where have i gone wrong on this ficus?

denny

i know i was jokeing around on the other thread,but i`d really like your opinion on where i`ve gone wrong on this tree.
thanks

before picture:

i can see i shound have left on the lower branches,but thats spilled milk.

__________________
Denny
Still Growing in zone 9
So.Cal.

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Jay

Denny, this is an interesting looking tree. I'm not sure of the type of Ficus you have there, but some will bud back on older growth. Perhaps one of the more knowledgeable Ficus people will show up.

I like the triple trunk and the Nebari a lot! The tree does appear to be a little leggy. After checking to verify that this guy will bud back I would give him a good haircut. I would take off all the leaves and branches on one trunk, leaving but one with a leaf or two. I would wait till that trunk sprouted new growth lower down, when the new growth had a few leaves I would remove the trunk above. Then do the same, one at a time to the other two trunks. This will lower the crown of this tree. You may need to do this a couple of times depending on how low the new growth comes in.

Again, wait till you know that this type of Ficus will back bud if pushed.

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

Muniz

Denny,
It is a potential Ficus (variegata) that can be reduced in a well manner. I made a virtual to you. In this way, you can cut and wait (just let it grow).

I suggest you to make a transplantation when you cut, reducing the roots and exposing a good nebari that it has. You can produce a bonsai with the style multiple trunk.

I have some Ficus too here in Rio de Janeiro (including one variegata), and I work in the same manner, you can prune the roots vigorously if you cut as indicated. This procedure produce small leaves.

Muniz

Denny,

Another tip: look at my illustration in your photo, more long the roots more long the tree, you have to transplant the tree in a more shallow pot (yellow draw), because the tree is the expression of the roots (red graphics).
If you reduce the root in this manner you will stop the continuos vertical grow.

braden_govoni

Ok if I were you I would NOT make that radical of a cut yet. You risk just killing the tree. Try this... cut back every branch to one or two leaves. Then as new leaves develop pinch back any apical buds on shoots that develop more than two leaves. This will ecourage the tree to bud in older areas and in time you will be able to force buds further down the trunk and remove the top altogeather. Oh and mist it as much as possible the increase in humidity seems to speed this whole process. I promise it will work. I have a ficus benjimina (which your varigata is derived from I belive) that I purchased from a general nursery back in early march. Below are a picture from after the first major pruning and one from today.

Braden

braden_govoni

Ok and the after...

braden_govoni

Obviously I have far to go with developing the branches and I have yet to wire anything but you get the idea... this is only 4 months of work...

Braden

Tony

Hey Denny, How about this?

I actually like this style of tree. Just wish I had a herd of miniature girraffes to keep my them pruned.

You would need a few upward slanting branches and a few bends in the trunks.

Muniz

Denny,

I think that the best choice is the way that I showed you. If you make a search in some good bonsai books you will see that:
1 - Ficus is very resistant, I prune hardly my Ficus and they are ok. After you prune (aerial and roots) it, put it in a shaded area and produce some mist.
2 - Your tree have no style, it is very leggy, it is a mistake, unless you make an exotic African scenery (too ugly) with baboons and chimps or make the style called Literati (not recommended for this tree).

A complete restyling is needed to produce a valuable bonsai. If you have not courage, you can not produce anything.
Go ahead, it is up to you.