I bought random ficus I saw at a nursery clearance with the idea of cutting it in half and then starting to create a bonsai. While I’ve had success with elms and other trees using this method they usually had one lower branch to cut back to, (not always tho). Backup plan is to air layer the top part and turn that into a new bonsai. Just wondering if anyone has experience in big chops on ficus.
by TheGoodestRagdollBoi
5 Comments
I would try both, ficus are resilient and easy to propogate. Air layer the top, then chop it down, Id go lower than halfway way as it os a very straight trunk with no taper currently. What does the nebari look like?
Air layer would be my primary plan
Watch some of the bonsaify videos ( I think he did 4 videos in his destruction/progression of a mallsai) on ficus trunk chops, that should calm any nerves.
I bought a similar ficus when I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. I used it as a ‘mother tree’. Took numerous cuttings. The more I cut it, the more it back-budded.
FYI: the cuttings I took were almost always started in water.
I agree with everyone saying do an airlayer first at the top and then a big trunk chop later. In Australia though I would wait till spring and the weather starts heating up again in September or October. Not likely to get much root growth over winter.