Tiger bark ficus back budding question

[19Mateo83]

Is there a reliable method to get a trunk to back bud? I just air layered off the top and am left with this, Can I prune back the remaining branch to get it to back bud?

 

[luvinthemountains]

Hey, nice work there! In my experience, a heavy pruning like that will almost always trigger back budding all over the place. You just have to be patient. Stuff should start popping out within the next few weeks, especially if you are providing a warm, humid environment. It should not take anything beyond what you have already done.

But if I am wrong, and it does not start spontaneously budding out, then I believe your next best bet is still not to prune at all for now. Just get it growing hard, lots of green growth, and then see what happens. If still no back budding and growth is strong (probably summer by then), defoliate the tree and that should do the trick.

Good luck!

 

[19Mateo83]

Hey, nice work there! In my experience, a heavy pruning like that will almost always trigger back budding all over the place. You just have to be patient. Stuff should start popping out within the next few weeks, especially if you are providing a warm, humid environment. It should not take anything beyond what you have already done.

But if I am wrong, and it does not start spontaneously budding out, then I believe your next best bet is still not to prune at all for now. Just get it growing hard, lots of green growth, and then see what happens. If still no back budding and growth is strong (probably summer by then), defoliate the tree and that should do the trick.

Good luck!

I plan on trying the bag trick on it, hopefully that will encourage an explosion of growth and aerial roots.

 

[jason biggs]

Peter from heron's bonsai reckons he taps the trunk with a sharp instrument and that promotes backbudding...
i tried it on a big microcarpa and am waiting in suspense...
tigerbark seems to grow like a beast ??

 

[19Mateo83]

@jason biggs I have never heard of that before, I may have to try that as well. Once they get happy they are very fast growers.

 

[cockroach]

I get back budding by chopping off everything green and hacking back.

 

[penumbra]

It will back bud. The larger the cut the slower the response. Also as weather warms a bit and days lengthen, it is a certainty.

 

[Maiden69]

Chop down to the lump of the branch that was removed, either above or below. The scaring technique sometimes work, sometimes don't. I guess it depends on the strength of the trees. For this tree I would just set it outside to get some sun and let it regain its strength, it will surely bud from the trunk. Then by summer you can chop the tree where you want it to start developing.

 

[19Mateo83]

It will back bud. The larger the cut the slower the response. Also as weather warms a bit and days lengthen, it is a certainty.

This is the part I really wanted to develop. Once i develop some roots to fill out the base it will be going in the pot i got from you in kannapolis.

 

[Maiden69]

This is the part I really wanted to develop. Once i develop some roots to fill out the base it will be going in the pot i got from you in kannapolis.
View attachment 474501

How low do you want the branching? Because if you want it to develop low close to the lower trunk you will need to chop them down. If let to grow as is, they will start to develop from the ends out. Also, as soon as those roots solidify, say by summer, start applying wire and giving it some movement. They like to grow straight up. you could use some light gauge wire now and anchor from the drainage hole and start giving the small lower branches some direction.

If you look under my hand, you will see the stainless wire I am using to lower the thick branch on that side. Every week I checked and tensioned the wire a little until I brought it to where I wanted it to be. The skinny branch on the opposite side was wired till the wire bite in, then removed. If you remove to quickly it will not hold, kinda like junipers.

 

[19Mateo83]

How low do you want the branching? Because if you want it to develop low close to the lower trunk you will need to chop them down. If let to grow as is, they will start to develop from the ends out. Also, as soon as those roots solidify, say by summer, start applying wire and giving it some movement. They like to grow straight up. you could use some light gauge wire now and anchor from the drainage hole and start giving the small lower branches some direction.

If you look under my hand, you will see the stainless wire I am using to lower the thick branch on that side. Every week I checked and tensioned the wire a little until I brought it to where I wanted it to be. The skinny branch on the opposite side was wired till the wire bite in, then removed. If you remove to quickly it will not hold, kinda like junipers.

View attachment 474505

As soon as it gets happy in the pot it’s in I well begin adding movement and shortening branches.
The base gives me a good chance to work on my methods to encourage back budding while the top gets its roots established. I did bag it last night in hopes that it will encourage buds and aerial roots. The roots on it are strong and it was growing fairly vigorously before I separated the layer. The bag trick works pretty good for roots, hopefully it will work the same for buds after a chop.

 

[Underdog]

I have nearly the same tree (we all do or did right?) and the same plan as you. I'll be watching and maybe trying this spring. Problem is, my wife, who generally couldn't care less about them loves the shape of the trunk. I reminded her that this the one in a water glass size pot she had bought for me 7yrs ago. One of my first trees.

 

[19Mateo83]

I have nearly the same tree (we all do or did right?) and the same plan as you. I'll be watching and maybe trying this spring. Problem is, my wife, who generally couldn't care less about them loves the shape of the trunk. I reminded her that this the one in a water glass size pot she had bought for me 7yrs ago. One of my first trees.

I actually just got another one (i catch them on markdown for $13 at lowes) that has a less mallsai ish trunk and better canopy I plan to develop in its current form. I think that’s one of the things that draws me to these ficus…. They are cheap, fun to chop and can take the chops and they grow rather quickly.

 

[Carol 83]

I don't know that I would bother with the tenting. They grow so strongly and are so easy to root. I have some cuttings you are welcome to that I started just for fun but really have no use for.

 

[19Mateo83]

I don't know that I would bother with the tenting. They grow so strongly and are so easy to root. I have some cuttings you are welcome to that I started just for fun but really have no use for.

I appreciate the offer Carol, I think I’m covered on the tiger bark ficus for now but thank you.

 

[Cadillactaste]

As soon as it gets happy in the pot it’s in I well begin adding movement and shortening branches.
The base gives me a good chance to work on my methods to encourage back budding while the top gets its roots established. I did bag it last night in hopes that it will encourage buds and aerial roots. The roots on it are strong and it was growing fairly vigorously before I separated the layer. The bag trick works pretty good for roots, hopefully it will work the same for buds after a chop.
View attachment 474508
View attachment 474509

I was going to suggest bagging.

Just make sure you air it out as well. To help with fungal issues. Chopping it while Wintering inside. I myself may not have done. But it's done...and it's a ficus. So fingers crossed... I imagine it will be fine. Best of luck to you. And I mean that.

 

[19Mateo83]

I was going to suggest bagging.

Just make sure you air it out as well. To help with fungal issues. Chopping it while Wintering inside. I myself may not have done. But it's done...and it's a ficus. So fingers crossed... I imagine it will be fine. Best of luck to you. And I mean that.

It’s still cruising right along. The stump that I bagged started throwing buds along the top two branches. I chopped them back a few days ago now it’s back budding all down the trunk. It’s still in the bag, no issues so far… but no aerial roots yet either. It seems as long as they are kept warm under grow lights the timing of the chop dosent matter. They actually grow fairly vigorously during their winter indoors.

 

[Cadillactaste]

It’s still cruising right along. The stump that I bagged started throwing buds along the top two branches. I chopped them back a few days ago now it’s back budding all down the trunk. It’s still in the bag, no issues so far… but no aerial roots yet either. It seems as long as they are kept warm under grow lights the timing of the chop dosent matter. They actually grow fairly vigorously during their winter indoors.

Mine grow in the winter...nothing like in the summer while outside on a bench. I don't push the envelope. I only work my tropical hard when they are like beasts growing on my bench. That was advice I was given...that I tucked in my vault.

That said...I'm glad you are finding success. Good for you.