howdy all,
I have a major predicament that I need advise on my tree. as of now I've had this tree for about 6 mnths, I pruned it back when I brought it home and did some defoliation about a month ago to let more light through.my problem is that the base till about 8 inches up the trunk was expertly trained but the top has been let go. the branches are too long and the knot on top has to be refined ,but I'm not sure how to go about it.
I'm considering doing a major cut above the small branches in front loosing the whole crown or maybe just the right side of the top inch n a half
I'm leaning toward the first option and starting the crown fresh but I'm not sure if I should just lob the top off or slowly over time remove the upper branches. the crown extends 2 inches beyond the top of the pic and contains 60-70% of the foliage. the tree is in an active growing state for about 2 mnths, there are many new shoots and new roots are showing at the edges of the nebari
I bought this tree for the nebari the pic doesnt do them justice so ill deal w/ having an ugly tree for a while I jst don't want to kill it cuz I think I would cry
please help, your knowledge and opinions will be greatly appreciated
p.s this is the tree w/ the little snails in it
[img]https://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee498/manofthetrees/ficus.jpg[/img]
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
manofthetrees,
Styling is such a subjective thing and giving advice based on pictures is also difficult. I agree that the crown could be reduced but it is hard to say exactly where to cut.
I only grow one variety of Ficus (F. benjamina Mini Lucie) and one that I chopped low did not respond well. I would definitely avoid cutting past active growth, always leave at least one shoot on any branch you prune until you get to know your tree better.
One option might be to prune it back but not really hard and see how it responds. This should improve the look and may induce some new buds lower on old wood. You will also learn about how this particular tree will respond. By next summer it should have recovered nicely and be ready for another round of pruning. Ficus do respond better in warm weather but you can prune it now I suppose.
If you do decide to prune it now make sure it is growing well and you are able to provide a good stable environment for it. Indoors, I would say that the more light you can provide the better.
Norm
Styling is such a subjective thing and giving advice based on pictures is also difficult. I agree that the crown could be reduced but it is hard to say exactly where to cut.
I only grow one variety of Ficus (F. benjamina Mini Lucie) and one that I chopped low did not respond well. I would definitely avoid cutting past active growth, always leave at least one shoot on any branch you prune until you get to know your tree better.
One option might be to prune it back but not really hard and see how it responds. This should improve the look and may induce some new buds lower on old wood. You will also learn about how this particular tree will respond. By next summer it should have recovered nicely and be ready for another round of pruning. Ficus do respond better in warm weather but you can prune it now I suppose.
If you do decide to prune it now make sure it is growing well and you are able to provide a good stable environment for it. Indoors, I would say that the more light you can provide the better.
Norm
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
norm,
I did do some "test pruning" when I brought it home and cut a branch down to almost the trunk and it sprouted leaves. I was planning to cut all of the top branches I wanted to keep back to their fist offshoot so I guess I was on the right track ther.
I'm not planing to acually do any major pruning as of yet ,due to the lack of proper tools, it's jst pushing my o.c.d. buttons looking at it .
when the time comes I think I will go with the gradual approach and see were the tree wants to go. that knot at the top is jst all wrong
I do have a couple more questions tho
-seeing ficus trees bleed latex is it advised to use cut paste on them
-does anyone know of a referance I could use to determine what spieces my 2 ficus are. I've found stuff with written descriptions but they havn;t given me a definate answer
thanks again norm
I did do some "test pruning" when I brought it home and cut a branch down to almost the trunk and it sprouted leaves. I was planning to cut all of the top branches I wanted to keep back to their fist offshoot so I guess I was on the right track ther.
I'm not planing to acually do any major pruning as of yet ,due to the lack of proper tools, it's jst pushing my o.c.d. buttons looking at it .
when the time comes I think I will go with the gradual approach and see were the tree wants to go. that knot at the top is jst all wrong
I do have a couple more questions tho
-seeing ficus trees bleed latex is it advised to use cut paste on them
-does anyone know of a referance I could use to determine what spieces my 2 ficus are. I've found stuff with written descriptions but they havn;t given me a definate answer
thanks again norm
- Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
manofthetrees,
https://www.bonsaihunk.us/
Explore that site, it contains a wealth of infomation concerning Ficus and indoor cultivation.
Norm
The entire issue of cut paste is debatable. I use a hybrid approach, very small cuts are not treated. I do, temporarily, seal larger cuts just to make sure that the callous gets started properly. For Ficus, I have never sealed at all but I have never had the need to make a large cut since I only dabble with them.seeing ficus trees bleed latex is it advised to use cut paste on them
You could try Bonsai Hunk. Jerry is well known as a knowledgeable grower of Ficus, he has even written several books on the subject but I have not yet seen them.does anyone know of a referance I could use to determine what spieces my 2 ficus are. I've found stuff with written descriptions but they havn;t given me a definate answer
https://www.bonsaihunk.us/
Explore that site, it contains a wealth of infomation concerning Ficus and indoor cultivation.
Norm
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
well heres the final result
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/1125101313.jpg[/img]
found out some info also... cut paste is recomended on large cuts on ficus they don't bleed as much as I thought and they should be wrapped to protect it, I used raffia I'm happy with the final resut it is much better looking than the bush I had,just hoping for some backbudding so I can bring the branches in more towards the trunk.now jst have to wait till summer
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/1125101313.jpg[/img]
found out some info also... cut paste is recomended on large cuts on ficus they don't bleed as much as I thought and they should be wrapped to protect it, I used raffia I'm happy with the final resut it is much better looking than the bush I had,just hoping for some backbudding so I can bring the branches in more towards the trunk.now jst have to wait till summer
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
o.k here we go...its been 3 months and this is a week after removing wire
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F2.jpg[/img]
front
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F3.jpg[/img]
back
a few pics of the base... my favorite part of this tree
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F6.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F7.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F8.jpg[/img]
and the the tree after a defoliation and rewire
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F10.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/IMG_0067.jpg[/img]
front
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F9.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/IMG_0065_1.jpg[/img]
back
ive also tried a little grafting
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/graft-1.jpg[/img]
if you look at the final back pic you can see the length that was removed,hope it takes...shes changed alot in the 7 months I've had her hope ya like the progression
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F2.jpg[/img]
front
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F3.jpg[/img]
back
a few pics of the base... my favorite part of this tree
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F6.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F7.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F8.jpg[/img]
and the the tree after a defoliation and rewire
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F10.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/IMG_0067.jpg[/img]
front
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/F9.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/IMG_0065_1.jpg[/img]
back
ive also tried a little grafting
[img]https://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i377/kdavidl/graft-1.jpg[/img]
if you look at the final back pic you can see the length that was removed,hope it takes...shes changed alot in the 7 months I've had her hope ya like the progression
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
- manofthetrees
- Senior Member
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:14 pm
- Location: west seneca ny
howdy y'all
holy junk its been a while well my ficus is coming along great .the summer outside did wonders for leaf size and it has ramified quite nicely.I have recently did some light pruning ,I was getting some backbudding so I cut back the summer growth to give them more stength the wires stayed on exept for the 2 newer ones that were cutting in...hope you enjoy the update
before
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0618.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0617.jpg[/img]
after
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0622.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0623.jpg[/img]
holy junk its been a while well my ficus is coming along great .the summer outside did wonders for leaf size and it has ramified quite nicely.I have recently did some light pruning ,I was getting some backbudding so I cut back the summer growth to give them more stength the wires stayed on exept for the 2 newer ones that were cutting in...hope you enjoy the update
before
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0618.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0617.jpg[/img]
after
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0622.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff377/manofthetrees1/IMG_0623.jpg[/img]
-
- Full Member
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:52 pm
- Location: Reading, Pennsylvania