Ficus retusa

[Jerry Meislik]

Jamie,
I think you will not be happy with this design as time goes by. The top segment must be shorter than the basal segment.
Jerry

[kcpoole]

Hey Jamie, just catching up and saw pups post about bending it.
I did this a while ago on a large azalea, and described the process in this post here viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2484&start=0&hilit ... lea#p25878

the Bend has seemed to work fine and I unwrapped it a few weeks ago. The top of the tree is gorwing nicely too

Ken

[Glenda]

Jamie,
I think you will not be happy with this design as time goes by. The top segment must be shorter than the basal segment.
Jerry

Doesn't the top section eventually catch up in thickness, just giving nice taper?

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATColl ... Series.htm

Or does this not work with figs?

[AndrewM]

Nice work Jamie
Good to see you getting the power tools out and having a crack
Like you say (its a fig) takes a lot to kill one in QLD

[Jerry Meislik]

Glenda,
The thin area will get thicker but to get it to taper it would take lots of extra growth (branches with leaves) progressively along its length to get it to taper. The taper set by the first or lowest segement needs to be followed in the segments above it or the pattern or rhythm of the tree is irregular. Most people do not like irregular patterns but prefer a rhythm. Don't ask me why.
I hope this makes sense.
Jerry

[Jamie]

agreed jerry. i think it will go down to a lower stout tree in time, it is still bugging me some after looking at it this morning. i dont want to mess with it anymore than i have as it has gone through a lot, and thats big for me to say that about a fig in queensland i honestly have smashed it.

it will eventually get taper and that has been one of my issues with it. i think the sketch pad will be coming back out

[Jerry Meislik]

Jamie,
No rush. Design the tree as you feel it can tolerate it.
Jerry

[Jamie]

Jamie,
No rush. Design the tree as you feel it can tolerate it.
Jerry

gday mate glad to seee your interest in this one, i personally beleive it could handle the chop back even with all the havoc it has gone through. i just think that the tree could do with a good grow out and get as much foliage as possible on it to give it the strength for the next round of attack

being in a semi tropical climate does help alot though. i get a near all year growing period!