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Mon, Sep 14, 09 at 23:29
| Hi All, I am having a bit of trouble finding information on the best way to reduce the height of my ficus & increase budding & growth lower down the branched without damaging the tree. I have just re potted it but only did minimal root pruning as it is still in a fairly large training pot. It is a Ficus rubiginosa (Port Jackson). Any hints tips or techniques to help me shape it back down would be absolutely brilliant. I have become fond of the tree & don't want to damage it. Its positioned so it gets about 3-4 hours of sun mid morning then is in the shade for the rest of the day. I have attached an image below so you can check it out.
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd105/ryan1979b/Ficusrubiginosa.jpg Cheers all Ryan |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by jack_r 9 (jrbonsai@verizon.net) on Wed, Sep 16, 09 at 19:02
| I have not worked on Ficus rubiginosa but have experience in bonsai with F. nerifolia, benjamina and retusa. In general Ficus stand hard pruning very well so that is what I would do with it. If you want to be a little conservative cut back to the lowest living branch. Make a diagonal cut across the trunk to preserve the taper. Wire some curves into the new leader. If you feel a little more daring then you could cut it off below the first branch say about where the first bend in the trunk is. It should resprout vigorously and you just have to select a new leader form the sprouts. I think that it would like more sun than it is getting. You could also wrap the trunk in damp sphagnum moss covered with aluminum foil to encourage some more aireal roots. Ficus look really good with those. You should be very aggressive with your pruning. Let branches grow out to 7-8 leaves and then cut them back to 1-3 leaves. Make the cut at the leaf that is pointing in the direction you want the branch to go. |
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| This is mine. I chopped it back (didn't know what I was doing) and in 2 months and FULL sun, this is what it looked like:
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