terminal pruning]
This is done before the bud opens in order to promote growth of the axillary buds [which are the ones under each leaf going back on down the branch] It's not complicated but it's awkward to explain [Dealing with auxin..ect]

Let me see if I can find a link with a graphic..In the mean time the simple version is that by removing the end bud before it sprouts, You stimulate [through the redistribution of the hormone auxin] growth from the buds further back down the branch.
Essentially this is how you make your tree grow in places further back than just the tips of the branches.
[Any college textbook on Botany will help out with this alot..]
Harry has a bit on pruning, The 2nd part re: deciduous trees but it will help you understand how it works.
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Pruning1.html
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Pruning2.html
https://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Pruning3.html

https://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATtiming.htm
Just a bit more...
ynot

[Petra26]

cool thanx. ive bookmarked those pages and will look into them when I get to the pruning stages