Ficus after my first pruning. needs to be repotted but that will be at next club meeting

Messages
113
Reaction score
109
Location
Skokie Illinois
USDA Zone
5b
The ficus I just got from the Chicago bonsai club, after I pruned it today. it needs to be repotted, but that will be at the next club meeting. Kinda like the branch structure, might remove one more, but need to look at it longer. cleaned it up quite a bit.
Wish I had an idea how old it is.
 

Attachments

  • ficus after initial pruning 32022.jpg
    ficus after initial pruning 32022.jpg
    85 KB · Views: 79

rollwithak

Chumono
Messages
716
Reaction score
725
Location
Central Valley California
USDA Zone
9b
Are they teaching you how to repot at the next meeting? Cool tree! Food for thought, and I know this is hard to do unless you’ve designated a spot specifically for this, but it helps everyone get a better look when there is a blank background and less clutter behind the tree.. all I can focus on is cheez-its and those delicious holiday butter cookies 😁
 
Messages
113
Reaction score
109
Location
Skokie Illinois
USDA Zone
5b
The person I bought the tree from at the march meeting forgot to bring the pots he bought for it with, I guess he didn't expect anyone to want to purchase it that quickly, or he just forgot. He also has some kind of Japanese pine I want to get from him but I didn't have enough cash with and left checkbook at home. After buying fuel this evening, not sure what costs more, getting more new trees or fuel for the car....
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,545
Reaction score
15,209
Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
Trunk looks quite nice but let down by those long, long branches. This needs a real hard prune to get new shoots back where it will look good.
I guess it stays indoors in warm environment so spring repot would be OK and local knowledge will know what is Ok and what is not. Down here we repot ficus and other tropicals at the end of spring or through summer. They seem to recover far better when they are active and weather is reliably warm.
 
Messages
113
Reaction score
109
Location
Skokie Illinois
USDA Zone
5b
If I cut those branches to a shorter length, like I would like to..... the tree wouldn't have any leaves left on it. Cut quite a bit off of it yesterday, branches that were all over the place because it has the nice trunk. Wondering how old it actually is since it has a decently thick trunk.
 
Messages
113
Reaction score
109
Location
Skokie Illinois
USDA Zone
5b
Here is a better picture of my new ficus after considerable pruning to see its interesting trunk.
 

Attachments

  • better new ficus photo.jpg
    better new ficus photo.jpg
    164.3 KB · Views: 44

BrianBay9

Masterpiece
Messages
2,752
Reaction score
5,369
Location
Fresno, CA
USDA Zone
9
If I cut those branches to a shorter length, like I would like to..... the tree wouldn't have any leaves left on it. Cut quite a bit off of it yesterday, branches that were all over the place because it has the nice trunk. Wondering how old it actually is since it has a decently thick trunk.

Ficus microcarpa will reliably back bud on the trunk and limbs when hard pruned....if they're healthy, and yours look like it's doing well. Are you planning on moving this outside when the weather warms up? If so, I'd wait until it's outside, acclimated and growing strong......then cut back to where you want. If you're hesitant, cut back to the last green leaf on each branch and see what it does for you, then work your way back to where it needs to be.
 
Messages
113
Reaction score
109
Location
Skokie Illinois
USDA Zone
5b
I’ll be moving all my tropical trees outside probably the middle of may so they can build up strength for the winter under lights
 
Top Bottom