what to do with this fig ???

[Solemndragon]

Hi all,
Afterbeing away from bonsai for some 15+ years I have had my interest resparked, When I was experimenting with bonsai as a teenager I was given a port jackson fig by a family member who told me the tree was approx 20 years old when I got it, I cut it down as it was about 6 feet tall and I have had the tree now for 20years, carting it all over the countryside with me, occasionally giving it a trim and a repot here and there.

I would like your opinions on where to go from here with the tree now as I want to start training it and get it into a proper bonsai pot.
Here are a few pics.







The last pic hs a clothes peg on the trunk just for some scale reference.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers .

[Brad75]

Hi Solemndragon,

Nice specimen you have there. I would wait until late winter or early spring and chop it down low and encourage new growth by feeding strongly. Make use of the trunk!!

Cheers,

Brad Jackson.

[kcpoole]

Nice trunk,
Repot the chop back low and make use the nice trunk

Ken

[Solemndragon]

How low would u recommend cutting it back ???

[Brad75]

Hi Solemndragon,

Cut the trunk at an angle below the first branch and aerial root set, seal off the white sap with carnauba wax (from coles) then wait for the new growth to come through.
Once you get these first branches you can then decide what style you want. A good informal upright should be the easiest style for the Port Jackson fig.
Good Luck; post pics of whatever you do-we like that!

Cheers,

Brad.

[Brian]

looks like you could repot it into a growing box. A pinch of lime would benefit the tree.

[Bougy Fan]

I would get it out of that pot and into something a bit shallower to start on some root work. Cut it back by half if you are not confident about chopping back severely.

[Solemndragon]

I have cut all of the large deeper seeking roots out of it over the years, it has been in this pot for quite sometime now just for ease of transport. Yeah i figured it would be too tall to do anything with, i had it in a larger growing pot for a few years after i cut it back the first time, i will put it back into a larger pot and once it is showing some strong growth i will chop the top off. What section do u get the caranauba wax from ?? Of coure i will post pics of all the progress.

[trident76]

Hi mr solemndragon.
First of all please ignore advice to be working on figs late winter to early spring, this is for deciduous trees only.
Figs need to be worked on in warm weather. Depending on your climate it may still be warm enough now to repot and prune your fig. I am in Adelaide and am just now getting to the end of working on my figs now that we are getting into autumn.
Dont be afraid to prune too hard.
Cheers,
Luke

[Solemndragon]

Hi luke,
i live in central queensland and am unfortunate enough to still be experiencing almost mid summer temps here so i can still work on my tree well into autumn, i think instead of cutting the main trunk back anymore i will cut it back quite hard to just above where i did the first time and then train the new growth as it grows into my desired shape.

I will also plant back out into a growing box to add some more width to the trunk and shape as it grows.
I was thinking of going with a sort of triangular shape like a formal upright style with this one.

thanks for the replies guys keep em coming.

[Brad75]

Hi Solemndragon,

I saw carnauba wax in the cosmetics section. If you can't find it just use Vaseline or you can go to a site called bonsaishop.com.au and purchase cut paste for a couple of bucks. They ship Oz wide and you can pay by paypal or direct deposit. From what I can see the cut paste is the stuff advertised in the Bonsai Today magazines so it should be good as the Japanese use it.

Good Luck,

Brad Jackson.