AusBonsai

I think I am ready to chop this benjamina. I put the can there for size comparison. It is about 6cm across the base, and has plenty of good roots. Is it too late in the year to chop? (I am in Nth Qld, and the temps are still 28C days and 21C nights, but will cool off soon). Also, do I chop it low to start, or chop off a bit, wait a bit, then chop some more?

Glenda

Advice from anyone is appreciated

hi glenda, i chop fig all year round so you shouldnt have a problem, i would go back to a low shoot thats conveniently place or if there isnt one where you want chop back a lot higher than where you want a new leader to pop from. before you do, if you havent already give it a good feed. this will help in the long run.

jamie

Thanks Jamie. Can I repot at the same time? It is seriously pot bound.

sorry for the short answers. i have a bit going on at the moment. hard to get on the site. i think you should have access to a new leader without having to chop back first then again after. the radial root spread is good if it is still alive, it looks a little wrinkled. you do have new shoots there that will work as leaders, just be careful cutting back as they will break easily

yes repot will be fine, cut back hard and remove all large roots. i chopped back one recently to nothing with a hard root prune and it is powering on!

let me know if ya need anything

jamie

I chopped and repotted a large fig in Sydney 2 weeks ago . Should have been a few weeks earlier, but hey we do what we have to.

You should have no worries up there

Ken

there ya go, you will get strong growth no matter what glenda a fig in the tropics is just perfect conditions, i wouldnt even e concerned if you got a cold snap as it would still be 15-20c at night up there