Ficus drill out technique?

[matty-j]

Hey guys
Tomorrow afternoon I was thinking of doing some heavy bending and twisting on a ficus that got given to me
It stands around 1200mm and is about 40 to 50mm at the base and I want to bend it right down and around the pot and tie it to the pot to hold it in position
I haven't attempted heavy bending or this drill out method before and was wondering if this is a bad time of year to do it?
An will I kill the tree bending it right down to soil level an around it's self?

[Gerard]

It is not the ideal time of year to work on ficus, I leave ficus work for the summer months (including repotting)
I am not keen on the drill out method for for ficus at all, I fear that weakening the heartwood would leave the branch weak and future attempts to reposition the branch could easily result in it snapping like a carrot. You would be safer moving branches gradually with tie wires which can begin now.

[Chris H]

I agree with Gerard.
A lot of drilling on something like a ficus which has a relatively thin bark could take a while to become stable again without its core.
I havent ever tried it however as generally I find they bend like rubber!
Slow and steady will get it to move, if I want a right angle bend or similar in a thick branch I have in the past cut wedges out so that the bend is severe and not gentle. This imitates a branch snapping and healing in a new direction. But I am then very aware of that branch from then on and indeed it is now 10 years since I did this work so the design is now set, but I still know which branch it is.
The other thing I have done with younger branches is move them till they "snap" more of a dull thunk than a crisp snap but it amounts to the same thing. Then I leave them to heal or die back, a design by trial.

Figs forgive a lot of bad treatment so if you do try it let us know how you go.

[Andrew Legg]

Then I leave them to heal or die back, a design by trial.

"Design by trial!!!!!" That's my kinda design!