AusBonsai

Here is a 7 year old fig with a very thick trunk. Problem is I have never been able to get much back budding and the branches are very long and thin. How far back should I cut the branches.

The pot is 15 X 30 X 8. The tree is roughly a foot tall.
Thx in advance.

Cut figs any where and they will put out new buds but they do not often make back buds unless you prune.

This one does not really look very healthy. How often do you feed it?
My figs are in a good, coarse, open mix with osmocote in the potting mix and get watered every evening and morning during summer. They also get liquid fert every 2-3 weeks and some Chook Poo pellets on the surface every 3-4 weeks. Figs LOVE fertiliser. Almost impossible to over fertilise a fig.

My advice is to feed it up well over autumn, feed a bit lighter over winter then increase again when it starts growing in spring then cut back quite hard in November or December and watch the new buds sprout. After that regular feeding and trimming so it will ramify and get 'bushy'

Thanks shibui. I fertilize every fortnight with low nitrogen high phosphorus potassium I got from my bonsai guy. I think one of the issues is I have moved house nearly every year due to sydney rental prices skyrocketing.

Can I do a hard prune now.......

justjp wrote:Can I do a hard prune now.......

Yep, Still plenty of time in Sydney to work ficus varieties before winter.

ps I have moved the thread as it not in the ANBA comp due to being too late. Entries closed last day of Feb.

Ken

Also shibui. I had to do a full demolition due to a bug problem. After 1 week new shoots came through.
I also have this one which my dog dug up and chewed so it's kind of a mess.

What I was thinking of is cutting here as there is a new shoot coming through

The bug problem goes some way toward explaining the condition of your figs. Also the dog.
As we said before you can cut anywhere with confidence. New buds will come on whatever you leave behind. Healthy trees will always bud better than sick ones so feed, water well and protect it from bugs, dogs and other predators for best results.

Thanks mate. Because I have pets I am heavily restricted on using pesticides.

Ha...I've got a fig that when it started out got chewed by the family dog... Actually did the tree a favour as it produced back budding.
Just wondering if that last one should be in a slightly larger pot for health, or at least moved off the rim of the pot?....

I repotted the tree today. I also cut the branches back and I'm happy to say that a few days later new shoots are coming through.

With my larger fig. What angle should I cut it on.

I don't worry too much about angle of cuts initially. When new shoots are growing strongly you can cut back closer to the ones you want to keep. At this stage just cut back longer branches and remove the ones that do not seem to be right.

Cheers shibui. Here is a pic. Of the one in question. I had to do a full defoliation due to thrips 4 weeks ago.

I'm thinking of cutting it like this.