Fig gets a chop and comes back with a vengeance

[jozaeh]

Hey everyone!
I thought i'd show and tell a fig i've been caring for over the past few years. This is my first fig, and I spied her at a north brisbane small bonsai nursery because of the really wide nebari, it was crazy cool looking to my 1 year old bonsai eyes. She was $20 so I snapped her up and gave her a big chop. This was the first time i'd ever done a supe chop leaving only a trunk before, but it was fun to see what happen.

Here's the photos of her before and after the chop and slight root prune into a large deep pot. Date: 30 MARCH 2009




CHOP! (this picture always makes me chuckle, it looks so drastic and ridiculous).




These were the roots that I fell in love with back in 2009:




After those photos, I soaked her in seasol, then bagged her up and just sat and waited. (of course i'd lift the bag every week or so with eager christmas present sneaky eyes. Then after 4 months of patience and thinking she was a goner, I spied these little sprouts! Date: 3 AUGUST 2009



Since then i've let the shoot grow to about one foot each, then cut back to a pair of leaves, two shoots would appear and then i'd cut back. Repeat repeat! I am AMAZED at how energetic and unstoppable figs are, something that alot of you know, but this was my first so it's been a lovely surprise.

Defoliation and trim back (I've done maybe 2 full wirings on the fig since i've owned her, and that's how the big main branches have come to rest.) Date: FEBRUARY 2010





Date: AUGUST 2011




I'm not sure what the eventual plan is for this fig, I definately want to carve the trunk out and be careful with that as I know figs have fibrous heartwood. I also really don't like the lonliness of the back root, so i'm thinking of leaning the fig over on to this side, maybe a 30 degree lean over, chopping off that back branch and making the main foliage with the branches on the created 'left' side.

Lastly, here's photos of her after a defoliation from different angles, as well as a short rotating video I shot this morning, it gives a better idea of the branching. The branches currently will be getting wired, the lower branches reach upwards a bit too much, so i'll be working on that.









The youtube video is in HD as well, so feel free to click the 'youtube' button to watch the video in another browser window at higher res.




Throw this topic any feedback or comments or ideas, i welcome them all, thanks.
Hooray for figs!
Jozaeh

[Andrew F]

Hooray indeed lovely little fig, look forward to its progression

[shibui]

Thats very good ramification for just 2 years. Well done. Another good reason for others to get into figs.

[Brad75]

Hi all,

I have a fig that I have neglected for the last six years that looks like it might get the same treatment. This has given me hope for the little blighter.

Cheers,

Brad75.

[The Ficus Guy]

Very nice!

I've got a microcarpa that was chopped all the way back to a bare stump. I am now keeping it in a bag under some T5 grow lights to see if it will bounce back like yours did.

[seth1818]

hahahah the first two photos mad me laugh. good work looks great

[jozaeh]

hahahah the first two photos mad me laugh. good work looks great

Ha ha! Yes! That's why I took the two shots from the same distance, because it made the chop look that much more ridiculous. ha!
Jozaeh

[Craig]

G'day Jozaeh , very interesting little tree mate, it looks good. Just curious what , if any plans you have for blending the chop.

[evenings]

Good evening,

If you would be so kind, could you please explain further this cut back rince and repeat process?
"Since then i've let the shoot grow to about one foot each, then cut back to a pair of leaves, two shoots would appear and then i'd cut back".

Thank you!

[jozaeh]

Good evening,

If you would be so kind, could you please explain further this cut back rince and repeat process?
"Since then i've let the shoot grow to about one foot each, then cut back to a pair of leaves, two shoots would appear and then i'd cut back".

Thank you!

Hey evenings!
Ah sure thing, it's basically the same procedure I use on most of my trees:

1. a new bud appears in spring
2. let the bud grow freely
3. the new shoot eventually grows into a long shoot with multiple leaves
4. allow it to reach a certain length (on this fig I let each shoot grow to about 12 inches long)
5. When the shoot has reached the length you decided to wait for, I cut it back to the first or second pair of leaves
6. 'hopefully' in a couple weeks, the tree will send out a new shoot from the base of those two leaves you left.
7. presto you've turned one original shoot, into a V-split into two shoots.
8. just wait till these two shoots reach the shoot length you set for the 'first' shoot
9. cut them back to their respective first or second pair of leaves.

If you repeat this in your trimming, it can really develop good splitting ramification. This is just my procedure that I use, I also use it on my chinese elms, and my crab apple. I know that I still should be more patient and only cut back my trees once or twice per spring/summer, but the lure of more ramification is too much to bear sometimes!

This is how i've gained some cool branches on the fig from it's original cut back.

I hope that helps!

[emi93m]

I like your style Jozaeh you have a good eye and the progress pics are great. Keep us posted as they are looking good allready got too love that Queensland weather.

Regards Mick

[chrisatrocky]

nice little tree, but can I make a suggestion.

IMG_6252.jpg

chris

[bodhidharma]

A good suggestion.

[jozaeh]

nice little tree, but can I make a suggestion.

IMG_6252.jpg

chris

Oh a great suggestion, that little top chunk chop part has been in my mind for a while now to chop it further down (or possibly carve it out). Thanks Chrisatrocky and Bodhi, i think i'll be working on her like this in springtime.

See ya!
Jozaeh

[golgotha]

wow, nice fightback from the fig, must feel good to see it progressing like that after kneecapping it like that, can't wait to see how it ends up.