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Originally Posted by node
I guess the short of it is, that you don't. The tree is apically dominant so will always show more growth at the top than at the bottom. Additionally, anything low on the trunk will be shaded out by higher branches.
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Originally Posted by saint
If you really want to be extreme you could always graft them on.
Or you could try trimming the top and seeing if the tree will give you a lower branch (not likely)
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I disagree.
What you want to accomplish is called "back budding." This happens easily with ficus. I give my ficus a hard pruning first and then when new growth occurs, pinch off all the new spikes (shoots) as soon as the appear. I have produced great back budding in this manner, good ramification, and new shoots all the way to ground level.
A tree may be apically dominant but this can be used to your advantage. A good example is with a ficus cascade I am working on. I do not tilt this or grow it on it's side, I simply pinch the hect out of the upper portions, giving strength and vigor to the lower portions. This is not unlike candling a pine where you remove more of the candle on the stronger apex and tips and less on the lower branches and such.
In short, you pinch back the apically dominant apex and the lower portions will grow stronger.
Will