Ficus help please

[paul smedley]

Hi all.

These are the ficus out the back of the house in the pots that they have been in for years. The very bent one in pic1 shows ow tall they are and then what their roots are like. this is the one giving me a bit of a headache. I don't wish to kill the trees but they need to be moved. What i want to do is perhaps layer them before they come out so i can get some good material from them but as i understand this should be done late spring? They are growing fantastically and are very healthy specimens which is why i thought of going this. There are a lot of cuttings that could be taken off these and, as i am new, i thought i would try to cut and layer them meaning lots of points to use and doesn't matter if some don't work if this makes sense.
The middle one can be taken out of its pot easily and chopped up to perhaps become bonsai or is it too far gone?
May i ask for thoughts and many thanks in advance.
Cheers Paul

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[melbrackstone]

Have you tried to move the pots? The middle pic looks like the tree has grown into the ground....

[shibui]

I would normally say that ficus can easily be taken out of pots and chopped down for bonsai. Most ficus species do not care how many roots you cut off or how low you chop the trunk. They just grow back. Even with almost no roots and no leaves.
However, I'm told that Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) can be a bit more touchy and often fails to sprout from bare wood after a big chop. I only mention that because the most likely species to be growing in tubs in Melbourne back yards is F. benjamina - they were popular once as house plants and tub specimens.
Someone may be able to hazard a guess at the species from a closer look at the leaves and branching.

My view is that if they have to go it doesn't matter if you chop them and they die. Some may live and that could be a win. They do appear to have little taper in most of the trunks. That will mean a big chop and lots of growing to make a decent canopy but if you have some room to keep them and a little time to play they may be able to teach you some things.

[paul smedley]

I would normally say that ficus can easily be taken out of pots and chopped down for bonsai. Most ficus species do not care how many roots you cut off or how low you chop the trunk. They just grow back. Even with almost no roots and no leaves.
However, I'm told that Ficus benjamina (weeping fig) can be a bit more touchy and often fails to sprout from bare wood after a big chop. I only mention that because the most likely species to be growing in tubs in Melbourne back yards is F. benjamina - they were popular once as house plants and tub specimens.
Someone may be able to hazard a guess at the species from a closer look at the leaves and branching.

My view is that if they have to go it doesn't matter if you chop them and they die. Some may live and that could be a win. They do appear to have little taper in most of the trunks. That will mean a big chop and lots of growing to make a decent canopy but if you have some room to keep them and a little time to play they may be able to teach you some things.

Thanks Shibui.
I should have said that they are in fact F.Bens in the pots, apologies. Perhaps, unless otherwise advised, i will keep them there for the next year and in the meantime try to get cuttings and layers while they are still around.
P

[paul smedley]

Have you tried to move the pots? The middle pic looks like the tree has grown into the ground....

Hi MBS.
Yes, the bent one is deep in the ground and the one at the other end has a ground root but is still movable. The middle one is the one that is the best with no searching roots, just a pot bottom and can be moved easily. at least i won't need an ax for that one.

[melbrackstone]

Yes, the bent one is deep in the ground and the one at the other end has a ground root but is still movable. The middle one is the one that is the best with no searching roots, just a pot bottom and can be moved easily. at least i won't need an ax for that one.

As you say they're benjamina, then I'd recommend a flame thrower...lol. Take your cuttings or layers from way up the top, keep some green on them. Once you have harvested what you want, you might need not only an axe, but some tree and blackberry killer.

Good luck

[paul smedley]

Hello alk and thanks for the previous help with my ficus's health.

I have another that i have just found in the garden and i think this ficus is a morten bay. Anyway, it has been sitting in this pot for about 4 years and has grown well with what looks like a great taper and back growth. I have had a look through all the articles and boards and to me the question is not that things can be done now rather it is a question of should they be done now.

My questions are:
Do I cut this one now or wait until spring? it has ground root going through the bottom of the pot (though i don't think there is any potting mix left in the pot as it is chokka with roots inside). I feel that it could be repotted now and the roots run though but am unsure whether this specimen would survive the winter with that done to it. The need is to move this out of the garden and into one particular area where my Figs can all grow together.

Should i just repot to a temporary pot with potting mix and then attack roots in spring?

Should i stop wasting time on questions and just leave everything until spring?

pics are below for those who could make suggestions.

Ta heaps.

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

I would probably wait for the warmer weather to do your work. If it’s been in that state for 4 years, a little longer wait shouldn’t hurt?
If you have to move it & it has rooted into the ground, perhaps try to sever the escaping roots by [forcibly] spading underneath it’s pot.
Being subtropical, I don’t think you will gain much now by chopping trunk, cutting branches or re-potting whilst the months are still ahead.

[shibui]

Option 3 for me
I agree with all the above. Just cut any escaped roots and move the pot as is if necessary but leave real root pruning and trunk reduction until spring. If the tree ends up unstable after cutting the roots you could afford to take off the top half of the tree now but it will respond much better to the real trunk reduction in spring.

There's nothing wrong with asking good questions so please keep posting.

[paul smedley]

I would probably wait for the warmer weather to do your work. If it’s been in that state for 4 years, a little longer wait shouldn’t hurt?
If you have to move it & it has rooted into the ground, perhaps try to sever the escaping roots by [forcibly] spading underneath it’s pot.
Being subtropical, I don’t think you will gain much now by chopping trunk, cutting branches or re-potting whilst the months are still ahead.

thanks KCR.
I have moved it and weed but will keep it around until spring then do 'stuff' to it. Have to keep remembering the first rule with Bonsai. PATIENCE!

Option 3 for me
I agree with all the above. Just cut any escaped roots and move the pot as is if necessary but leave real root pruning and trunk reduction until spring. If the tree ends up unstable after cutting the roots you could afford to take off the top half of the tree now but it will respond much better to the real trunk reduction in spring.

There's nothing wrong with asking good questions so please keep posting.

Thanks Shibui haha
I try to keep the questions to intelligent ones instead of stupid ones though those make a habit of appearing sometimes too!

Cheers to you both.
P