Collected Ficus benjamina - Styling ideas???

[kvan64]

This fig was damaged and up-rooted by Council's tractors near the local creek. The tap root was broken (wouldn't mind this) so I trimmed it back hard. I did a few bengi fig cuttings before and they took quite easily so I hope that this will be ok. It will be let to grow for now but and I am hoping to style it in winter. Any suggestion is appreciated.
DK

[anttal63]

Hey kev not bad for free mate. this is what i think you should do. the bottom should be flat bottomed, no reverse taper. cuts for shape and taper, new leader, wella. in straight diatamite with a water tray under the pot in early morning sun. Should be a sinch up there!

4.jpg

[kvan64]

Hey kev not bad for free mate. this is what i think you should do. the bottom should be flat bottomed, no reverse taper. cuts for shape and taper, new leader, wella. in straight diatamite with a water tray under the pot in early morning sun. Should be a sinch up there!

4.jpg

Thanks for the idea, it's a serious operation! However, if this does pull through that way, I probably will have many big ones as Energex often do some servere chopping of the figs in my local area during the storm season: I'll just ask them for some big branches before they chip them up

[anttal63]

And there you have it...Queensland... figs...help ya self. The way i see it you guys got nothing to lose! yo jimmie what you think pal???

[Jamie]

hmm my thoughts.....


Rip in mate!!

nothing to lose and it will produce a far better tree in the long run. i reckon it will take about 6 weeks before you see roots and bout 5 weeks after that the grow box will be filled if it all goes to plan and good care she will be right, then you will have a great tree in 3-4 years. non stop growing up here mate


jamie

[Gerard]

Hi Kvan,
I took the opportunity to re-style your pot

[kvan64]

LoL it's a happy tree after all.

[Shannon]

Its got good movement mate, I'd cut it back just above the lower shoots. Benji's are renowned for a little die back after cutting back hard.

This its a ruff "V" . JMO.

[kvan64]

Thanks Shannon, I may try this first as the top part can also make a good tree too. If the top cut survives, I'll try ant's bottom cut later. I still kinda like this tree as it looks very age to me.

[Jamie]

DK

your stump i would say has about a 95% chance of surviving, 100% if you give it good after care, your playing it smart getting it healthy before doing any chops, the more energy you can get stored in the trunk the better you will be later on when you do the chop, if you decide to, another option that is on the safer side is doing a ground layer on it. that will have a very high success rate aswell


keep us updated with it mate

[kvan64]

Yes jamie, I'll wait for it to recover and will possibly consider Antt's bottom chop or airlayering. For now I just did the top chop and treat the top cutting according to Antt's advice. Hope it take roots Antt!

[Jamie]

oh oh Image 1b has a great line mate!!!!

and it looks like you have gone the trunk chop on the bottom of another one, that will make a nice tree too!

dont rule out ground layer either mate they work just as well as air

jamie

[kvan64]

it looks like you have gone the trunk chop on the bottom of another one, that will make a nice tree too! :
jamie

Actually that's is the part that got chopped of!

[Jamie]

it looks like you have gone the trunk chop on the bottom of another one, that will make a nice tree too! :
jamie

Actually that's is the part that got chopped of!

so you did go with the top and bottom chop then? im lost

[kvan64]

oh oh Image 1b has a great line mate!!!!

and it looks like you have gone the trunk chop on the bottom of another one, that will make a nice tree too!

dont rule out ground layer either mate they work just as well as air

jamie

Haha, I got cha now. I just accidentally put it there. I took this photo this morning from the toilet door of The Queensland Rail Workshop. Do you think it's interesting - even babies have to be disabled to use the facility