Ficus

Anchorman

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Should I chop the thicker main apex, where it makes that fork split? I could then keep the bottom as a smaller tree and grow the top as a new larger tree.
 

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AZbonsai

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I like the view in the bottom right hand corner. Why do you want to chop it?
 

Anchorman

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I feel like the main branch got too thick and has no taper. I could basically grow the same tree with the top 2/3, then use the first third as a smaller tree.
 

bonsaichile

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If you prune a branch in a bemjamina and leave no green, it will die. Be careful, they are not great at backbudding
 

AZbonsai

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I see your point. You could cut that off.
 
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They don’t back us much, but they will eventually if you give them time.. and leave some green as mentioned. They do take as cuttings really well. I’ve had good luck sticking them in a vase with water and spaghnum. You can trim the bark off your cutting to plan the angle of your future nebari and use the whittled stick as an anchor for stability.

Here is my sample that is looking a little sparse sitting on the mantle instead of under lights. I guess it is being prepped for houseplant life.
 

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sorce

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Bloody hell!.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 

bonsaichile

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Your next task would be to focus on compacting that foliage. Your branches are long ans only have leaves on the tips. Two possible ways to go about it: bend those branches like crazy, so the foliage is closer to the trunk. You can do this now. In fact, ficus are so flexible, that if you dont really bend those branches, they will be back to their original position a couple weeks after you take the wire out. So over wire.
The second option is to wait and see. It is common for benjamina to sprout a second bud at the base of an existing branch. That will give you the oportunity to get rid of those long, leggy branches and grow a new one from the same position and work on ramification from the beginning, thus having a more compact tree.
Good beginning! Keep us posted as to how it develops
 
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