AusBonsai

Hi all,
this is my first of hopefully many posts in these forums...
ok where to start...A few years ago I was given quite a substantial Bonsai collection by an elderly neighbour(maples,figs,natives,succulents etc)all of which were 20+ years old. After careing for them for a few months i moved interstate and left them in what i thought were capable hands, i got home after about 1.5 years only to find one 38yr old ficus rubiginosa still living. I don't need to explain how i fealt as im sure many of you can imagine. So Basically i have one mature Bonsai left that has grown well beyond what i think it should have(the person wasnt even pinching the tips), now im in over my head as i do not want to just hack it back and hope it survives. i need information on how far back it can be pruned without affecting its shape to drastically. I will post some pics tomorrow. Any help will be appreciated

You can cut back a Ficus to bare wood not problems at all
I have done one just last week that I had let go mad so it would thcken up,and have cut back to now start the ramification of its branches

Ken

Welcome a_morgan86! A picture of your rubiginosa from several angles will help those in the know to advise you better.

My heart bleeds for your bonsai loss. Time to start building a new collection!

Glenda

welcome to the forum mate

as KC said, PJ will shoot back from bare wood no problems, so if you can post some pics when you are ready we can than help out futher. also i suggest you give it a good couple of weeks of fertilising to get it happy again. then when you are ready to do the chop you can also do root work (repotting)

I know how you feel about losing trees mate! my wife asked my mother in law to water our trees while we were away and she didnt, I lost a lot of good, old expesive trees.

jamie