The Three Little Figs...and Hello!

[Thymetraveller]

Hello everybody,
I thought it was time to stop lurking on this excellent forum and jump in!
I have two weeks off teaching people to speak English, and three sweet little Moreton Bay Figs to play with...
Ideas greatly appreciated.

Let's start with "Once Upon a Time...." and see how the story unfolds!
First one:

MBFig1.jpg

MBFig2.jpg

Second one:

MBFig3.jpg

MBFig4.jpg

Third one

MBFig6.jpg

MBFig5.jpg

Here it is totally naked. I'm on the rose, it's drinking seasol and water...

MBFig7.jpg

I do not fear the chop....open to all suggestions!
Thanks in advance!

[Pearcy001]

Welcome TT!

If they were mine I'd be reporting into a much larger pot so they can explode with growth. A bigger pot with plenty of fert and BOOM!

I must say I'm looking forward to seeing that Juniper you have in the back ground, the trunk has me intrigued.

Enjoy the forum!

Cheers,
Pearcy.

[Blackfoot]

ditto on that juni!

[Thymetraveller]

Thanks, Pearcy!

I might well pot two of the figs back up for a grow, but I'm wondering about the one with the fat bottom as a shohin.

The juniper is in a state of recovery....it was my first tree, and a victim of horribly over zealous pinching. There's a lovely tree in there, but I'm leaving well alone for the foreseeable future - seasol, fertilizer and soothing words until it's back up to snuff and then we'll see what it can become! When she's ready, I'll post a progression and see what people think about where to take her.

Choices + tools + boredom = danger zone!

[Bougy Fan]

Hi TT and welcome. Pot up the figs and grow them on, cutting them back and fertilising regularly. They need some taper on them. Keep reading and join a club.

[Thymetraveller]

Thanks, Tony!
Another vote for potting on....I'm starting see a bigger future for these figlets...

[Thymetraveller]

Soooooooo......
It's looking like I'll pot the figs into something bigger...probably this boat

Boat.jpg

My question is; do I cut them back as soon as I have replanted them, and if so, where should I cut?
The boat has excellent drainage (which is why it's not used as a boat!!!) and the prow, where I'd be planting them, gets full sun from around 10:00am.
All advice gratefully considered!

Cheers!

[Bougy Fan]

I would just cut back to the first leaf and not cut much of the roots until you are more confident. Apply seasol and then after a month when you have lots of new growth start fertilising.

[kcpoole]

Welcome TT
I wou cut each of them back to the first branch then let the grow mad so you get some taper happening in the lower trunks.

The second one I like your Side view as the front and would then keep the right branch as a branch and the other one as the new leader. Control the growth of the branch and let the other go nuts to catch up and take over in size.

Ken

Ps, They do not need to overly large either so you can keep as Figlet ( shohin) size

[Thymetraveller]

Thanks all!
I'm going to wait until the rain passes before I get to work.
Ken, would your suggested cut be around here?

1450741236914.jpg

[mugen]

Hi Thymetraveller
Nice little figs I recommend putting them into larger pots and power feeding with dynamic lifter or any hi nitrogen fertilizer that won't burn.
Here is some light reading from a few years ago. Make sure you go through all the pages. And see some of the results from the later pages. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3173

I like the grow and chop method for figs to induce taper an get the fat bases . Looks like a good a good place to chop in the picture.

Welcome to the forum

Jac.

[Thymetraveller]

An update on my first ever post here...
What became of the Three Little Pigs?
Well, there are now six of them!

IMG_20170929_092844.jpg

I'm playing a long game with these, and they have taught me a lot.
I did my first air-layers on them, and it has been fascinating to watch the effects of different sized pots on their rates of growth.
Here are the original trunks:

IMG_20170929_092949.jpg

And here are the three air-layered tops:

IMG_20170929_093042.jpg

A long way to go with all of these. Bring it on!