How Walter Pall would trim a ficus if he had any ficus, OR if my name was Walter Pall.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 17, 2019

The title is factual if misleading.. note the ‘OR’. Dammit Jim, I’m a database analyst, not a professional bonsaist.
This one needs a repotting and will get one once it recovers from this trimming. It had a weak indoor season which is rare now that I have my hydroponic LED winter fish tank setup working. I think some out of control weeds were sucking up all the vigor, as there were no mites or scale and the watering is flawless in the tank. But since I ripped out all the weeds it responded with some nice backbuds in the top section. I’d like to bring in some of the lower branches and probably remove some with my my new proposed front.

Pictures are: 1. old front (suggested because the root spread was largest, but I’m over that root)
2. The pots front (I put it where it is now at a funny angle, to let another sweeping root develop.
3. Back buds in good places near the top.
4. Something approximating the future front. ( I like the belly on the base of the tree)

Historical thread

JudyB · Jul 17, 2019

LOL, I think you need to make a video....
Looks like this one needs some good strong feeding, but glad you have good backbudding happening.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 17, 2019

I didn’t even take a before photo. It was showing strong new growth.

Carol 83 · Jul 17, 2019

My willow leaf sat like a dead lump all winter, I really thought it was dead. Now it's going crazy with new growth.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 17, 2019

My other willow leafs did fine.. only this one limped along.

Smoke · Jul 17, 2019

Dammit Jim...I'm in the wrong franchise cause this looks like "Skinny Jabba"!,.'/

MrFancyPlants · Jul 17, 2019

Smoke said:
Dammit Jim...I'm in the wrong franchise cause this looks like "Skinny Jabba"!,.'/

Dammit Jim, this one is my Jabba potato. (Cutting from above ficus)

TN_Jim · Jul 17, 2019

If it does not respond with pleasantries, send it back to the country it came from.

Smoke · Jul 17, 2019

MrFancyPlants said:
Dammit Jim, this one is my Jabba potato. (Cutting from above ficus)

much better

leatherback · Jul 17, 2019

Thank you, this really cleared things up for me. Did you watch a video on how to do this? Or where did you learn?

amcoffeegirl · Jul 18, 2019

Walter Pall does have a ficus.
I have seen pics.

Walter Pall · Jul 18, 2019

That'w how I trim a ficus which was more or less accidentally given to me.

MrFancyPlants · Jul 18, 2019

leatherback said:
Thank you, this really cleared things up for me. Did you watch a video on how to do this? Or where did you learn?

I clip and grow, periodically cutting back all branches to a leaf pointed in the right direction. If a adventitious bud pops in the right place, I’ll cut back to it, which generally triggers more back buds. This is a conservative/slow approach, but I have high hopes that this one will be in much better form a year from now.
I’ll let it recover from this trimming, repot in a month or so when signs of vigor are back. Listen to the tree.. if it is vigorous, I may trim another 2 times before I bring in for the winter. I’ll wire and potentially remove a few branches this winter if it behaves this year.

@Walter Pall , exemplary tree as usual. I don’t always comment on your progressions, but I do appreciate them, including the number of photos posted, and your good humor in dealing with sometimes not so funny threads associated with your name.
I am curious how you are accidentally given a tree. How long has it been in your care?

Walter Pall · Jul 18, 2019

So you are part of the silent majority that I do all this for and do not know why.

This tree was given to Sebastijan Sandev by his ex-ex-wife. In wither he had it in the living room and it always looked terrible by March. In addition it reminded him so much of his ex. So he gave it to me few years ago. Well, it did not look just like now.

Crawforde · Jul 18, 2019

Walter Pall said:
So you are part of the silent majority that I do all this for and do not know why.

This tree was given to Sebastijan Sandev by his ex-ex-wife. In wither he had it in the living room and it always looked terrible by March. In addition it reminded him so much of his ex. So he gave it to me few years ago. Well, it did not look just like now.

I’m another of the silent ones you do this for. Thank you.
Finding a new set of pictures from you is one of the reasons I check in here every morning.
Re hedging
I have two sets of clippers, one has oak handles, and one ash. Which should I use when trimming a ficus or mulberry?

cheap_walmart_art · Jul 18, 2019

Walter Pall said:
So you are part of the silent majority that I do all this for and do not know why.

Its much appreciated! Most of your stuff is so advanced beyond my level that its difficult to form an intelligent question or comment other than to "ooh" and "ahh" and hit that like button.

Walter Pall · Jul 18, 2019

Crawforde said:
I’m another of the silent ones you do this for. Thank you.
Finding a new set of pictures from you is one of the reasons I check in here every morning.
Re hedging
I have two sets of clippers, one has oak handles, and one ash. Which should I use when trimming a ficus or mulberry?

For ficus it is absolutely required that the handle is of bamboo. At least this is what my friend Rafael was mentioning to me. He has this from this Taiwanese video course.

Oleg · Jul 18, 2019

Thank you Walter!

Mayank · Jul 18, 2019

Walter Pall said:
That'w how I trim a ficus which was more or less accidentally given to me.

View attachment 252666

What a beautiful tree!!! I've seen your maples and conifers etc. This too takes my breath away!

MrFancyPlants · Jul 18, 2019

Mayank said:
What a beautiful tree!!! I've seen your maples and conifers etc. This too takes my breath away!

Guys, guys, let’s keep this thread on topic or else my name is not Walter Pall. Here is an update on my Jabba-potato. It was getting a little busy, so I made some edits.

How Walter Pall would trim a ficus if he had any ficus, OR if my name was Walter Pall.

Omono

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Queen of the Nuts

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Flower Girl

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The Treedeemer

Masterpiece

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Chumono

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Masterpiece

Shohin

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