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Advice on a ficus toolittle?

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Old 25-Feb-2008   #1
Motor_City_Zach
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Big Smile Advice on a ficus toolittle?

I like the root I have going on my ficus toolittle, but I don't see what to do with the branches to make it look like a real tree.

Any styling/training tips would be apprecaited!

Tree:


Roots:
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Old 28-Feb-2008   #2
eeiko321
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heya

well what i would do is start wiring it....

with copper or aluminium wire....choose whichever you want to come horizontally...

you may need to choose one to be a "leader" branch...which goes straight vertically up...to the Apex of the tree.

Ficus branches are pretty flexible...easy to bend or train...but they take longer to set into shape.

if its too thick...wire it twice with twin coil of wiring.....or perhaps...for e.g
that branch onthe L/H side...u can tie a wire or a string anchor it to the pot and tighten it bit by bit ...i would make that one come down horizontally.

at the moment branches are too straight, which is normal from nature... you need to artificially create some bends like real branches on a tree.

good luck
not a bad tree
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Old 18-Mar-2008   #3
Deb
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But aren't ficus weak right where the branch comes off the trunk? If the OP were to try and pull the branches down to a more horizontal position, isn't there a good chance that the whole branch will snap off? I had a ficus ages ago, so I may not be remembering accurately. Any ideas on this question?
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Old 19-Mar-2008   #4
ericN
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Deb
But aren't ficus weak right where the branch comes off the trunk? If the OP were to try and pull the branches down to a more horizontal position, isn't there a good chance that the whole branch will snap off? I had a ficus ages ago, so I may not be remembering accurately. Any ideas on this question?
i have several ficus and imo, the branches are pretty flexible up to about 1/4" diameter.

hope that helps
eric
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Old 22-Mar-2008   #5
MelloBonsai
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I agree with eric they are pretty flexible at the diameter they would appear to be in the photo. It helps to avoid branch breakage if you let the tree dry out a bit before wiring/bending. When the tree is drier it is more flexible.
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Old 26-Mar-2008   #6
wicksy
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your ficus

hey nice fig ya got needs some serious training thou. i think your in spring if im correct?. if it was mine i would cut back the branches you have, all of them to about two sets of leaves, only if going into spring as this fires up the growth. add some high nitrgen fertilizer at half the strengh it says, and let it go till mid summer, this will give you increased foliage and some good mass. At this time defoliate all the big leaves just cut thru the leaf stalks, this method gives you extra growth and usually smaller leaves. You should have some nice branches happening, try wiring if you want some direction, also ficus ozze a milky substance just spray with ya bottle of water that seals it off. i use this method with my figs i have about 10 of them it works well
hope this gives ya another angle .
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