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novice seeks help

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Post  dipdog Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:14 pm

novice seeks help Img_2211
I have a friend who has had a ficus bonsai for I think two years now, and frankly he should be ashamed for knowing as little about bonsai as he does at this point. He has been reading, trying to figure it out. So I'm offering this on his behalf. I.... that is he, mostly just worried about keeping it watered and alive in the beginning. The branches were much shorter, and the leaves were a lot larger back then. At this point, if I understand right, the internodes are a little too long, and the branches seem too thin without any lateral growth? He's been pruning the leaves, trying to encourage more lateral buds. Should he trim back the branches to their nearest nodes, to give it better shape and start new lateral growth? If so, how far should they be trimmed back, does it matter what time of year (since it's a tropical/indoor in the winter plant), is scissors all right, does it need a pruning seal, should they be trimmed back one at a time. Or should they not be cut back at all?

Really just looking for some help with shaping this. Very novice. Very, very novice. Please don't boo me off the forum :p

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Post  moyogijohn Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:13 am

My opion only,,The branches are way too long and the branch behind the root needs to be removed... as to doing this now,,i would like for someone with more ficus eperience to answer.. the trunk looks good but the tree needs to needs cutting back hard....take care john

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Post  milehigh_7 Thu Dec 06, 2012 7:58 am

others may chime in but looking at the foliage, it seems to be just getting enough light to stay alive. That would be item #1. I would not do much else until you get some stronger growth.

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Post  Billy M. Rhodes Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:09 am

I agree, get the tree healthy will the right water and fertilizer schedule, give it enough light and then worry about what it looks like.
Billy M. Rhodes
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Post  C.A. Young Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:58 pm

I agree that this tree could use a lot more light. You could accomplish this either by changing its location, or adding some supplemental artificial lighting. Personally, I'm inclined towards both. Put it in a south facing window, and add some overhead fluorescent lighting (say 60 watts/square foot). Then begin a good feeding regime. My figs do well with a 20-20-20 w/micronutrients at 1/3 strength, every time I water. Once your tree starts showing signs of new vigorous growth, then you can think about heavy pruning, defoliation and wiring.

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Post  dipdog Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:16 am

Sorry it took me so long to reply to this. I missed the automated reply notice. Anyhow, like I said, I don't know much and was probably doing this wrong. I was actually intentionally pruning most of the foliage on the ends in an attempt to force growth closer to the trunk with the thought that once it started developing new growth closer to the trunk, then I'd start trimming the branches back. I guess that was a little too much, though? I've stopped to let it grow out for a while, and then I'll start looking at pruning/trimming again. Thanks for the replies!

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