Need advice on my new fig!

Hello IBC! I'm hoping I can get some friendly advice here. I posted on another forum and was met with some hostility.
I am brand new to bonsai and just bought my first tree from a nursery to turn into a bonsai. It was labeled as a fig, but because the leaves have not bud out yet, I can't be sure which kind, although I was told it is most likely a Ficus carica. I chose this specific tree because of all of the branches in various levels on the tree, especially the ones coming out on the bottom of the trunk. I knew I could have more options. Here are pictures of my tree:
https://i.imgur.com/P0vtWOp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MCeLQHY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GBOvt2l.jpg
It will live in my window until I go home in May and then it can be outside. I live in Texas, USDA zone 8a. My question is, what should I do to it this year? Let it grow free to thicken the trunk? Prune any of those branches? Wire any of them? I know I am going to need to reduce the leaf size if it is indeed a Ficus carica. What's the best way to do that?
In the other forum I was told this species will be impossible to bonsai because of its leaf size, but I have seen many bonsai figs. I know it can be done, I just want to know how.

Thanks in advance for any advice and tips!

Welcome! You might be harassed here...a little...but only to make you better!

I will leaf the leaf size to others- not familiar with the particulars of this fig.

As far as pruning, I would have none of that if it were mine. Let it grow wild in order to thicken up that trunk. Repot to a larger pot in the Summer, 2016- not a much deeper pot necessarily, but wider for sure. Prune at that time. As you suggested, it's nice to have those lower branches. I use them for sacrifice branches, growing out sideways maybe three feet, to thicken the trunk faster.

Good luck!

anccna_15 wrote:Hello IBC! I'm hoping I can get some friendly advice here. I posted on another forum and was met with some hostility.
I am brand new to bonsai and just bought my first tree from a nursery to turn into a bonsai. It was labeled as a fig, but because the leaves have not bud out yet, I can't be sure which kind, although I was told it is most likely a Ficus carica. I chose this specific tree because of all of the branches in various levels on the tree, especially the ones coming out on the bottom of the trunk. I knew I could have more options. Here are pictures of my tree:
https://i.imgur.com/P0vtWOp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MCeLQHY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GBOvt2l.jpg
It will live in my window until I go home in May and then it can be outside. I live in Texas, USDA zone 8a. My question is, what should I do to it this year? Let it grow free to thicken the trunk? Prune any of those branches? Wire any of them? I know I am going to need to reduce the leaf size if it is indeed a Ficus carica. What's the best way to do that?
In the other forum I was told this species will be impossible to bonsai because of its leaf size, but I have seen many bonsai figs. I know it can be done, I just want to know how.

Thanks in advance for any advice and tips!

Edible fig, Ficus carica. You have two options: if you want a tree the height of what this is now, in order to create the proper proportions you should plant it out in the ground and let it grow wild for a few years, at which time you can chop and regrow it to create taper; if you want a smaller tree, you need to cut your material back dramatically in height and trim back the branches to the first internode.

My edible figs in the ground are showing green on the buds, so with yours being inside you probably have another one to three weeks before it comes out.

Good luck with it!

Zach

Precarious wrote:I will leaf the leaf size to others

badda-boomp !

ya better start laughing now folks, because these are the jokes !

I'm here all week folks, matinee on Saturday!

As to your alleged Carica, have you seen this post? https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t5924-1st-post-shohin-fig-tree-ficus-carica
The leaves look reduced to me...

I pruned back the height and the large branches back like someone suggested because I do not want the tree to get too big. I didn't see that post, but thanks! I can't wait until the leaves come out so I can see what I'm working with here! The excitement is real.